Remembrance Sunday

I had an ancestor who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. 

When he returned home to his family he said that, having witnessed the carnage on the battlefield, he felt certain that there would never be another war because the World just would not be able to cope with such death and destruction. This made such an impact upon his family that the story has been faithfully handed down through each succeeding generation

Unfortunately events have proven that the World has had to cope with much greater episodes of death and destruction through war than that which occurred on the field at Waterloo. Indeed my ancestor’s sword, which he wore and used at Waterloo was destroyed when my grandparents house was destroyed by bombing during World War II.

Today is Remembrance Sunday. It is a grey, windy, rainy old day, which always seems somewhat fitting for such a sombre memorial; and I have just returned home from Mass having prayed my private prayers for all those who gave their lives in such conflicts.

We do not need to know exact numbers but it will suffice to say that thousands upon thousands of men women and children of many nationalities died in the two major conflicts of our lifetime (the two world wars) and in the many other wars before and since. 

Remembrance Sunday is always particularly acquainted with World War I, I guess because it is so close to the 11th of November. I particularly wish to remember these people who were members of my own family and who died on the field of conflict during the years 1914-1918

Will Owen aged 18. A Private in the 16th Battalion Welsh Regiment who was killed in Belgium on the 13 of September 1916. He joined up with his brother. While making an advance under heavy fire, the brother witnessed Will's death. Such was the situation that he could not stop but had to keep moving forward and hold the line.  Will Owen is buried at Essex Farm Cemetery and his grave is somewhere in the photo that heads this post. . .

Leslie James Denman Standen aged 20. Captain in the 5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment who was killed in France on the 18th of March 1916. Son of a Canon of Lincoln Cathedral. Undergraduate at Christ College, Cambridge.

Edward Joseph Owen aged 35. Rifleman in the 21st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps who was killed in Belgium on the 5th of August 1917. A married man with young children. He joined the army because he felt it his patriotic duty to defend his homeland.  He doesn't have a grave because his remains were, I believe, never found, however he is remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres.

George Stephen Robjant aged 38. Private in the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders who was killed in France on the 28th of March 1918. Also a married man. A man who had never quite measured up to his demanding father’s expectations and as such had become somewhat estranged. Turning his back on his family he had opted for the life of a simple farm labourer but had answered the call to defend his country and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Here a verse from the poem entitled 'Flanders Fields' and written at Essex Farm Cemetery by a Canadian , John McCrae:

We are the Dead.  Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields

N.B

I got the first photo is from this Internet site where you can also read the full poem.   The colour photo I took myself.