londons Posted 25 January , 2004 Share Posted 25 January , 2004 Hi, I am planning a remembrance trip to Ramleh war Cemetery in Israel where my great grandfather is buried. I am hoping to take my elderly grandfather, subject to his doctor's approval, who never knew his father. Pte David Martin Vincent, 424457, was killed in action on 19/9/1918 near Kefr Kasim on the first day of the Battle of Megiddo in the battle of Sharon. he served the 10th London Regiment in Allenby's Palestine Campaign. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has made a similar trip on what we can expect in terms of the condition and upkeep of the Cemetery etc or any other advice. I will co-ordinate the trip via the CWGC. Many thanks for your help. Should anyone out there like a photo taking of a headstone I will do my best to get one for them. The CWGC can also do this but it could take some time as their visits are few and far between. Many thanks, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 25 January , 2004 Share Posted 25 January , 2004 I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has made a similar trip on what we can expect in terms of the condition and upkeep of the Cemetery etc or any other advice. Lee, I made a visit to this cemetery last spring and I am happy to confirm that it is in good condition and being kept at the usual high standard which one has come to expect from the CWGC. If you follow this link here then you will see my previous thread plus one of last year's photographs. If there is any further information which you require then please do not hesitate to e-mail me off-forum and if it is at all possible then I will be happy to help Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 25 January , 2004 Share Posted 25 January , 2004 Lee, Would it be possible to get a photo of this grave? Lieutenant ARTHUR WALLACE KEMMIS FARQUHAR formerly 6th, Australian Light Horse who died on Wednesday 26 June 1918. Lieutenant FARQUHAR, Son of Walter Andros Farquhar and Florence Emily Farquhar, of Sydney, New South Wales. Remembered with honour RAMLEH WAR CEMETERY When will you be going? I hope your grandfather will be able to go. Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londons Posted 25 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2004 Hi Michael, That's great, thank you very much. I had hoped that the cemetery was well kept and as you say the CWGC do such a good job. However, you always have those nagging doubts, especially when you're thinking of taking a relative that you could do more harm than good !!! Much appreciated. Best regards, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londons Posted 25 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2004 Hi Christine, I am hoping to go in March this year and thanks for your kind words with respect to my grandfather. He has an appointment with his doctor on Tuesday to assess his fitness for flying etc. I will be pleased to try to take a photo for you although I will not be there very long since it is a flying visit and the cemetery closes at 14:00. I will try my hardest for you. Do you happen to know the plot number where he rests ? What relation is he to you ? My ggf was in the 10th London regt in 162nd brigade, XX1 corps and was killed in action on 19/9/1918 on the first day of the battle at Sharon at a place near Kefir Kasim, Palestine. This was the first day of the group of battles that came to be known the battle of megiddo. Regards, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 25 January , 2004 Share Posted 25 January , 2004 Hi Londons If you get time, I wonder if you could take a photo of the headstone of Fitter J Sherratt, RHA, died 29/06/21, grave B2. I'd be very grateful. Good luck with your trip, and I hope your grandfather is able to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 26 January , 2004 Share Posted 26 January , 2004 Lee, Farquhar is in grave AA.48 He is no relation. He is one of the 175 war dead in WW1 from Fiji. I have a separate section in the manuscript for a listing of the dead, and I am trying to get a photo of each grave to go with the entry for that person. Various members of the Forum have already helped with photos, and I thank all of you, as otherwise I would have no show of getting most of them. Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyjames Posted 26 January , 2004 Share Posted 26 January , 2004 Hi Lee Hope your grandfather gets the thumbs-up tomorrow! Whilst you are there would you be kind enough to take a snap of the grave of a native Cheltonian, Private William Ernest Fisher, 1/4th Battalion Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment, who was killed in action on 10th May 1918. William will be in plot M/27. With very many thanks. Jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Harris Posted 27 January , 2004 Share Posted 27 January , 2004 Hi Lee, I know these requests may add up but my Great Uncle is buried in this cemetery as well, Pte M/321510 William Addams, 907 Mech Transport Coy A.S.C. He is in grave DD12 - from Herne Hill, South London his only sone Reggie was killed whilst acting as a company stretcher