A Second World War hero killed when his Spitfire was shot down by enemy fire has been laid to rest today - 74 years after his death.
Service men and women, friends and 22 members of RAF Warrant Officer John Henry Coates' family came together this afternoon to bid another farewell to the 111 Squadron fighter pilot.
Known as Harry, the fighter ace was buried at Padua War Cemetery, Italy, not far from where he was declared missing on March 5, 1945 during a dawn raid.
The then 24-year-old had been protecting bombers targeting barges near Venice when anti-aircraft flak hit his Spitfire PT410, which plummeted to earth and exploded on impact.
Kate Middleton superfan reveals how to get duchess's wardrobe on a shoestring
Harry's name was engraved on the Malta War Memorial to 2,298 Commonwealth air crew killed in battles around the Mediterranean but with no known graves.
Then in October 2017 the warrant officer's remains were discovered by Romagna Air Finders, an organisation that recovers WW2 aircraft.
His identity was confirmed in a DNA comparison involving a relative.
Lincoln crash: Tributes to 'amazing kid' Joby John who died in horror accident
UK defence staff, regimental representatives and local dignitaries will also be at the burial service.
His niece Helen Watts, whose mother Molly Dearlove was his younger sister, said: “My siblings and I grew up knowing our uncle had gone missing towards the end of the war.
“It’s amazing that he was found all these years later.”
Helen, 65 – who still lives in York, where her uncle was born – added: “We expect the funeral to be very moving.”
Another of Harry’s nieces, Shelagh Coates, 70, said: “It is a great honour for us finally to lay him to rest.”
Harry volunteered for the RAF and trained as a pilot even though he was in a reserved occupation as a railways draughtsman.
Prince Charles and Camilla become first British royals to visit communist Cuba
On the day of his death he should have been on leave – but swapped duties to fly on the mission.
Romagna group member Alessandro Voltolina, 48, was working on the recovery of another aircraft when the son of an eyewitness told him of Harry’s crash.
Amazing bravery of Great Escape heroes - and tragedy that befell those left behind
He said: “It is always a matter of great satisfaction when all your efforts are rewarded.
"Mr Coates may now rest with all the youngsters who lost their lives in Italy and are too often forgotten.
“I hope that this means much happiness for his family.
“He has become a pilot killed in action rather than a pilot missing in action. His story now has an ending.”
