![]() ![]() As he came to, one of the nurses told him about his three comrades, which my father said was far from a wise move – as that sent my grandfather into deep shock. He was immediately taken to a field hospital and when he recovered consciousness, the staff were amazed he was still alive. ![]() Despite shards of metal slicing his flesh, it miraculously missed the main arteries. It also killed three of his comrades standing right behind him. Realising what had happened, he attempted to throw it up into the air but it blew up in his hand and splattered him with metal. One time, in the trenches, my grandfather was cleaning a hand grenade and the safety clip broke off, as it had become rusty. They were often given the task of cleaning all the military equipment that had been retrieved from the battlefields. The badge of the Corps of Royal Engineers, John Young's corps. My grandmother was a smiling happy woman, except the day she told me about her brother. I can still see how her face was suddenly invaded by sadness. She told me of a young man, handsome and funny. My grandmother only spoke to me about her brother once. The telegram that arrived at his mother’s home in 1916 would scarcely have contained more. These details are on the report we obtained from the British authorities. He was in the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment 1st/9th battalion. That day, there were no beautiful fields where birds make their nests. But I can’t be there and not think of the men who died in battle. I am always moved by the beauty of the landscape, summer or winter alike. Outbound – looking forward to seeing loved ones, the return – looking forward to getting back to what is now my home, France.Įn route I pass by the Somme, the Bay of the Somme to be precise. I have been at FRANCE 24 since the very beginning, and I often drive back to the UK to see friends and family. ![]()
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