bearer at Salerno in September 1943. I have visited Reggie, his fathers service records have survived and I have a number of photo's. like the one below, it may be of interest to you when you get to Ramleh, if you have to many requests, I understand, lest we forget Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londons Posted 27 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 27 January , 2004 Dear All, I will do my best for you all. I am only there for a couple of hours so I will do them in order of asking. Kind regards, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly jack Posted 29 January , 2004 Share Posted 29 January , 2004 Hi Lee, If you do get the time I would really appreciate a picture of : Lance Corporal Rogers 1/8 Bttn Hants Regt in grave U.74 and Gunner Alfred Arthur Rogers RFA in grave grave L7. A chap in the Brit Embasy was going to get them some time ago but it was just as the troubles blew up again so he never did manage it !! Good luck with the trip JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 14 March , 2004 Share Posted 14 March , 2004 Lee and his mother are here for 24 hours to visit Ramleh CWGC cemetery and to get a view of the battlefield where his great-grandfather fell; my thanks to them for a most enjoyable evening yesterday and my best wishes for their tour today. Dawn broke here in dramatic style with thunder, lightening and a down pour, but now at c.1030 hrs, the sun is shining and everything looks set fair for them to achieve all of their objectives. I have agreed with Lee however, that if the circumstances are such that they are unable to complete all of the photography, then I will be happy to take care of it at a later date. Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 16 March , 2004 Share Posted 16 March , 2004 Christine, Richard, Jimmy, Clive and Jack, I have just had a very nice e-mail from Lee [Londons] telling of his recent day tour to Ramleh CWGC cemetery and to Crown Hill near Kfar Kasim. I won’t steal his thunder [sorry about the pun] by going into too many details as he may well wish to describe it here himself. However, as I had suspected and mentioned previously, the weather was a cause for anxiety and to be sure of covering everything of importance to his family, Lee accepted my offer to take care of your photograph requests. I intend to be at Ramleh cemetery at the end of April at the latest and I hope that this arrangement will be ok with everyone. Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyjames Posted 16 March , 2004 Share Posted 16 March , 2004 Michael Absolutely fine by me. I do hope that Lee and his mum had a good trip. Regards Jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londons Posted 16 March , 2004 Author Share Posted 16 March , 2004 Hi Everyone, We've just got back from a wonderful trip to Ramleh made extra special by the kind assistance of Michael and an excellent tour guide called Gershon Karpick. We flew from Heathrow, London on the morning of Saturday 13th March and returned on the evening of 14th March so you can see how little time we had. The cemetery was closed when we arrived and we reached it by just after 11 am on Sunday during chanfeable weather but mainly bright by the time we arrived. We has to be back at the airport by 3 pm and we also unexpectedly had the opportunity to visit the place where my ggrandfather (my mothers grandfather) was killed. I am so grateful for Michael's advice on the Saturday night when we met for an excellent authentic Israeli meal. Neither my mother or I could really expect how we would feel upon arrival since neither of us knew ggrandad. Being truthful we found it extremely emotional from the moment we approached the cemetery in the car, I cannot really describe it. Following all our research, alot of it thanks to the help of you all on this forum, this was kind of the end of a long journey. No one from the family had ever been to visit before and we were making the trip on behalf of my grandfather who lost his father at the age of 2 years old. His life after this was nothing short of awful and he has struggled for the remainder of his life to raise my mother. I think the relief from the pressure of successfully visiting on his behalf and being able to report back with glowing reports added to the emotion too. The cemetery is absolutely immaculate and we had chance to thank the keeper for his efforts. It is a lovely secluded spot lined by Eucalyptus trees and with an open view of the flat landscape and distant mountains in one diraction. I hope to post some general photos on this site soon. I am so very grateful for Michael's kind offer to take your photos on my behalf since our time was so limited and we just didn't realise how emotionally affected we would be. I guess I was a bit naive in making such a bold offer but it was made with the best intent and Michael has saved me any embarrassment. I hope you all understand. If anyone wants to make a trip contact me offline and I can advise on costs, tour guides etc that will make the shortest trip very fruitful. My mother and I left for Israel intending to make a one off visit for