Remembrance Sunday

Only a few of my cousins were old enough to be involved in WWII and all my father's generation served in WWI (apart from my father and his younger brother, who were just too young). His six other brothers all served (all returned alive but two were injured) and three sisters (all served in France as nurses). They talked very little about their experiences.

One grandfather fought in the Anglo-Zulu war and the other in the Boxer Uprising! I have no idea whether they were actually in any battles. I only have vague, shadowy recollections of both of them.

 

As some of you know I was privileged to go to the Centenary Event of the Passchendaele battle back in July this year. Two of my Great Uncles were killed there in 1917 and two other Great Uncles were also fighting alongside and survived.

My Great Uncle Alf, who had previously been wounded in 1916 but returned to fight again. He had just won the Military Medal a few weeks before he went Over The Top, he was only 21:


My Great Uncle Rob, had emigrated to Australia but came back to fight with his brothers:


The Passchendaele centenary event was very moving. We stood on the spot that was expected to be taken 100 years ago. Uncle Alf went over the top on that first day and was mortally wounded. He died a few days later of his wounds very close by. Uncle Rob was also killed within sight of where we stood.

It was a beautiful sunny still day in Tyne Cot cemetery when the 2 minutes silence started, at that moment a sudden wind swept through the crowd and it felt as though the fallen had returned, it was a very special moment. It was very emotional for us apart from the Paparazzi snapping every tiny move Kate made, I felt sorry for her and Prince William, but that's another story.

Jean also lost two Great Uncles in WW1 so we laid crosses on the memorials we could find around Ypres.

I lost a cousin in WW2, killed flying a pathfinder bombing raid.

We shall never forget them.