Grave of Ltn. Victor Richardson M.C.

[MichaelBully]

To update the thread- Terry and Michelle have already been messaged - I have had a letter from a relative of Victor Richardson who has indicated that they are interested in principle with regard to concerns over the condition of the grave : I have replied and Terry has kindly consented to me printing out his pictures to them which I have been done. I will post more when I have heard back from them and discussed how public they want this issue to become with regard to offical bodies or even local media. I have mentioned GWF and this thread.

It is good to know that they are interested.

[mandy hall]

Having recently read Testament of Youth and just finished Testament of Experience this morning I visited Victor's grave this afternoon thanks to your post Michael and Terry's map.

The grave does look very sorry for itself however it is in an old part of the cemetery and some of the other graves nearby are overgrown. Is very atmospheric with crows sitting on the graves and lots of angels.

Mandy

[MichaelBully]

Having recently read Testament of Youth and just finished Testament of Experience this morning I visited Victor's grave this afternoon thanks to your post Michael and Terry's map.

The grave does look very sorry for itself however it is in an old part of the cemetery and some of the other graves nearby are overgrown. Is very atmospheric with crows sitting on the graves and lots of angels.

Mandy

Hello Mandy

I have thought a lot about the question of what I'd like to see happen to Victor's grave. I can understand the view that perhaps a grave, after a certain period of time, should be left to return to nature as it were, and certainly some of the graves in the Hove Old Cemetery have done this. But on the other hand at the same cemetery officially recognised war graves are being maintained in the designated section there, and due to the fact that Victor was burried in the civilian section, his grave has virtuallly been abandoned. I have ended up concluding that the sheer extent of what Victor Richardson was prepared to sarcifice for his country, namely his eyesight, his mind, then finally his life, should still be remembered now. At least for the time period when we remember the hundreth anniversary of the Great War's duration.

Michael

[TWORLEDGE]

Having recently read Testament of Youth and just finished Testament of Experience this morning I visited Victor's grave this afternoon thanks to your post Michael and Terry's map.

The grave does look very sorry for itself however it is in an old part of the cemetery and some of the other graves nearby are overgrown. Is very atmospheric with crows sitting on the graves and lots of angels.

Mandy

Yes it is atmospheric there. Damp, lots of Ivy. Surprisingly peaceful seeing that it's not far from a busy road. The trees nearby make it nice too. It seems to me that it should just be there for a long time. I worry about clearance. I'm not sure whether that's a policy now. I was there the other day photographing the Brownlie Memorial. Not far from Victor's and sporting a very large angel. I'm fascinated by that one. It was already on find a grave but I redid it purely for the Ashanti War soldier on it. Maybe Victor's grave could be given a "listed" status like buildings. I don't know but maybe the relatives will come up with something for the near future. At the very least we'll have helped some people find it.

[MichaelBully]

Mandy- I was going to add that other works to look at in relation to Victor Richardson's life would also be 'Chronicle of Youth', Vera Brittain's diary 1913-1917 which stops just before Victor's death. Then the 'Letters from a Lost Generation', ( First World War Letters of Vera Brittain And Four Friends) edited by Alan Bishop and Mark Bostridge.

Terry, Mandy and anyone else interested - I was going to suggest that we could organise a visit to Victors grave and lay some flowers. Perhaps for 9th June which would be the anniversary of his death?

Will report back when any more news appears from the relatives.

[mandy hall]

Hi Michael

I would not like to see Victor's grave deteriorate any further and hopefully with the contacts you have made something will be sorted.

I have just ordered Letters from a Lost Generation, Testament of Friendship and Testament of a Generation: The Journalism of Vera Brittain and Winifred Holtby all second hand from Amazon through the forum of course although we won't be making much in commission as 2 of them were only a penny.

I will also be visiting Roland's grave at the end of February whilist trying to retrace some of my grandfathers footsteps on the Somme.

If you do want to arrange a visit for the 9 June I would be interested.

Mandy

[MichaelBully]

Hi Michael

I would not like to see Victor's grave deteriorate any further and hopefully with the contacts you have made something will be sorted.

I have just ordered Letters from a Lost Generation, Testament of Friendship and Testament of a Generation: The Journalism of Vera Brittain and Winifred Holtby all second hand from Amazon through the forum of course although we won't be making much in commission as 2 of them were only a penny.

I will also be visiting Roland's grave at the end of February whilist trying to retrace some of my grandfathers footsteps on the Somme.

If you do want to arrange a visit for the 9 June I would be interested.

Mandy

Hello Mandy, I have been collecting Vera Brittain's work and familiar with the titles that you mention. Interested to hear that you are going to Roland Leighton's grave and wish you much success with your tracing of your grandfather's time in the Somme.

