Family of Nottinghamshire soldier who liberated German village from Nazis visit his memorial

This time of Remembrance has always had meaning for me. I lost two great-uncles in the First World War - in fact, ITV News Central cameras were there in 2009 when I tracked down their names on two war memorials in France.

So two years ago I was intrigued to find out that villagers in northern Germany had created a new memorial to honour 14 British soldiers who'd died while liberating their village from the Nazis. The men were all killed in the last few days of the Second World War.

The woman behind the project, a farmer's wife and amateur historian called Debbie Bülau, was trying to trace the families of the soldiers, but one was eluding her.

19-year-old Anthony Granville Taylor-Hurst was part of a five-man crew aboard a Sherman tank. On 1 May 1945, they were all killed when they hit a large sea mine on the edge of the village of Kutenholz near Hamburg.

Debbie contacted ITV News Central for help in tracing Anthony's family as she knew he was from Mansfield Woodhouse in Nottinghamshire. I filmed a story on her search, and fortunately Anthony's relatives saw it and got in touch.

Anthony's nephew and three nieces still live in the area, and know him as "Uncle Granville". They were astonished to hear of the memorial in Kutenholz, particularly as they'd mistakenly believed he'd died in France.

Now two years later, one of the nieces, Rose Askew from Rufford has made the journey to Germany to see the memorial and thank the German villagers who made it. I had the privilege of travelling with her and her husband Chris.

On the two-day trip, Debbie Bülau took Rose to the very spot where the tank exploded. Remarkably, parts of the debris from the blast are still being unearthed nearly eight decades later.

As we were filming, a villager with a metal detector discovered more remnants including part of the motor and some electric cable. Rose was able to take these home with her.

To some, they'd be a bit of scrap metal. To her it's something her family can keep to bring them closer to their Uncle Granville.

An emotional first day culminated in a visit to Kutenholz Cemetery to see the memorial put up by local villagers. I'm told a gesture like this by German people to honour the sacrifice of British soldiers is very rare.

It was a moving moment as Rose laid flowers at the four stones, remembering not just Anthony and the tank crew but all the British soldiers whose names are inscribed there. She and her husband also paid their respects at a memorial to German soldiers from the village killed in two World Wars.

On the second day, there was to be a special surprise for the visitors from Nottinghamshire. Rose visited the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery at Becklingen where Anthony is buried.

Welcoming her was a standard-bearer from the Royal British Legion and a bagpipe-player, and in a short, moving ceremony, the Last Post was played as Rose laid a wreath at Antony's headstone.

Other members of the family are keen to follow in Rose's footsteps and visit their Uncle Granville's final resting-place.

They now feel more of a connection with the war hero in their family than ever. I am just glad that I could play a small part in making that connection happen.

Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…