28/7/1914

[Bex]

My grandfather was born in 1914 so it would have been his centenary this year. Obviously he was too young for WW1. My great grandparents were involved but it was never mentioned.

I too will be lighting a candle.

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[marchogaeth]

I shall be putting a candle in the window on 4th August, the day England declared war on Germany.

I am being pedantic - "Britain". As I said, I've seen the village war memorials round here.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Well if we are going pedantic it would have to be the British Empire. Men came from all over the world to serve.

My maternal grandfather was wounded at the Somme and returned to England where he died from his wounds. His war grave is in the local Redhill cemetery Arnold.

Like a lot of young men he volunteered like many to try and escape the poverty ordinary people lived in back then. When not in the front line the men had a better life than when at home would you believe. Three meals a day, clothing and boots, a fag and rum ration and even some money to send home.

After his death my grandmother was left with I think six children to care for with just the support of her relatives and some in the local community, like the chip shop owner who always gave them a little extra on a Friday night. I do know my own mother started work at the age of ten. 'Poverty' we do not know the meaning of the word in this country today.

I shall be doing the 'pomp and circumstance' bit with the rest of my old comrades from the army.

It does not matter how you 'remember' as long as you do.

[Jay22]

My OH's Gt.Grand Uncle fought in Ypres. He died of his wounds in May 1918, aged 28, only months before the end of the war. He is buried near where we live and we place a poppy on his grave every Armistice Day. We also lay a poppy on the graves of other fallen soldiers buried near him. So sad. We got part of his war record from Ancestry - I believe a lot of the WW1 records were destroyed or partially destroyed during a bombing in WW2. I will also be lighting my candle on 4 August not just in memory of William but everyone who lost their lives or were injured.

[Greenleaves]

Before reading this thread I had given it little thought, I need to fill a corner in the garden where we lost a tree in a storm earlier this year. I might just plant another one on the 4th August as my constant reminder of those poor soul's who lost thier lives regardless of which side they were on

[Vince G]

Great-grandfather was a private in the Suffolk regiment and died at Passchendaele in October 1917. Went there during a holiday in Belgium a few years back and found him listed on one of those massive walls at the Tyne Cot cemetery. Very moving. Sadly my grandfather never knew him as he was only a year old when he was killed.

[marchogaeth]

Well if we are going pedantic it would have to be the British Empire. Men came from all over the world to serve.

I was more pointing out that Britain declared war but you are absolutely right about The Empire (for both WW's).

It does not matter how you 'remember' as long as you do.

Yep.

found him listed on one of those massive walls at the Tyne Cot cemetery.

I really hate Tyne Cot - that great big empty wall just waiting for all the future names.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have to agree about Tyne Cot, but places like that do serve to help people understand the enormity of the scale of death and destruction that went on.

I personally think that all secondary school children should be taken on a short visit over there so they can truly understand how terrible war is and just what their forbearers went through.

I think it was the small cemeteries that got to me so many of them and much more personal.

[mothhawk]

I am being pedantic - "Britain". As I said, I've seen the village war memorials round here.

Quite right - I should have said "The United Kingdom of Great Britain"

[RedThorn]

Out of 24 or 26 siblings from gran and grandad's aunts and uncles, literally one from each side survived ww1 which were my great gran and great grandad....

I went to a school in South Africa which was next door to a concentration camp graveyard from the camps the British created during the boer war, most of my dad's side of family reside there....

War very nearly wiped out 2 families 9000 miles apart.....

Both of my grandad's were desert rats. Neither spoke about it

I then grew up in a bush war.

There ARE NO winners in a war, we all lose and as mentioned, the fallout after the wars ripple through time and affect the families for generations

May the souls from both sides find peace

[RedThorn]

As a side note, I'm the 5th consecutive generation to be directly affected I pray my kids are not the 6th.

Your post has got me thinking and remembering Nicos and you're correct do do so, may we never forget lest we repeat history