'Chronicle of Youth' also has a great deal more on Vera Brittain's relationship with Roland Leighton.

'Letters from A Lost Generation' is fascinating. Victor Richardson comes over as a less prolific letter writer than the others but particularly interesting to note how the four young officers, very much from similar Middle Class provincial backgrounds, had quite distinct individual views on the War.

Will keep you posted concerning Victor Richardson's grave.

[TWORLEDGE]

Mandy- I was going to add that other works to look at in relation to Victor Richardson's life would also be 'Chronicle of Youth', Vera Brittain's diary 1913-1917 which stops just before Victor's death. Then the 'Letters from a Lost Generation', ( First World War Letters of Vera Brittain And Four Friends) edited by Alan Bishop and Mark Bostridge.

Terry, Mandy and anyone else interested - I was going to suggest that we could organise a visit to Victors grave and lay some flowers. Perhaps for 9th June which would be the anniversary of his death?

Will report back when any more news appears from the relatives.

Hi Michael.

Should be okay with me of the 9th of June.

Yours Terry.

[MichaelBully]

Looks like Wednesday 9th June 2010 is a possibility to organise something. I will let the Western Front Association know- I am a member: The WFA Sussex branch meeting on 9th April 2010 will actually be about the battle of Arras ( anniversary of the battle) so could be useful opportunity to raise our visit to the grave , highlighting Victor being seriously wounded at Arras.

An organised visit to the grave will also be a good opportunity to encourage people to see its current condition.

There is also the Vera Brittain Facebook group, though in recent months Michelle from Great War Forum and myself seem to be the only people posting, so the focus tends to be on the Great War and Vera's subsequent writings about the Great War.

[TWORLEDGE]

Looks like Wednesday 9th June 2010 is a possibility to organise something. I will let the Western Front Association know- I am a member: The WFA Sussex branch meeting on 9th April 2010 will actually be about the battle of Arras ( anniversary of the battle) so could be useful opportunity to raise our visit to the grave , highlighting Victor being seriously wounded at Arras.

An organised visit to the grave will also be a good opportunity to encourage people to see its current condition.

There is also the Vera Brittain Facebook group, though in recent months Michelle from Great War Forum and myself seem to be the only people posting, so the focus tends to be on the Great War and Vera's subsequent writings about the Great War.

Hi Michael.

I was talking to someone today who went to find the grave sunday. Couldn't find it despite the map. She said that someone she asked said they'd been asked by a film crew during the week. So I wonder if that is the something to do with the next film about testament of youth. Or maybe a preamble to it. Poor old "Tah" will be famous again.

Yours Terry.

[MichaelBully]

Hi Michael.

I was talking to someone today who went to find the grave sunday. Couldn't find it despite the map. She said that someone she asked said they'd been asked by a film crew during the week. So I wonder if that is the something to do with the next film about testament of youth. Or maybe a preamble to it. Poor old "Tah" will be famous again.

Yours Terry.

Intriguing information. Could be something to do with the movie or promoting it. Still waiting to hear back from Victor's relatives and may well ask them if there have been any more approaches from the media- apart from the BBC last Autumn- next time I am in contact. They are in north Yorkshire so not necessarily in a position to keep in touch with who is visiting.

With best wishes

Michael

[MichaelBully]

I have received a further letter from Victor Richardson's nearest surviving relatives. They have asked that their details do not appear on the Internet, but have also stated that on the subject of trying to get the grave restored they consent to raising this on the Great War Forum, with Western Front Association, also the War Graves commission.

They do not have WWW access but were pleased to hear about Terry's pictures of the grave, and with the print out to hard copy of Terry's pictures that I sent them.

I will reply and keep them updated , will also let them know about the 9th June planned visit to Victor's grave. They seemed pleased that I had visited the grave on Rememberance Sunday. So it is quite re-assuring to know that they seem to be in agreement with keeping Victor Richardson's name remembered .

[mandy hall]

Keep up the good work Michael

Mandy

[geoff2050]

Michael.

How well you have done since you first posted this thread.

Keep up the good work

Geoff

[MichaelBully]

It is good of you to say so Geoff but a number of other members here on the GWF particularly Terry and Michelle have been of great practical help and other people have been very supportive.

Have finally got a photo to use which I got local photographer Alex Currie to take of Victor Richardson's grave and suggest can be used....will get some hard copies done and then see how to use them to see if there is a chance of getting some funding for restoring the grave.

Have sent you one by E mail attachment in JPG format. If anyone else wants one please PM me.

One consideration I didn't take into account- and one that is almost too obvious- is that the grave ( like many others ) looks far more overgrown in Summer- having a picture taken in January is not the same as in June !

