my great-grandfather - about whom all i will probably ever know is contained in his enlistment papers for World War I. his height, his complexion. he had blue eyes. the papers also tell me he was wounded in France and sent home in 1917.
about Thomas Moore, whose postcards home to his mother from France i have posted about before.
i thought about this album i own, containing photographs, maps and currency from service in Borneo in the Second World War. an amazing social record. photographs of planes, decorated with insignia. photographs of mates, of the local community and of war time prisoners. pictures of General Blamey inspecting troops.
along with the album i have three books - the book of Common Prayer, which is inscribed inside: 'To my Godson, Thomas C. Marshall', and two tiny leather bound short stories. i wonder if these accompanied him as he served in another country. i wonder who threw these priceless things away...
and i remember Nancy Wake, whom i met a number of years ago. i imagine the excitement of working for the Resistance in France. but i am sure the reality was demanding and frightening. when i met her she told me her publishers wouldn't let her write what she wanted, so one day she was going o write another more detailed book.
each of these people contributed something special to their country, and yes, i do believe it is important to remember.
