I WRITE regarding an article in the November 25 issue of the Courier re Rifleman Reginald A Searle.

I am pleased to inform you that after extensive research carried out by Mrs Liz Bayley, it has been proved that I am the closest living relative of Reginald.

Mr Steve Geatches who found the Death Penny Medal and other items when his mother moved house has very generously given me all the artefacts, which I will treasure. We have no idea at all why they were found in that place.

Reginald was the nephew of my Great Grandparents, Frank and Margaret Searle and the cousin of my Grandmother Roseanna Steer (nee Searle).

Rifleman Searle served in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps 20th Battalion and was killed at the Battle of the Somme on July 8 1916 at the age of 19 years; he is buried in Carnoy Military Cemetery.

He was the only child of Walter and Alice Searle and lived at 2 Chapel Terrace, Threshers, Crediton.

I would like to express my grateful thanks to Steve Geatches and Liz Bayley for their help in tracing the link to myself.

I visited the Somme Exhibition in Exeter last July and my daughter bought one of the shrouded figures, little realising that it would have such poignancy a few months later.

Margaret Haydon

Alexandra Road

Crediton