I'm back. Here's a picture.

Originally posted by kev35
Hope you don’t mind me jumping in.

Hi Kev35,

Unfortunately I cannot give the names of the two brothers as I have yet to get this information.

Apparently my Grandfather had two sisters who held him responsible for the brothers’ deaths claiming that his joining up, forced his brothers to do the same, and the family split. Up til his death at the age of 97, he refused to talk about this side of the family.

However, I will get the details for my grandfather and will contact you off board but it will probably be at the weekend now!

Thanks for jumping in, Tony

Tony C.

Hope you don’t mind me jumping in. I researched the histories of two of the people I am proud to call Grandfather. In both cases I had considerable good fortune. For my third Grandfather, no records remain…..as of yet.

You have his attestation paper and his soldiers service book. That should give you his Regimental No. From there you can make enquiries at the Public Record Office in Kew. Researchers will do this for you for a fee. If you need to use one choose one who charges a fixed fee. It is, however, far more rewarding to do it yourself. Their website is www.pro.gov.uk Now, only around 40% of soldiers papers survived an air raid during World War 2. Don’t despair, you might drop lucky. Indeed in the case of your Grandfathers brothers their papers may have survived as more survive from casualties.

There are things you can do locally. As the brothers died it is very likely it would be mentioned in the local press. In which case it is likely your Grandfather would be mentioned too as it would be a stirring piece about a patriotic family.

There are a number of other avenues of approach you might try. Send me a private message with names and details of all three and I’ll see if I can get you started.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

kev35

Originally posted by Moggy C

Warbird. Think Runnymede etc. My writing wasn’t very clear, what I meant to get over was the walls are covered with the names of MIAs whose bodies have never been found and identified.
Moggy

Yep, now I understand, Cheers…….

Originally posted by Moggy C
LN – This part of my trip was a bit of a pilgrimage. My Uncle Frank was killed on the Somme in 1916 and I was attempting to trace his last movements (Successfully I’m pleased to say). His body was never found, so he is indeed on Thiepval, I’ve been there on earlier trips. Moving, but UGLY.

Sorry this is totally off-board but is in response to Moggy’s comments about his trip to Thiepval.

Moggy, I’m pleased that you managed to trace your Uncle’s last movements and hopefully this will help lay a few ghosts to rest.

However, how did you manage to trace your Uncle’s movements?

My Grandfather volenteered at the end of November 1914 and was a Gunner with the Royal Artillery and I am told that he also served on the Somme.
Fortunately he survived the conflict (unlike his two brothers) and even served with the Home Guard during 1939-45.

I have recently been given what is left of his personal belongings from his time during 1914-19. It includes his signing on paper, negatives of pictures taken while on active duty, leave passes and even his Soldier Pay Book for Active Duty.

But, other than the fact that it is thought that he was with 26 Siege Battery for a period of time, I know nothing else and would like to try and find more information about his service but do not know where to begin.

Any clues on where I should start to look, would be gratefully received.

As for your trip, I have never been to the War Cemeteries but imagine it is very moving and I intend going one day.

Tony

Thanks gentlemen, I did some further searching online about the battle for Vimy Ridge. Very interesting story. I might just have to track down the book.

I need the lottery win just for airfare … getting a family of five to Europe is damn expensive, never mind getting around once we are there. And it all has to be timed around Legends!! Oh well.

The book, in case you are interested, was called “Vimy” by Canadian author Pierre Burton. He has written dozens of Canadian history books, but his style is more like that of a novelist. That’s why his writting brings the conditions so much more to life than any other book I have read about WW1.

Though a Canadian story, these descriptions transcend nationality. Everyone on the western front lived through it, no matter what shoulder patch they wore, and what colour their uniform was.

If you or anyone else is interested in tracking it down, try www.Chapters.ca

I highly recommend it, if only to remind us all how lucky we are to be alive now almost a century later, and not to have had to go through the hell of trench warfare. Every 16 year old should read it. They won’t complain so much afterwards about how dull and awful their lives are.

Charles

No problem dumaresqc

Your post brought home to me how lucky I am. With the forebearance of Mrs Moggy this trip included the Vimy Memorial, the area of the Somme where my Uncle died, the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches, Pegasus Bridge with some coffee at Cafe Gondree.

Then I return home to a cottage 2 miles from an old Lancaster base with buildings to explore, 30 minutes from an old 8th AF base that houses my aircraft and all this just 45 minutes from Duxford, or maybe 90 minutes from Hendon.

Sometimes I forget. You have reminded me.

Moggy

Still when you do make it to E Anglia, you won’t need a hotel 😉

Thanks for the post Moggy.

I just finished reading an excellent book on Vimy Ridge. Paints an incredible, horrible picture of conditions in the trenches, and brings to life some of the people who were there. Unimaginable. But for me, you posting of this pic is timely.

The memorial is on my list of places to visit when I finally make it back to Europe. Unfortunately, my list is too long!! Vimy, Normandy, Holland, Portugal, Duxford, Scotland, airfields in England…. Better win the lottery and take the summer off work!

Thanks again

LN – This part of my trip was a bit of a pilgrimage. My Uncle Frank was killed on the Somme in 1916 and I was attempting to trace his last movements (Successfully I’m pleased to say). His body was never found, so he is indeed on Thiepval, I’ve been there on earlier trips. Moving, but UGLY.

Warbird. Think Runnymede etc. My writing wasn’t very clear, what I meant to get over was the walls are covered with the names of MIAs whose bodies have never been found and identified. The many cemeteries in the area hold some of those bodies, there are no burials at the memorial, it is purely symbolic.

You can see it very clearly from the Calais to Paris Autoroute.

Moggy

Originally posted by Moggy C

it only becomes evident as you get closer that the walls are covered with the names of those whose bodies have never been identified.

Moggy

Not wishing to be disrespectful in any shape or form but, if the bodies have never been identified how do they know who was there??

Moggy – I’ve been there for a school trip. Did you go into the trenches? Don’t think they’re at the same place but they’re near by. We also went to Thiepval which you mentioned.

Spot on Kev,

It is placed on the ridge at Vimy and commemorates all the Canadians lost in the viscious fighting of WW1. Much like the British equivalent (But much uglier one) at Thiepval it only becomes evident as you get closer that the walls are covered with the names of those whose bodies have never been identified.

Salutory.

Moggy

Whiskey Delta.

Think it might be something to with the battle of Vimy Ridge during the Great War. A fierce and desperate engagement in which I believe the Canadians lost many soldiers to the effects of gas. I’m sure I read somewhere that, rough quote, “Vimy Ridge is the epitome of Canadian suffering on the Western Front.”

Regards,

kev35

What is this Canadian Memorial for? It’s very impressive. Also, where is it located?

Blimey Snapper, don’t you ever rest…? :rolleyes:

Got your email by the way, ta. I’ll reply when I get a moment.

That gives me an idea for another memorial……

Check your box

Ashley,

Tried sending you a sercretive Private Message earlier but it came back – claiming your message box was full. Can you please check it out so I can send you the code?

Cheers, Mike.

Of course it’s not you, silly! See Duxford Get-together thread 2 for details Moggy 😉

A

Originally posted by Ashley

Nice to see you back, now I’m off 😉

A

:confused: Woz it something I said?

Moggy

Wow…that is certainly awe-inspiring Moggy…thanks for posting it.

Nice to see you back, now I’m off 😉

A