Genealogy Chat

Following the message re Poppies could I sugest that all the boards go silent for two minutes on Sunday 9th Nov and Tuesday 11 Nov at 11.00am GMT (overseas please note local time) Bob Wood

They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn, At the going down of the sun, and in the morning WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

John Thomas Bridges died 2 March 1943 age 38. George Edward Bridgs died 3 November 1917 age 28. no know grave. All who served and died at RAF North Weald in both world ward and in peace time. WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

I will also be on parade as Chairman of my Parish Council. i thought this may be a way of remembering for those that cannot get out and about. bob

For the last few years we have been selling poppies in the shop where i work. Since doing my family tree i've found my grandad lost two cousins aged 20 and 22 [2 brothers] they were killed within weeks of each other and left their parents with only 1 child left. I've been to the memorial for one the other is burried in France and found lots of info on them on the cwg site. My mums aunt said her uncle never got over the loss of his sons, even though i never knew them it brings tears to my eyes thinking of them. Just doing my bit selling poppies means so much more to me now.

I'm very fortunate as I know of no-one in our family who was lost in any of the ward. However, I have got myself and my two young children poppies and they know why they wear them. My husband was in the Army for 12 years until last year and I "waited" at home for 6 months with a 6 month old baby while he did a tour of duty in Bosnia around 7 years ago. I knew my husband was not in the line of fire so to speak and was in no danger zone but I still cannot image how families got on with their day to day lives not knowing where their loved ones were. Too many people do not appreciate what our Forces do for us, I was amazed to return to UK last year and I now work in a Supermarket. When the War in Iraq started, people were coming in stocking up on bottled water as advised by George Bush ?????? Whilst I was thinking of my friends still in Germany etc., who had husbands in Iraq. As I say, I am lucky enough to be someone who has not lost anyone close to me. My husband has lost friends unfortunately, through accidents rather than War directly, but its quite right that we all remember the people in the First and Second Wars too as they did the real hard work and personally I don't think they're remembered as much as they should be. Sarah

I too am fortunate in the fact that no one in our trees has been killed during a war. But would like to add that we need to inform the younger generation about what happened in both wars. my son is 5 and is aware of why he wears his poppy

I get very angry when I hear some people say that the 2 World Wars were a long time ago and what's the point.As has been said on this board today many people do remember and it's not just the 2 Wars,our forces are continually risking their lives and the least we can do is to pay a little time to remember.Most of my ancestors were military and my son is a long serving soldier and at 30 has gone to war in Bosnia and twice in the Gulf.His choice of career I know !!. I'll get off my soap box now. Elaine

I agree Elaine, which is why I make my kids know what its all about. Like I say, when I returned to UK and hubby had left Army I was just so annoyed by the way people just seemed to be bothered about Tony Blair being wrong. I'm not saying hes right, but the fact is that people out there do the job and it doesn't matter whether its right or wrong, they have to go and do the job. I tried telling people they would be better off trying to support "our boys" by sending parcels to the soldiers but they were just stocking up on baked beans and bottled water for some bizarre reason!! However, its a bit easier for my kids to understand as they know Daddy was a soldier and all that but I suppose if you have no links to the Forces, you do just assume it was a long time ago, I was the same before I married, I never thought he would go to War but Wars do go on sadly. Sarah

i had a great uncle who was killed in ww1(1916) i remember one rememberence day when i was little,great gran was crying,i did'nt know why! so i asked my nan(her daughter) why she was crying,and said becouse she had a son killed in the first world war,"i've never forgotten that". he would have only been 24. i think this generation coming up should do a bit more remembering!!!!!!!

I remember a few years ago when my children where small , the local junior school, sending home a letter asking us if we thought teaching the kids about the wars was out dated. Needless to say a lot of parents objected, saying that if they thought this to be outdated, what was the point in teaching the Kings and Queens. They decided to carry on teaching about the wars because of the out cry it caused. Also the fact the home of the Navy is based 'up the road', and they do a lot for local schools. Eileen

My grandad's brother died on 5/8/1916 aged just 20 years old. I printed off a memorial certificate the other day and i must say it brought a tear to my eye just seeing his name written there. I was told my great grandma got the call one day to say he had been killed and the very next day she got another to say one of her other sons had died too and she collapsed in the street. Then the next day she got another call to say that the second son hadn't been killed but he'd been injured and taken to Scotland. He had a shrapnel wound in his face which went to within an inch of his brain. He then went on to fight in the second world war, the army was his life. So come Sunday i shall wear my poppy with pride for all those who lost their lives. Tracey xx

My grandad's brother died on 5/8/1916 aged just 20 years old. I printed off a memorial certificate the other day and i must say it brought a tear to my eye just seeing his name written there. I was told my great grandma got the call one day to say he had been killed and the very next day she got another to say one of her other sons had died too and she collapsed in the street. Then the next day she got another call to say that the second son hadn't been killed but he'd been injured and taken to Scotland. He had a shrapnel wound in his face which went to within an inch of his brain. He then went on to fight in the second world war, the army was his life. So come Sunday i shall wear my poppy with pride for all those who lost their lives. Tracey xx

tracy, i have just read your reply,have to say it brought a lump to my throut! i started doing my family tree earlier this year, and the first thing i found and printed out was the memorial for my great uncle,i felt so proud!!!!!

We should be remembering those lost in all wars, not just the two world wars. There has been such a lot of loss of life since WW2 ended in war situations and situations such as Northern Ireland. we may not believe that these modern wars are right, we may not agree with the politics behind them, but we should support our men who are fighting and we should remember those that lost their lives and their families. I was fortunate, my husband served 12 years in the R Navy and, other than patrolling off Malaysia, was never involved in a war. Ann Glos

I too can speak from experience as my husband was in the R.N. for 28years from 1975 to present, going to the gulf and the Falklands. We SHOULD remember them, but for them....... Eileen

Yes we will remember them. I lived through WWII and in 1939 watched my father and his comrades march off to war, but with advancing age, and what has now happened in Europe I cannot but help asking myself WHY? I find it hard to recall a time, during my life, when there has not been fighting in some part of the globe. In my youth my friends fought in Korea, Malaysia, Cyprus & the canal zone. We have had the Falklands, the Gulf (twice), and many more armed conflicts. Dad (as I knew him), never came back, but for his sake I am this year, as every year, wearing my poppy. In his footsteps, I his daughter, joined the army in 1954. I still believe that we must have a strong and viril defence for our country, BUT IT MUST BE UNDER OUR CONTROL. I am now a pensioner, so must accept that the next generation have taken control. Please Lord, do not let them EVER forget.

One of my first breakthroughs tracing the family roots was on a visit to CWGC website. It gave me chills. I found my great grandfather who died in WWI when my Nan was only a toddler, and it named his father too. His side of the family just disappeared after he died, however, his story has travelled through the generations. It is all of our duties to make sure that their memory NEVER fades. May God bless all who have served and all who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom all over the world.

Thank you for some very moving stories. Fortunatly My father and uncles came through the second war as did my grandfather through the first. I am very fortunate in that all my imediate relatives survived. I thought I would bring this back to the first page for others to see the messages and add theirs. Bob Wood

My Grandad never mentioned the First World War, but I noted that his 2 sons were born in 1914 & 1918. They both served in the Second, Dad in the RAF and Uncle Bill was a Gunner. Dad came home carrying shrapnel in his body until his dying day. Bill was captured in Crete and spent years in a PoW Camp. I will not forget. Jim