Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by limey

He was in the Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment) rising from Private to Company Sergeant Major and saw service in North Africa. I have his photo albums from that time.

I saw a report of a survey conducted by a commercial genealogy site* the other day which concluded that people generally don't have any idea about how their families served in WW1.

I wonder how long it will be before WW1 completely fades from public recognition?

My grandfather served in the Royal Engineers in the Somme offensive and was wounded as his unit moved up from Northern France into Belgium.

He was sent home, with countless others, by ambulance train and, after recovering, was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps at Halton then the RAF.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of him from that time but I do have his service record. It's sitting on top of my printer as it happens!


*Not exactly a disinterested third party!

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

My grandfather served in the Royal Engineers in the Somme offensive and was wounded as his unit moved up from Northern France into Belgium.

He was sent home, with countless others, by ambulance train and, after recovering, was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps at Halton then the RAF.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of him from that time but I do have his service record. It's sitting on top of my printer as it happens!

Last night I watched a Time Team special about the archaeological excavation of the WW1 Vampire dug out in Belgium.

The team had a photo of the RE Sappers who did the original hard work and they managed to trace the grandson of the CSM who was in the centre of the photo.

I just happened to mention to Dad that his father was fortunate in not being involved in that sort of work.

He said: 'I think there's a WW1 photo of him somewhere'. I ascertained that it was taken in France but haven't got much more information than that.

I don't want to push Dad too hard, and I'll have to choose my time carefully, but I'd love to see that photo.