I have known this Kings Scroll (issued to all families who lost someone in WW I) & medals all my life as Grandparents came to live with us when I was born, My mothers eldest brother who was a regular soldier having lied about his age @ 16 to join Grenadier Guards as an 18 year old recruit. Having served nearly 3 years & been a good sportsman, he died near Ypres on 11th November 1914 aged only 19. This makes this years Armistice Day special for us & my son & I will be in Ypres for Armistice Day next Tuesday.
Tags: scroll medals Thomas Taylor Ypres railway chateau cemetery Grenadier Guards 2nd battalion 11/11/1914
© All Rights Reserved
A small cemetery near Ypres where Thomas Taylor is buried. Only 105 graves in this one. His battalion of over 1000 men had only 140 surviving after the retreat from Mons & the 1st battle of Ypres. This picture shows the cemetery in 1920's, my Grandparents visited in early 1930's. My Mother had visited as a 16 year old girl with my Grandmother in summer 0f 1919 just after war ended & grave was just a wooden cross in the field. An amazing co-incidence was that after my Mothers funeral we returned back & the midlands TV showed a documentary about the last veterans tour to Ypres, & there was another brother (then aged 90) being interviewed by the headstone!
Tags: scroll medals Thomas Taylor Ypres railway chateau cemetery Grenadier Guards 2nd battalion
© All Rights Reserved
Just a small cemetery with only 105 graves. Not much changed since the picture I posted last week taken in the late 1920's or early 1930's. My grandparents visited together in early 1930's, but my Mother had visited with my Grandmother in summer of 1919 when still only 16. Then the grave was just a wooded cross in a field.
Tags: Railway chateau cemetery 2014 Ypres
© All Rights Reserved
My mothers brother was still only 19 when he died having been a regular soldier in the Grenadier Guards for 10 days short of 3 years. Lied about his age to join @ 16. Very moving to be there 100 years later to lay our wreath
Tags: poppy wreath grave Railway Chateau cemetery Ypres 2014 Taylor Thomas 11/11/1914
© All Rights Reserved
At another cemetery I found this rose growing by an unknown soldiers grave, appropriate I thought as no poppies bloom in November
Tags: rose unknown soldier grave
© All Rights Reserved