Where can I locate famous grave inscription?

[dah]

In its fuller form (at least the version I'm familiar with) I think this very moving grave inscription reads.....

'Will some kind mother in a foreign land please lay a flower at my son's grave'

QUESTION: ARE THERE ANY CEMETERIES IN OR NEAR TO THE SALIENT OR VIMY WHERE I CAN SEE A GRAVE WITH THIS INSCRIPTION??

In a few weeks, I am driving my mother to Holland via France, Belgium. En route, we will stop over in Ypres for 2 nights - so that I can show her the WW1 graves of 3 uncles that she never met (in Wulvergem, Chapelle d'Armentieres, and Vimy). She has never visited the WW1 battlefields before and being in her mid-80's, this will probably be her first and last trip. I imagine she will want to take some flowers to lay at each grave (or else I will just bring them)

I have seen the above inscription in Fonquevillers cemetery and am sure I read in another thread years ago that it can be found elsewhere.

I'm sure she'll be moved by the whole experience anyway - but I think this inscription, from one mother to another, will speak right to her heart.

We won't be going as far south as the Somme on our brief tour, so Fonquevillers is out. So I'm hoping, your collective knowledge will point me to a cemetery (preferably with a grave reference) near to our route where we can lay the requested flower.

Grateful for your help.

David

[Matt Dixon]

Epitaphs were chosen by the family so you may well find alas that there is only one headstone that bears this particular message.

If you search the Forum there was an excellent thread about favourite epitaphs, I am sure if this one is too far out there will be some around where you are going which would be equally as moving.

In Petit Vimy there is the grave of Gunner C D Moore, with my personal favourite "He would give his dinner to a hungry dog and go without himself"

Good luck with your search.

[Matt Dixon]

This thread may help

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...amp;hl=epitaphs

There certainly appears to be variations on the one you have quoted above so you probably stand a good chance of finding something appropriate!

Private E Grant at Tyne Cot in Belgium

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...st&p=691213

"Would some thoughtful hand in this distant land, please scatter some flowers for me"

Or try this classic thread

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...;hl=inscription

[Peter Bennett]

Name: SIMPSON, DAVID

Initials: D

Nationality: Australian

Rank: Sapper

Regiment/Service: Australian Engineers

Unit Text: 7th Field Coy.

Age: 38

Date of Death: 11/01/1917

Service No: 4264A

Additional information: Son of William and Mary Gibb Simpson, of 8725, 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. Native of Dundee, Scotland.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: V. F. 40.

Cemetery: HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT-L'ABBE

"In that distant land will some kind hand lay a flower on his grave for me"

[bruce]

I went to loo for that inscription in "On fame's eternal camping grounds" by Trefor Jones.

I failed.

I am afraid I got as far as the epitaph of L/Corp Charles F Bell, Lissjenthoek,

"Daddy Dear

I did not see you

But Mummy

Has taught me to love you"

at which point my face started leaking.

Sorry.

Bruce

[Althouse]

I went to loo for that inscription in "On fame's eternal camping grounds" by Trefor Jones.

I failed.

I am afraid I got as far as the epitaph of L/Corp Charles F Bell, Lissjenthoek,

"Daddy Dear

I did not see you

But Mummy

Has taught me to love you"

at which point my face started leaking.

Sorry.

Bruce

I've got the same leak. Heartbreaking.

[Sue Light]

I used it for a long time on my war memorial web site in this version:

'And now they are sleeping their long last sleep,

Their graves I may never see;

But some gentle hand in that distant land

May scatter some flowers for me.'

Sue

[kinnethmont]

This is one of a local man at Etaples

The inscription reads

S/14562 Private

Peter Robertson MM

Gordon Highlanders

30th May 1918

Will some gentle hand

In that distant land

Lay down a flower for me

I was able to lay a flower when I visited some years ago, something his mother never will have done.

Name: ROBERTSON, PETER

Initials: P

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 28

Date of Death: 30/05/1918

Service No: S/14562

Awards: M M

Additional information: Son of Peter and Margaret Robertson, of Woodend Cottage, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire. Native of Kennethmont.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: LXVI. E. 24.

Cemetery: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

[dah]

Thank you all so much for your help and information.

We'll certainly be visiting Tyne Cot - so I can now bring my mother to lay a flower at Private E. Grant's grave.

And, we'll also stop at Lissjenthoek to read the heartbreaking 'Daddy dear' inscription for L/Corp Charles F Bell, Being a religious person, my mother will be comforted that that child is now almost certainly reunited with the Daddy he/she never met.

David

[ianw]

Speaking of Etaples, it was here that King George V laid flowers on an individual soldiers grave on behalf of his Queen. She had received the request from a mother and the King fulfilled it during his famous pilgrimage to the Western Front.