WANTED: Royal Artillery enthusiast

[barkalotloudly]

very well done!!

[michaeldr]

My thanks to Ms Kate Knowles, the editor of The Gunner magazine, who knows this story from its earliest days in 2006/7.

Bdr Russell Lehman has produced an account of the events of 4^th February 1922 and of 4^th June 2013, and Kate has given them a full page in the magazine's September issue.

Thanks again to both.

[michaeldr]

I have had a very heart warming message passed on to me this morning. It is from the niece of one of the nine artillerymen, who came across the details of her uncle's grave and the new memorial thanks to Google and the WWW.

Here is part of her e-mail

It has been for me like a 'eureka' moment - when I saw the images of 150 Jaffa Road I instantly recognised it as the place where my uncle was buried as per the original 1922 photograph that my father had kept of his brother's final resting place. His grave in the foreground is not clear but in the background you can clearly see another memorial which is recognisable as one that still stands in the cemetery to this day.

I don't think my father, who passed away some years ago, ever really knew what happened to his older brother, (my father was only 7yrs of age when Norman died), or the location of the cemetery apart from some random words on the reverse of the photographs. I used those words and the internet and eventually found my way to the story.

To say I am immensely grateful to all those who were determined to get recognition for the resting place of those 9 men is an understatement. My only regret is that I did not come across the photograph and begin my researach sooner. Had I done so, I would have loved to have travelled to Haifa to attend the service held in 2013 when the new memorial stone was laid in their memory. I am so touched to see how beautifully this was conducted with a minister, piper and kind representatives from interested parties who attended and paid their respects. Enormous thanks to you all. As a living relative of one of those men, I would have been proud to attend - it may be more than 90 years since his death - but that 20 year old boy was part of my family and I do hope that one day I may be able to visit to pay my respects and let him know he is not alone and forgotten in a far off land.

[The Scorer]

This is an incredible story, especially with the latest turn.

I would like to congratulate and thank Michael and everyone involved with the project for their hard work - it's good to see that it has been a success.