For more than 65 years, a letter penned in Belgian French to the widow of a hero soldier killed in action has been shrouded in mystery.

Mother-of-four Florence Jackson was led to believe her husband, Sgt William Jackson, had possibly fathered other children while serving with the Royal Irish Fusiliers in Lille during the Second World War.

She died never knowing any different.

The letter, addressed to "Florie" and dated March 1945, arrived at her home in Wycliffe Road, Northfleet, two years after Sgt Jackson (pictured below) died while fighting in Italy and for which he was posthumously awarded the Military Medal.

Unable to read it herself, it was partially translated by an acquaintance who suggested the 32-year-old had a second family.

But now, thanks to St John's Catholic Comprehensive School French teacher Gwladys Dupont, Sgt Jackson's son Martin and grandson Michael have learned the letter is, in fact, from villagers who were simply concerned about the man they endearingly referred to as "Our Willie".

Martin, 76, of Racefield Close, Shorne Ridgeway, said: "My mum carried this letter and all my dad's other war paraphernalia around in her handbag until she died.

"She always told us that she thought there may have been other little 'Martins' running around, but whoever translated it didn't do it properly and gave her the wrong idea."

The family now hope the letter will help them to trace Sgt Jackson's connections to the village of Lezennes par Hellemmes.

Written by Mrs A. Turbelin, it states Sgt Jackson was "accommodated" in the village in 1940 and that she and her husband, Edmond, hoped Florence and the children were well.

Mrs Turbelin then asks after Sgt Jackson, obviously unaware that he had been killed. "Have you heard of our Willie?" she writes.

"He had promised that he would never forget us and we talk about him every single day. He was so nice to us!"

Sgt Jackson's Military Medal citation

Following his grandmother's death, Michael, 37, inherited his grandfather's war memorabilia.

He now plans to write to Mrs Turbelin's address in the hope any relatives in the village will be able to fill in the missing jigsaw pieces about his grandfather.

Michael, of Mackenzie Way, Gravesend, believes the Dublin-born soldier, who enlisted at the age of 17, was based there before serving in Dunkirk, Africa and finally Italy.

"This letter was the big mystery for years," explained Michael.

"I said to Dad we had to get it translated but it doesn't say what we thought it was going to say. It has been lost in translation.

"I now wonder whether it was the villagers looking out for the soldiers or were the soldiers sent there to look out for the village? Or was it just him there?

"I would like to find out exactly what happened in Lille – whether there's someone in the village who remembers him.

"It's like the missing link for us."

Michael is also anxious to trace his grandfather's service medals, including the Military Medal which was presented to a seven-year-old Martin by King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

Anyone with information about Sgt Jackson or the Royal Irish Fusiliers can contact Michael by emailing jsvs@hotmail.co.uk.