Remains of Canadian soldier killed in WW II unearthed in the Netherlands
Private Albert Laubenstein's remains found on riverbank in Netherlands last June, ID'd through dental records
A Manitoba family is heading overseas for a burial service next month after the remains of a Canadian relative who fought and died in the Second World War were discovered in the Netherlands.
Then, out of the blue last June, the Canadian military said someone with a metal detector happened upon Laubenstein's remains while scanning the banks of the Maas River, which were later identified using dental records.
"Fortunately Canada [kept] tremendous dental records during the Second World War," said Glen Laubenstein, Albert's nephew who lives in Winnipeg.
Glen remembers hearing stories about the Private growing up.
"Dad talked [about] him a little bit, my grandmother talked about him a little bit, but you know, it's 70 years ago," said Glen.
The Canadian Armed Forces contacted the Laubenstein family not long after the discovery. Now, the military is flying Glen and his daughter, CBC journalist Sarah Penton, to the Netherlands in May so that they can give Albert a proper burial.
They hope to learn more details about how Albert died while they're there.
"To know this is what Albert went through, this is where he was, these are the conditions, this is where he fought, these are the conditions under which he died; hitting it home like that, having that personal record has a big difference in the message," said Penton.
Nearly 70 years on, Glen believes the service will bring the family some closure.
"Even though my grandmother, his mother, is long gone, I just think from the family perspective it will make a huge difference to actually have his remains … in the burial area where he is," said Glen. "And to know that it's all part of something. For me it will actually be very special to be there and see it."
Albert's remains will be interred May 6 at the Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian Way Cemetery in Noord-Brabant, in the Netherlands.