Best wishes

Michael Shankland

Michael.

How well you have done since you first posted this thread.

Keep up the good work

Geoff

[MichaelBully]

Thanks Mandy! Please keep us updated concerning your visit to see Roland Leighton's grave. Look forward to hearing about it.

With best wishes

Michael

Keep up the good work Michael

Mandy

[MichaelBully]

Photo taken Brighton based photographer Alex Currie of Victor Richardson's grave, 24th January 2010.

Thanks to Terry Worledge for helping to format picture.

[mandy hall]

I visited Roland's grave on Sunday. It was only a brief visit as the weather on Sunday in France was appalling very wet and windy and my long suffering partner agreed to take to me to one more cemetery. The inscription on the bottom of the grave reads "goodnight through life and all take flight never goodbye". I have been trying to post the photo I took but after resizing I still can't get it to attach even with the help of 2 computer savy children

[MichaelBully]

Hello Mandy

I wish I could offer you practical advice on how to upload the picture but alas I had to get assistance myself for Victor's grave picture.

That line "goodnight through life and all take flight never goodbye". sounds interesting. At first I thought that it would be from a verse that his mother, Marie Conor Leighton devised, as she was a novelist but I found this previous thread from 2004

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/l...php/t11179.html

where the inscription was discussed.

Reading 'Testament of Youth' certainly broadens one's knowledge of poetry !

With best wishes

I visited Roland's grave on Sunday. It was only a brief visit as the weather on Sunday in France was appalling very wet and windy and my long suffering partner agreed to take to me to one more cemetery. The inscription on the bottom of the grave reads "goodnight through life and all take flight never goodbye". I have been trying to post the photo I took but after resizing I still can't get it to attach even with the help of 2 computer savy children

[TWORLEDGE]

I visited Roland's grave on Sunday. It was only a brief visit as the weather on Sunday in France was appalling very wet and windy and my long suffering partner agreed to take to me to one more cemetery. The inscription on the bottom of the grave reads "goodnight through life and all take flight never goodbye". I have been trying to post the photo I took but after resizing I still can't get it to attach even with the help of 2 computer savy children

Hi Mandy. Make sure the photo is less than 100kbs. Merely altering it's physical size won't do that. Altering it's compression will. To do this open it in Microsoft photo editor. Sometimes right clicking on the picture and choosing open with can give you that option. If you can open it in Microsoft Photo editor then choose save as and click "more" at the bottom of the save window. This will give you an option to set the compression. Try various sizes saving with a different name. If you save it to your desktop you can hover the mouse over it to see the kbs size. Don't forget to refresh the desktop first. Or you may get the same reading as before resizing. Apologies if you know all this already. If you don't have Microsoft photo editor the free Program gimp2 is free and comparable to photo editing software costing hundreds of pounds . Google the gimp to find it. Yours Terry.

[MichaelBully]

Just an update: I have had an e mail from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in response to a letter I sent them with the photograph of the grave. Victor's grave will be included in a vist that will be done later this year to war graves in the region. There is a possibility that they might be able to help in repairing the lettering on the base headstone. Bearing in mind that the members of staff concerned are only speaking from looking at a photograph I can appreciate that no commitment can be made yet .

But looks like re-erecting the cross would be beyond their remit.

The Western Front Association have replied and forward my letter and photo to a someone in the organisation who deals with memorials for further comment.

Will post more when receive further replies.

[MichaelBully]

Further update: I have more contact with the Commonwealth War Graves Commision ; they may be able to assist in having the cross-headstone laid on a bed of woodchip and possible repair to the kerbs.This might help curb the encroaching plant life. Very encouraging news : Victor Richardson was born in Hove 18th March 1895 so a timely response.

[mandy hall]

Sounds like good news Michael. Well done.

Mandy

[Michelle Young]

A very timely response indeed!

Michelle

[TWORLEDGE]

Further update: I have more contact with the Commonwealth War Graves Commision ; they may be able to assist in having the cross-headstone laid on a bed of woodchip and possible repair to the kerbs.This might help curb the encroaching plant life. Very encouraging news : Victor Richardson was born in Hove 18th March 1895 so a timely response.

Nice birthday present for Victor. Well done Michael. It should tidy it up nicely without having to replace components for new ones. I wonder when they'll do it. I have to get in touch with them about young Chadwell's grave. All in good condition but collapsing into the grave itself. Sorry to have missed you the other day. Looked in on Victor on the way home and someone showed me the grave of a Bugler that sounded the charge of the light brigade. Took a picture but can't put it on here as it's the wrong war. There is an 1890 recording of him sounding the charge on a bugle used at Waterloo. Well done again with Victor's grave. Yours Terry.