General Chat

'showing off' grenade actually sacrificed himself, saving 20 children

When Robert Key was blown up in France during World War II, the military ruled the soldier had been 'showing off' in front of local children with a live hand grenade.

His family refused to discuss the shamed soldier whose service blamed him for the tragedy.

But 65 years after the tragedy the surviving relatives have been told that far from being reckless, bombardier Key had actually sacrificed himself to save the children and had been considered a hero by the French villagers ever since.

The story of how the soldier died as he hurled the grenade away from a child who had picked it up and pulled out the pin finally came to light after the local mayor employed an English genealogist to trace bombardier Key's descendents to tell them about a road being named in his honour.

His relatives are now calling for his military service record to be amended to show that far from being foolish, the bombardier in the Royal Artillery had died a hero.

Niece Gill Mills, 54, of Coundon, Coventry, said: 'I think this news has essentially transformed him from villain to
hero.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235045/Disgraced-WWII-soldier-blew-showing-grenade-actually-sacrificed-saving-20-children.html

Good to see that his family now know the truth.......

What a lovely story. I only hope there are not other 'disgraced' servicemen who have been badly misrepresented in a similar way.