the family and never to return. However, now we can't wait to go back again and see more of the fantastic country. I will post some pictures shortly of Ramleh and Kefr Quesem / Crown Hill (formerly Kefr Kasim and Sivri Tepe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 17 March , 2004 Share Posted 17 March , 2004 Lee, I'm very glad you had a successful trip - sounds like just the start of something tho'. And Michael, thank you for your offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londons Posted 4 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2004 Hi Everyone, As promised please find an image of Ramleh War Cemetery that my mother and I visited a few weeks ago. Please read my previous thread above for details of the trip. Michael has kindly offered to take your pictures in the near future. Kind regards, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londons Posted 4 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2004 and......................most importantly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 6 April , 2004 Share Posted 6 April , 2004 Lee, This has been a wonderful thread to follow. My Great Uncle (see my signature) died at El Khulweilfe on 4th November 1917 and my brother and I have long spoken of a trip just like yours to walk again in the shadow of those who went before. You have set a great example to us all. Thanks for sharing your experience. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londons Posted 7 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 April , 2004 Hi Nick, Thanks for your kind note. I would thoroughly recommend that you take a trip. it is an unbelievable experience. Very humbling yet uplifting to have made the trip out of respect for those who made such sacrifices. Although very sad and chilling at some points the whole trip left me feeling proud that I'd done it not only for me but more importantly my grandfather who never knew his father yet suffered so badly as a child due to the consequences of his father's death. You may like to view my pictures on "Other Theatres" thread Palestine 19th September 1918 by michaeldr. On there I've posted two pics of where he fell to the NE of Kefar Kasim or Kefr Quesem as it is now. In 1918 there were only 200 families in Kasim. Now it's 20,000 strong and has expanded right to the foot of Crown Hill. If you consider a trip please contact me off line and I can let you know how we planned our trip and give you the name of a fantastic guide. I would be delighted to do this as in my case the success of my trip was largely down to michaeldr on this Form and the others who kindly helped pin point locations. Regards, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 Christine, Richard, Jimmy, Clive and Jack, ....... the weather was a cause for anxiety and to be sure of covering everything of importance to his family, Lee accepted my offer to take care of your photograph requests. I intend to be at Ramleh cemetery at the end of April at the latest and I hope that this arrangement will be ok with everyone. Regards Michael D.R. Christine, Richard, Jimmy, Clive and Jack, It was a beautiful morning at Ramleh yesterday and I have managed to get all of the photographs which were asked for. There was a little hunting around to do e.g; Rogers L7 should be L47 and Fisher M27 should be N27, but it all worked out in the end. Please e-mail me with your correct postal address and I will be happy to get the photographs off to you right away Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 14 May , 2004 Share Posted 14 May , 2004 Thank you to both of you. A pity your grandfather could not go, Lee, but I hope he likes your photos, and Michael ,thank you for doing our photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Harris Posted 17 May , 2004 Share Posted 17 May , 2004 Thats great Michael, I am really excited as I was a little concerned about the state of the cemetery my family really appreciates your efforts. How much do I owe you, by a coincidence I returned last week from Italy where I visited William Addams son Reggie who is buried in the Salerno War Cemetery killed in September 1943. Thanks once more, send me your address also and I will pop some beer money in the post for you plus a few bits on William, lest we forget yours, aye; Clive Harris 54 Twin Foxes Woolmer Green Hertfordshire SG36QT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 19 May , 2004 Share Posted 19 May , 2004 Many thanks. That brings the mailing list up to full strength. Just back from the post office and all sent off this afternoon Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 26 May , 2004 Share Posted 26 May , 2004 And mine arrived this morning Michael. Thank you very much for your efforts, the prints are perfect. I envy you the weather, but perhaps not the political situation! I have made a donation to the GWDF to help Chris with the running costs of his site, in the hope that it will bring more generous photographers together with more grateful recipients!! Thank you again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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