Relatives who died in WW1

[dycer]

Atholl,

Just read your note about your relative in the 6th Gordon Highlanders.

My Uncle was serving in the same Division(8th Royal Scots)when he was killed on 22 March 1918.

Please do not let my comments about the Arras Memorial being impersonal put you off visting it.

I did find, though, a greater sense of peace when visting one of the Cemeteries near Beaumetz on the road between Bapaume and Cambrai.Most of the Graves are muti-occupied and unidentified.However,I was comforted by the thought that my Uncle may be lying close by and that the "Unknowns" do not receive as many vistors as the "Identified".The Cemteries are immaculate so at least you know wherever your Relative may be lying he is well cared for.

George

[BMoorhouse]

We must keep on remebering them and tell the children about what happend. Like that a part of them will live forever...

Very well put.

I was recently privileged to visit Normandy with WW2 veterans from the Somerset Light Infantry. Although now old men themselves, it was a very emotional experience walking on the battlefields and in the cemeteries with them - remembering their good friends that never had the chance to live full lives. Also visiting were wives and children of the soldiers that died - one daughter who never saw her father.

Whichever war we must keep remembering them...

[JEG]

Kristof,

Please forgive me if this is an inappropriate question; but is there a reason why your relative’s headstone is different from the others in the cemetery? Is it a private headstone, or were families allowed to choose a cross for their headstone.

I ask because the British authorities did not permit such a choice.

Regards Janet

[bkristof]

It is a non official stone for Flemish soldiers...

But that is a very complicated story of WW1.

It means he was an attive Flemish rights fighter during the war.

They were not really right minded or extreme Nationalistic. The Flemish front movement (that was how it was called) was "fighting" for equal rights for Flemish and French speaking Belgians. It was more a socialistic movement.

But unortunaly the extreme right people took over their symvbols and made it more fascist like instead of socialistic.

AVV VVK (on, the cross) stands for: ALL For Flanders Flanders For Christ. About 90% of the Flemish then were very Catholic...

As you can see on the picture there are more such a stones on that cemetery.

In the '20's and during the war anti - Flemish movements destroyed a lot of them...

Steenkerke was spared.

I hope it helped a bit to understand, it is a very complicated question.

greets,

kristof

[JEG]

Thank you Kristof

It does seem a complicated situation,

Regards Janet

[steve fuller]

Seeing the photo, with a man who looked like you must,be a super strange experience...

Snap! Happened to me too.

Never known where I get my 'look' & build from, why I tilt my head to the right side in certain situations (etc etc etc), but the pic of my Gt Gramps explained it all! Bit of a shocker, but one of many unanswered questions that has an answer now.

And it helps tremendously to know where you came from Ive found.

[bkristof]

I hope it isn't your avatar...

[steve fuller]

Thats just my disguise!! Although the old Barnet can look remarkably similar in the mornings (Will have to treat myself to a comb one day .... )

[robbie]

today - 87 year my great uncle, Rijkaart Blieck,Nr.:157, private, 7th art. loopgraven artillerie (trench mortars) was killed during a shell bombardement. Age 22...

Gee I really can't imagine that! He was 20 when he joined.

He survived 2 years already!

It always gives me a very strange feeling... sad, guilty, powerless.

I also have so many questions.

I am leaving now to visit his grave. Always a very emotional moment to me.

Kristoff,

I feel exactly the same about my grandad (see signature). He died 27 years ago but it's as if it were yesterday. I miss him dearly. How these guys did what they did and then returned to work and started families, i do not know. So no, you are not alone..Take care, mate.

Robbie

[Half-pint]

As an extra to my earlier posting, here is something else I did.

Prior to my first visit to Ypres and to Edward Swain's grave, I wrote to the owners of the house he'd lived in before going to the Front. I asked them if they'd be willing to send some earth from their (small) front garden so that I could spread it on Edward's (and later William's) graves, so that they'd always have a little piece of home with them.

I didn't expect a repsonse, but was delighted when the plastic bag I'd sent was returned, full of earth, and a note asking for as much info on the brothers.

I sent the owner everything I knew and also photos of the brothers, which they were very pleased with.

The house, in Southall Middlesex, was lived in by the Swain family from the very late 1800 until the year I went to Ypres (2001).

It was quite a feeling to be able to take a little piece of home to Edward (in 2001) and William (in 2003).

