We will Remember

[mole_caz]

Having been out most of the day I was going to put up a post for today but others have put up such lovely epitaphs to our gallant soldiers that instead, I thought I would simply put up a few testimonials for some of the men on our village war memorial who lost their lives in the Great War.

Lance Corporal WILLIAM EDWARD BAILEY19th Middlesex

Comments

[verangel]

Aw this is so moving. Its a different perspective. Thank you so much
hugs bunchs xooxox v

[mole_caz]

Jack was so handsome and one of four brothers who fought in WW1. He was the only one killed in action. Two were badly injured and one of those was awarded the Military Medal.

[primula_baggins]

So sad

[mole_caz]

I never knew any of this Prim but it makes perfect sense for the creation of the hobbits. Many thanks for posting all this for me.

My grandfather fought around Ypres and Poperingue in Belgium as a sapper [digging trenches, laying mines etc] and survived but he refused to talk about his experiences and took them to the grave. The horrors these men witnessed, I suppose may have become numbing in the end, but many of my village heroes must have been blown to bits or literally buried in an avalanche of mud when trenches collapsed or were blown apart around them. Their bodies were never recovered and their remains must still lay in the places where they died.

[bellewood]

These stories are so sad! Some of them were so very young. I really can't imagine what it must have been like to live through those times, with perhaps husbands/sons/fathers on the front line!

[mole_caz]

Our youngest causality was 19 years old and he died from a wound that became infected just two weeks before the war ended. Most of our men were single but the few that were married had families and left wives behind to raise the children. And there are three times as many WW1 loses than WW2 which shows the enormous sacrifice these men made.

[frolijah_fan_54]

So much sadness - and so much bravery. Thanks so much for posting that, Moley - *hugs*

[noipeh]

The echoes of their lives live beyond the grave in their families. My mother in law's oldest brother was killed over France in WWII. You can bet that his life is remembered and celebrated by those who knew him, and also by those in the generations that have come after his sacrifice.

Here's to Uncle Ben Carr, Your life has been an example to many of us.

[mole_caz]

I was lucky because granddad returned but he never spoke of the war and refused to accept or wear his medals. I feel though that the men who died on our memorial are special now to me and that is why I made sure that I discovered their identities and their full names and ranks can be given. Our present vicar allows me to do this and it was a great privilege to stand in church on Sunday and read out all their names.