Paul Nixon Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Back in the 1980s I was privileged to meet, interview and correspond with a number of WW1 veterans. I've used extracts from some of these interviews on my Chailey site but for the most part they've been gathering dust for the last twenty odd years. And so I've taken the decision to publish the men's words on-line. I've just uploaded my interview (and a cracking photo of the Leics Yeomanry) with Henry Thirlby Hack MM of the Leicestershire Yeomanry, and others will follow. As I've mentioned on the site, if anybody would like to quote from anything I'm publishing, please feel free to do so, but I'd appreciate it if, in any future work, you acknowledge the source. Here's the link: World War 1 Veterans. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bardess Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Hi Paul That is extremely generous of you to share your interviews and they are fascinating reading. Bookmarked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Nice one, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoMH Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Thank you! Joanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Great stuff Paul. Will be visiting your site again, very interesting. You did this when you were very young , didn't you? Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Well done, Paul. That is a lovely photo of the Leicesters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 30 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2009 You're welcome folks and yes Mike, I was 18 or 19 when I met most of these men; very glad I did so and not an opportunity that today's late teens are going to have with regard to WW1. Some of my questions at the time were a little naive but nevertheless, I did end up with some good interviews. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Yes, you did. Very natural. It's lovely to hear the men's voices come through as if it were yesterday. I enjoyed peeping at the rest of your blogs, too! Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borden Battery Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Hello Paul This Blog is being included in the CEF Study Group website list. Nice work. Borden Battery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eveanne Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Thank you Paul I truly enjoyed reading your interviews. The men's voices did come through for me too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 I have to agree. Maybe you're a natural interviewer, or maybe it was just the confidence of youth, but the voices did indeed come through. I wish I had been as keen on ww1 then as I am now. I did meet a few veterans, but never asked any questions. I remember in 1966 a trip to Earl Haig factory in Edinburgh. I can see these men now. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilis11 Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 nice one nilis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradley Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 great reading there lookin forward to some more sounds like thirlby liked to reminisce,great stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom compton Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Yes, well posted Paul. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delboy Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 paul Thanks for sharing this work with us, I was a generantion that had these great characters around us, but did not realise it! People like yourself I have noting but admiration, becuase you help to keep thier memories alive, which is priceless in my book. Well done! Delboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 1 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Thanks for your comments everybody. I've just posted about 50167 Pte Alfred Leonard Wade of the 11th Middlesex. He was the first veteran I interviewed and his story is interesting in that both his officer and his best friend wrote to his wife in England after they believed he had been killed during a trench raid in May 1917. In fact he'd just been wounded, but I copied the two letters when I met Alfred and his wife and I've re-published them on the blog. I'm posting elsewhere on the forum for information about the trench raid. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crawfordb Posted 1 July , 2009 Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Paul, I have bookmarked this and will sit and read later today/tomorrow. You have been very lucky, not to mention privileged to have spent time interviewing a WWI veteran. I too feel privileged and honoured to have had a father who was a veteran of Ypres, Loos and was injured on the Somme on 1st July 1916. In case you are wondering about the age difference he was one month short of his 60th birthday when I was born in 1956. I spoke to him on numerous occasions about the war however I look back with regret that I did not speak at length and did not record any of this. I can still remember how he told me about a young officer straight out of Sandhurst who blew his whistle and shouted "over the top lads" only to be immediately shot between the eyes. He chuckled when he told me the story - but I guess that was the way they had to deal with it - dark humour. He did at least write his memoirs and I have managed to get these published. He was in the 15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry - and today my dad and colleagues will be in my thoughts. Brian Crawford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now