Memorial Advice

[Morag]

My daughter is going on a school trip to the battlefields next month. They were asked for any names of family members who died there and has been given a small wooden cross with a poppy to lay at the grave.
It is possible to write a message on this cross , and we are looking for suggestions. The soldier was her great great uncle , the brother of her great grandfather who she did know.
It is difficult to think what is the most appropriate message , so I would be interested to hear others ideas.
Thanks
Morag

[Montrose Budie]

Morag

How about the classic 'For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today' ?

Orraverybest

mb

[WilmaM]

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

[Currie]

I hate the thought of putting words into the mouths of long dead soldiers but probably “What am I doing here” would be most appropriate for 99.99% of them. The truth is that those 99.99% didn’t have even the slightest flash of a thought about generations to come.

They were there in the Valley of Death because of boyish enthusiasm, peer pressure, family and society expectations, threat of imprisonment, the influence of propaganda, high ideals, worries about invading hordes, maybe even for King and Country, and many other reasons and not necessarily in that order.

They died for all sorts of reasons and in all sorts of horrible ways, most probably thinking of their own survival and perhaps even with an almost suicidal grim resignation brought about by seeing their friends torn to pieces around them. Some of them died at the hands of their own comrades because their performance under those terrible circumstances wasn’t quite up to scratch.

Probably the words on the cross should be our words rather than theirs, words that are personal, show them that we appreciate how they suffered and that we will remember them with love. Simple words from the heart, the words a child would use, anything will do. “Dear uncle …………………..”

Alan

[joette]

I'm with Alan on this one.I have a friend who is off to Italy next week with her husband & sister.Her sister will visit the War Grave of their Daddy."A"cannot bear to do so.Losing her beloved Daddy at age seven has marked her life in many ways. She feels she has had closure & can't bear to open up the old wounds again.

I lost three Great-Uncles in WW1 & my memorial to them has always been to make sure that their sacrifice was remembered.All three were volunteers-one was under-age,one returned to the Front to do his duty despite being invalided out & the Father of three & wife pregnant& the other went off with his mates to do "His duty".
Duty seems to have become a dirty word these days.Much to be admired in doing your duty.Many did so not realising what they were doing whilst others were fully aware.
I am also reminded of a patient of mine a WW1 veteran who used to partake of his evening medicine(a glass of whisky prescribed & paid for by the NHS) in the Nurses Station.He told us of his fellow Sergeant-shot in the back by his own men-"Deserved every bullet & more".
Hope she can come up with something rlevant to her & her generation-"Never again & thanks"?

[Adam Brown]

How about a simple "Not Forgotten"

Adam

[Morag]

Thank you all for your replies - I will let her see the suggestions and let her choose - I am in favour of something simple ( and not too much to write !)

Thanks again

Morag