What a tremendous idea! I am in the earliest planning stages of making such a pilgrimage, and this seems a splendid way to make a connection. It's going to be interesting, though, collecting specimens of dirt from various & sundry places from Windsor & Toronto in Ontario, Canada to the northern part of the County Armagh in Ireland, and Croydon in Surrey and Bournemouth in Hants in England. Maybe I'll just take a page from your book, Brig Gen, and write away for the samples ;-).

Cheers,

Alison Causton, in "the valley", Nova Scotia

Researching: Pte H.N. Causton [1892-1980], #73880, 28th Btn CEF; injured & taken prisoner at the Battle of Mount Sorrel 6 June 1916.

[Half-pint]

As an extra to my earlier posting, here is something else I did.

Prior to my first visit to Ypres and to Edward Swain's grave, I wrote to the owners of the house he'd lived in before going to the Front. I asked them if they'd be willing to send some earth from their (small) front garden so that I could spread it on Edward's (and later William's) graves, so that they'd always have a little piece of home with them.

...

What a tremendous idea! I am in the earliest planning stages of making such a pilgrimage, and this seems a splendid way to make a connection. It's going to be interesting, though, collecting specimens of dirt from various & sundry places from Windsor & Toronto in Ontario, Canada to the northern part of the County Armagh in Ireland, and Croydon in Surrey and Bournemouth in Hants in England. Maybe I'll just take a page from your book, Brig Gen, and write away for the samples ;-).

Cheers,

Alison Causton, in "the valley", Nova Scotia

Researching: Pte H.N. Causton [1892-1980], #73880, 28th Btn CEF; injured & taken prisoner at the Battle of Mount Sorrel 6 June 1916.

[Guest Andy M L]

I have no known casualties from the Great War in my family, however I have to admit I have never failed to be moved every year at Armistice. Some may find it strange in the modern world, but everytime I walk past a war memorial I pause to read the tributes to the fallen. Last year I attended the Armistice parade at Al Amarah Iraq as a serving soldier, that often forgotten corner where many fell in the Great War and are still falling today. I feel no shame in the fact that I have shed tears in rememberance to the sacrifice of all who have fallen.

To all who read this, please ensure this sacrifice is never forgotten, the debt we owe today is as great it was when the war ended.

[Guest Invicta]

My great uncle Harry is buried in the Ancre British Cemetery along with many RND lads from November 1916.

The first time I visited was about 4 years ago on a beautiful spring day. My first thoughts were how could this have been such a horrendous place 90 years ago. Probably many pals have had that feeling when they have visited their relatives' graves.

I felt also rather humble and I must admit I do choke up a little each time I visit. I would not stop going for the world.

Cheers all

Invicta

[Half-pint]

The first time we made a visit to cousins near Portadown, County Armagh, we made a beeline for the War Memorial in front of St Mark's church. We needed to spend a few moments looking for, and looking at, their names:

- Trooper Thomas H. Flavelle, Lancaster Yeomanry, Obins Street, Portadown

- Rifleman George Flavelle, Royal Irish Rifles, Corbrackey townland, Drumcree parish

- Private Peter Gilmore, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Curran Street, Portadown

More names can be seen at the Portadown Photos web site, maintained by Jim Lyttle, at:

http://www.portadownphotos.freehomepage.co...l-portadown.htm.

None of our cousins from Kilrea parish (on the Bann River, in County Derry) were listed in that Roll of Honour, but the names are all familiar and well known to the people who live there. I should probably make a point of providing an index of those surnames in another sub-forum of this Great War Forum...

Regards,

Alison Causton

[Harry20]

We must keep on remebering them and tell the children about what happend. Like that a part of them will live forever...

Kristof

if you are still there and still visiting your grand, great uncle's grave at Steenkerke Belgian Military Cemetery, and have a moment, please pass Grave B8 in the British sector and let my great uncle (L/Cpl Henry S Watson Special N Coy Royal Engineers, know he is not forgotten, though its been a while since he's been visited by family.

He was attached to the Belgian Army for a while I believe an dI think was involved at Dixmude also - he was with those involved in chemical warfare. He lasted just a couple of weeks beyond your relative, being kia on 14 November 1917. He too was 20.

I can't begin to wonder what it must have been like, I am currently trying to establish more about his comrades who were killed at same time with a view to finding out more about his own action and death.

Your country was generous enough to bestow the Croix de Guerre on him (posthumously) and to give him resting space.

thanks

Cowgate