A mystery over the First World War grave of Rudyard Kipling's only son has been finally laid to rest.

Following a ten-month inquiry, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it was satisfied Lieutenant John Kipling's grave in France had been properly identified by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The MoD had reopened its investigation into Lt Kipling's final resting place after a book published last year questioned whether the grave in St Mary's military cemetery was really his.

The MoD said in a statement: "The MoD has now considered the evidence and believes the grave is that of Lt John Kipling."

Rudyard Kipling lived in Rottingdean between 1897 and 1902.

On September 27, 1915, 18-year-old Lt Kipling of the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards was reported missing, believed killed, following the Battle of Loos on the Western Front.

After the end of the war in 1918, the distraught writer spent much of the remainder of his life scouring the battlefields searching for his son's body.

At his death in 1936 he had still not succeeded.

In 1992, the War Graves Commission finally claimed to have put an end to the mystery.

Researchers concluded a grave in St Mary's cemetery in Loos containing the remains of an unknown Irish Guards lieutenant was that of Kipling.

The grave was duly inscribed with his name and for years the matter was assumed to be closed until last year's book.