WW1 remembering family members

Thank you POGS.

alex57currie

I noted your comment re Sheila Hancock, I saw her too. She actually said she thought it should be wrecked by a bull dozer, artistic licence of course.

Have you looked at the thread Art is culture, right? on the Culture Forum.

You might find it interesting reading as it is discussing the poppy display and shows diverse thoughts by GN's

I have noticed on Ancestry anyone can look at the WW1 information for free today.

tanith we have something in common. My grandfather was also killed at the Somme aged 27. He left my grandmother pregnant with my aunt and 2 older siblings to look after one of whom was my Dad who was born the year before war broke out and so did not really remember his father. sad times!

Have added a great uncle of mine. Anyone on Ancestry can find out details on the De Ruvigny Roll of Honour for anyone they know. It's good to see what those he fought with thought of him.

Thankyou Suzied for posting this I have added my Grandfather who died on the Somme July 1916 along with many many others..

He died while my Grandmother was pregnant with my Dad so they never met each other . He is commemorated at Thiepval .

Hope I'm posting on correct sight. It was just a thought. Shiela Hancock made a comment on Andrew Marr show this a.m. The import of her comment was as follows:- I think if they smashed all the poppies up, it would go some way to establish the horror of the lives' that were tragically lost. I thought about this. Knowing how we as a nation have embraced the symbollism and beauty of these poppies, imagine how we'd feel if we witnessed this? It wouldn't even go anywhere near the horror of what loved ones felt! My Sil is leading a memmorial day service today. For obvious reasons won't mention location He completed 3 tours of Afghanistan. At least he came back. I can't watch the coverage without being upset. It's been like that for 45 years +

To of my husbands great uncles died in WW1, one at Ypres and one in Mesopotamia ( Iraq).

We found out in a really weird way- my DH has 18 siblings , as his dad was married 3 times , born in 1906! ( DH's oldest sister was older than my mum..) and as he was orphaned and in care by 15, didn't have much family history, other than Dad born in Dimson, and Grandad in Maristow neither of which we could find on the map, so we booked to take our Caravan to a place called Bratton Clovelly where we could pitch and store.

Much to our amazement on checking the records at Plymouth, we found his family were recorded at Lewdon - 11/2 miles from our caravan - visited , and found his G.uncle on the war memorial, eventually found Maristow and found a plaque in the church as well

My mothers brother ( my uncle ) was killed in WW1

Mother told me that she could remember the horseman dressed in red ( a guardsman ) coming to the house where they lived in London with a scroll tied up with red ribbon to hand to my grandmother.

I too saw that scroll which was signed by the king to say that one of his men had been killed in action and how brave he had been.
That was the only time I saw it because I believe it got destroyed during the bombing raids during the London Blitz of WW2 because we lost two houses during the Blitz.

Neither my grandmother nor my mother never did find out where Tommy was buried OR if he had a grave at all.

Many years later I got very curious about where my Uncle Tommy had died and I phoned the War Graves Commission.
I gave her a few details over the phone of what little I knew about him and where he lived when he was the Army not even hoping that she could help me.
I was absolutely astounded when she came back to me and told me his Army number and although there was no known grave his name was carved on sarcophagus in France.
She also told me the exact place to go to.

I was SO impressed with the way the young person had passed over the information.
I said it was marvellous to think that after all these years we had at last found out and I thanked her for how efficient she had been.

Her answer nearly floored me because she said “Actually it was very simple to find him Mrs Walker because he was the ONLY chap killed in WW1 with the name of THOMAS HUDDY.”

I was amazed to hear this and she told me there were some more Huddy’s killed but only the one with the name of THOMAS.

Of all the millions killed in WW1 it seemed incredible but it was perfectly true.

My biggest regret was that if I had done this sooner when my mother was alive she would have been more at peace with herself.
I now have a photo of the sarcophagus where Uncle Toms name is carved on that is in France.

I am an evacuee from the London Blitz and now aged 84. My WW2 website has been visited well over 23,000 times and I have had many e-mails from students thanking me for all the information that has helped them through their exams.

www.memorylanehf.oddquine.co.uk/

One of my great uncles was killed in 1916, aged 21. We always knew he was artistic as we had a couple of his paintings and quite a few photos of him. He probably was what would have been described then as a 'dandy'. I found that his occupation on joining up was Fashion Artist. It makes me shudder to think that a sensitive person such as him was sent out to fight and suffer the fate he did. He is buried in a grave with another soldier, so presumably not much of him could be identified. So sad.

My DH's maternal uncle was killed on active service in 1918 age 22. After my MIL died we found a photo of him among her possessions. He was in Army uniform with a young lady seated beside him. MIL had written on the back that this was the last photo of him as he was home on leave and was killed when he went back.The young lady was his girlfriend but we never found out her name.He was buried in France.
By a sad co-incidence my grandmother had a cousin who was also killed about the same time, he was age 18.

I found out something similar, Pittcity.
My mother's great uncle was the city treasurer in Hull. He had 9 children, only two of them boys. The younger son was named after his father.
We never saw his name on the family tree. He died in 1918, aged 26. on 26 September. Unfortunately, my mother never knew this, as she died before I found it out. I have four nephews and nieces who were all born on 26th September.

Spent a few hours on Ancestry.com with my Mum and have discovered that she had an uncle who died in France in 1918, aged 19. She didn't know he had ever existed as her Mum and grandparents had never talked about him. We now hope to visit his grave in the near future.
We would never have found this out without the internet!!

My hubby has just told me he has bought me a poppy.

I am shocked he is not that sort of a person.

I think the idea and composition of the 'Poppies Around the Moat' is both beautiful and unique.

I thought the whole tone of the remembrence in all of the countries involved in the war was just about right over the past few days.

There are always discounts in London Brenda If you go by train you can get 2 for one at the Tower and other places. Also check your Tesco vouchers.

You can see the poppies from outside so that is free.

I took my 6-year-old grandson to the Somme Heritage Centre last week and we both enjoyed the visit. My Grandfather (so the story in our family goes) lied about his age and joined up aged 16. He was a dispatch rider. following the death of my adorable aunt last October I inherited her jewellery and amongst it was a gold pin with Crown, Harp and female figure the symbol of the Royal Irish Rifles. We took it with us but would have to say volunteer didn`t really know much about it but confirmed that it was genuine.

The museum itself was interesting and Finn told me in his best 6-year-old voice that it was very interesting. Enough said

I have been looking at the cost of a visit to the Tower. £22 for adults £18.70 for students and over 60's and £11 for kids over 5. GOSH.

I'm looking forward to seeing the poppies. Just trying to co-ordinate our visit to UK in October to include a couple of not too expensive days in London.

When anyone goes to see the poppies, it would be lovely is some could take photos and share them with us

I have also bought one of the ceramic poppies outside the Tower. I must go to London one day and see the poppy field.

We are lucky to live less than an hour from London.This week we are off to see the latest developments at Stratford. We may leave the Tower for a while as they are adding more poppies every day until 11th November.

I would love to see them, enjoy your visit

I have bought a poppy too. Looking forward to going to see them at the Tower soon.

I have just bought one of those lovely ceramic poppies which are outside the Tower of London, its in honor of my Grandad, I have a photo of him in uniform 1916 when he was 16

The Thiepval memorial was built to remember those who were killed, but couldn't be identified, so were basically blown to bits, so there wasn't an identifiable body. There are 72,000 of them and this was just the battle of the Somme in 1916.