World War I - the 'Great War'

Made in Coventry. 15inch Siege Howitzer

Coventry children waving their flags, 1917

Wow Morgana! In 1917 my mum was just 13 and lived in Gibbet Hill Road. But I guess all those children lived their lives and have now gone. A reminder that life is short and we should make the most of it.

I bet your mum could have told some stories Pixrobin, yes life is short. My dad would have been 5yrs old.

wearethemods, moved from Longford topic to here. There was one other story my father told me. There were so many dead bodies, that during a lull, they would move them into an old hut, a little behind the lines, then place a sentry at the door at night, every so often he would have to circle the hut and kick the sides as he went round to keep the rats away, sometime during the night my father took sentry, he circled the hut and kicked the side and a voice answered from inside (this was were I got scared) - his colleague had not told him that they had just taken bodies in there. Yes as a kid I used to press my father for army stories, some he kept from me. as I posted before when he came home he planted a remembrance tree, landed up in the middle of the pavement when they widened the road.

A place to visit is the Sailors war memorial at Southsea, all the names on the monument are of sailors with no known grave. Quite a spectacular monument which was built in 1924. Well worth a visit if you had a loved one lost at sea in both wars, we found the best way to go if you haven't a car, was from the Isle of Wight by hovercraft. You will see that the crescent is for the last war, and the column is for 1914-18 war. I found my grandfathers name very easily a fortnight ago, all the names are placed in alphabetical order in the year of their death.

Wearethemods, I find memorial sites quite disturbing, I lived with veterans of the last war heard drastic accounts of the last war, in fact my best friend froze in the doorway of an aircraft on a refresher course, we bundled him out and he was ok after that, but he had been machine gunned at on the last time he had made a descent,only two years previous and the memory had returned. The thing that annoyed me when I grew up and understood more, they had no help from anyone to overcome such drastic experiences, I have walked the fields of Flanders, and the battlefield of Arnhem alone with my own thoughts Sadly all photographs and the belt got lost when my father moved house at one stage

Link to "The Fureys - Green fields of France"

Morgana once again you come up trumps, again takes me back to my childhood and the photos I used to look through. thanks again Kaga.

I had one which I have passed on, on loan, to Coventry Museum. Since my dad didn't die until 1971 they must have gone to survivors

Several years ago I was visiting Coventry and saw a book in Waterstone's that listed the men of Coventry that served in the Great War. My mother's five Woodhead uncles were all in it, complete with photographs. I made the idiotic decision not to buy the book and now I am wondering if anyone on this forum has a copy. I can't remember the title either (!) but I know the book was fairly large and possibly light blue or light green in color. I am particularly interested in George Taylor, son of George and Selina Taylor of Spon End, wife's name Catherine, born 1891. In 1915 he was in the RFA Warwickshire Howitzers. I cannot find him with any certainty on Ancestry - I know he died prior to 1922. I would really appreciate someone being able to point me in the right direction to find either the book or his military record. It's a tall order but I've seen miracles performed by some of the helpful members of this forum! Thank you very much

From another thread - this may help you

The horror of WW1 was always evident to me but especially when I visited the battlefields of Verdun 20+ years ago which I'd highly recommend to anyone today - especially those with children. That really brought out the power, emotion, struggle and endeavour of it all. An emotional place. To lighten things up a little though - as I've mentioned before I recall my dad telling me stories about the collection of war memorabilia he had as a child as his cousins fought in WW2. I remember one thing he used to say about my grandfather's house in Grangemouth Road - one of the cousins had 'obtained' a WW1 general's helmet - one of those classic ones with the spike out of the top. Apparently my grandfather refused to have it in the house and as such - they stuck the spike into the ground in the garden and for years there was a flowering plant growing out of it!! Make Love not War!

Thank you, MR, for the suggestions. I have contacted Trevor Harkin. I will report back on any information he can give me in case anyone else is also looking for a "missing" soldier.