Nearly 70 years after he was killed in a fire, Percy Helme's family has returned to Bermuda to reclaim his unmarked grave.

Mr. Helme was an assistant barber on the Furness Bermuda Line cruise ship Bermuda and was the sole casualty of a 1931 fire that destroyed the ship in Hamilton Harbour.

Percy's son Cyril, who was also a crew member on the fateful ship, has journeyed from England with his brother Jack, sister Joyce Vicker and sister-in-law Margaret, to dedicate the unmarked grave with a commemorative plaque.

Percy was buried at St. John's Church cemetery following the accident but the family were unable to single out which grave was his.

The family said they received unlimited help in their search from various members of the public.

"We made the trip back to identify the grave,'' Jack said, "and we've been extremely amazed at the level of kindness that everyone has shown us.'' They noted that, with the aid of photographs taken by Cyril and the help of local shipping historian Allen Soares, they were able to correctly identify the grave two years ago.

The Bermuda operated from New York to Bermuda from 1928 until the fire in the early hours of July 17, 1931.

At 86, Cyril said he was happy that a "sense of closure'' could come about so many years after his father's death and said he considered Bermuda as his home.

"I was 17 at the time this happened and, for a time, I was taken in by the locals,'' he said, "so I feel quite at home here. I feel like a resident.''