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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Favourite Gravestone Inscription


ianw

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The Explanation.

Love and death once ceased their strife,

At the tavern of man's life.

Called for wine and threw alas,

each his quiver on the grass.

When the bout was o'er they found,

mingled arrows strewed the ground.

Hastily they gathered then,

each the loves and lives of men.

Ah, the fateful dawn deceived,

mingled arrows each one sheaved

Death's dread armoury was stored,

with the shafts he most abhored.

Love's light quiver groaned beneath,

venom headed darts of death.

Thus it was they wrought our woe,

at the tavern long ago.

Tell me, do our masters know,

loosing blindly as they fly

That old men love,

while young men die?

Kipling. (who lost his only son in WWI)

I wonder if the last four lines appear on a headstone of WWI?

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  • 2 weeks later...

MY HERO - seen on an Aussie grave at Passchendaele New Mil Cemetery. I believe the inscription was from Warren Lewis Stanley's young wife.

In Dozinghem -

A man born in Moscow in 1894, who joined the Canadian Army and died in Flanders Fields.

BY THEIR SACRIFICE, WE LIVE - Tom Larder 9th Bn Sherwood Foresters.

Then again every one I see brings a tear to my eye.

Stevem

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Not epitaphs as such but in Polygon Wood Cemetery there are two graves with the home addresses on the stones.

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  • 11 months later...
sure i see in Villers-Bretonneux stone with FOR WHAT on it can anyone confirm this

Sorry - didn't see this one - but definately a powerful message!

One I came across at Sunken Rd Cemetery took my eye

'His sun has gone down while it is yet day'

post-4363-1188462719.jpg

This was the epitaph for Pte G.P.P. Tolhurst (1994) 27th Bn AIF

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I also felt moved to take photos of these two at Gallipoli

post-4363-1188462962.jpg

Quinns Post Cemetery

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Shell Green Cemetery (the brother of Albert Facey)

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Quoting Dave from page 1: ""In loving memory of Dear Daddy, from Maisie" . (Pte.C.Scaplehorn, Bailleul)"

Being a Dad of two gorgeous little girls, that message really stabs at the heart.

Quoting Terry from page 2: "You can also see red and green sandstone. The old Portland headstones are gradually being replaced with Botticino limestone which has a marble effect."

Does this apply to all Portland headstones? What are the plans for those replaced?

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I saw this headstone in Aeroplane Cemetery near Ypres on Saturday morning:

"WHEN ALIVE THEY WOULD NOT TAKE YOUR PLACE

THEY CANNOT HAVE IT NOW MY SON"

DSCF1305.jpg

DSCF1307.jpg

This is the grave of Private Walter John Sayers, son of Mary Sayers, and the late William Sayers, of Artane. Wycheproof, Victoria, Australia. III. B. 6.

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I was recently hunting down a gravestone for Kevinaka1888 and I found it, the grave had the inscription on it: Till The Day Breaks. I was wondering if this was regimental, biblical or personal? Any ideas?

Lynz :lol:

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In Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery "Coming Dad"

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I was recently hunting down a gravestone for Kevinaka1888 and I found it, the grave had the inscription on it: Till The Day Breaks. I was wondering if this was regimental, biblical or personal? Any ideas?

"Until the day break, and the shadows flee away" - Song of Solomon, 2:17

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Inscribed on the Grave of Sgt J.W.Streets,KIA 01.07.1916.

"I fell but yielded not my English Soul,that lives out here beneath the Battles Roll".

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Quoting Dave from page 1: ""In loving memory of Dear Daddy, from Maisie" . (Pte.C.Scaplehorn, Bailleul)"

Being a Dad of two gorgeous little girls, that message really stabs at the heart.

Certainly does. I took a photo of Pte.Scaplehorn's grave when I was about 13 just because the inscription jumped out at me (it's a triple headstone that has no room for badges) and rammed its message home even at that age. Strangely, about 2 years ago I bought a random 1914 star with no details mentioned - turned out to be Pte.Scaplehorn's!

Anyway, here's another inscription I like - one that tells a story...

...

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post-357-1188590238.jpg

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'Until the ebb tide flows' That left an odd melancholy feeling in the Irish Cemetery Red Farm I think near Spanbroekmolen pool of peace.

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Without trawling the whole thread I dont know if this one has been listed. One of my faves from the Guards Cemetery at Combles.

TT

post-15846-1189238908.jpg

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Re last photo not clear. Inscription reads "His men wrote on rough cross "In memory of a very brave British Officer"

TT

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