Sunday 14 November 2010

Remembrance Sunday

On the 11th November I posted a photo of my Great-uncle Will with his battallion.

Here he is again:


 He was initially stationed at Pembroke Dock when he was only 18. Doesn't it look grim?! 



The card above was sent to my Great-aunt on the 5th December 1914 to let her know that he wouldn't be getting any leave over Christmas.

He was a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery and according to his Medal Card he went to France in July 1915 at only 19 years old. Can you imagine?




He and my Great-aunt were married in March 1918 during a weekend leave break and she didn't see him again until he was discharged from the Army over a year later.


My Mother has a photo and postcard album which was put together by my Great-aunt and it's full of photo's and cards from around 1910 to 1920 with lots of cards sent during the war.

This is a typical example, sent to wish Will a happy birthday.
 

Unfortunately, Will was wounded when a bomb fell on his trench. The story goes that it was sometime near Christmas and my Great-aunt had sent him a parcel containing a Christmas cake. He had just opened the parcel when the bomb landed. He was knocked unconscious and when he came round was the only one alive and still had the remains of the cake in his hand. He had a shrapnel wound to his leg and was sent to hospital. Here he is with the nurses and some other soldiers (back row, far left):


He made it home in one piece after being discharged from the army in 1919 with the following medals:

From Left 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal, British War Medal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He lived till the ripe old age of 71, bless him.

Previous Remembrance Day post can be found here.




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7 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed rreading your post - it made rememberance day more real for me so thank you XX Love and hugs to you all XXXX

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  2. I love these photos. You must be so proud of him XXX

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  3. What a lovely tribute to your Uncle! To have all these cards must be wonderful.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Yvette

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  4. Wonderful post of your great uncle, Tilly. Did he ever get to EAT the cake, I wonder? He looks so young and I am happy that he outlived the War.

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  5. I love these old photos. What memories. We celebrated Rememberance day here as well. I was in the U.S. and it does not seem to be as big a deal there. Hope you are doing well. I am trying to be right on top of my comments otherwise they will not get done. I have been so busy. So glad I am home for the next few weeks. Away on business again at the start of December.

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  6. Fantastic post, I'm a little bit late for remembrance day but I loved the pics.Kx (Shamozal)

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