Wil Rieken

Willemien Rieken (died 24 July 2020) was a Dutch woman who was in September 1945 one of the Flower Children after the Battle of Arnhem, aged 9. Children who lived near the scene of the fighting at the time were given an Allied war grave to maintain. Rieken adopted it ever since and looked after the grave of Trooper William Edmond from Musselburgh. She looked after the grave for over 75 years, until her death.[1][2]

Rieken was one of the last surviving Flower Children. In 2017 she became a member of the Order of Orange-Nassau. During the 75th anniversary of the battle she was filmed by the BBC. She died in Doorwerth on 24 July 2020, aged 85.[1][2]

References
  1. "Eerbetoon aan overleden Wil Rieken, eerste bloemenkind Slag om Arnhem". de Gelderlander (in Dutch). 2020-07-30. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  2. "Dutch woman who tended Scots soldier's grave dies". July 29, 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.


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