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  • so sad

    I have recently been sent a few updates for my tree from a contact including this extract from the Evesham journal:
    STOW-ON-THE-WOLD MAN KILLEDMrs Horace Clifford has received a letter stating that her husband was killed on 29th November. He joined up 16 months ago and had been in France 6 months. Two years ago his brother Cecil Raymond Clifford died of wounds. There are still five brothers on active service. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clifford, Park Street, Stow are his parents and there is also a widow and three young children. Much sympathy is extended to the relatives. The Chaplain writes as follows:- If you have not already heard, I am afraid that I have very sad news for you tonight. It concerns your dear husband, Gunner H Clifford, 110817 RGA. Yesterday the enemy shelled near the battery and before your husband had taken suitable cover, he was killed instantly. I can assure you that there was no pain. It was all over in a brief second. Today we brought the body back to a quiet little village cemetery a few miles behind the front line and at 2.30 pm I conducted the funeral service. The grave has been carefully marked and registered and in a few days a little cross with the name thereon will mark the sacred spot. In the course of a month or two the War Office will let you know the location of the cemetery. It is all so sad and I want to assure you of all our sympathy. Out here we mourn with you, for your husband had proved himself a valuable soldier and a popular comrade. What can I say to comfort you? Your dear husband has given his life in an assuredly righteous cause and my prayer is the God will not forget his and your sacrifice. My prayer is that in this dark hour you may find hope and comfort in Jesus Christ, who taught us those blessed truths enshrined in our creed.“The resurrection of the body and life everlasting”

    It bringss home the reality of war.
    Anne

  • #2
    Yes, terribly sad.

    We had a neighbour when I was very small, whose husband had died in WW1, and whose five sons had all died in WW2. The only daughter died in childbirth not long after WW2.

    OC

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    • #3
      So Mr and Mrs Henry Clifford had seven sons on active service at one time?

      On the 1891 and 1901 census their sons comprise of:

      Ernest Lee 20
      Horace 19...............killed 1917
      Henry L 18
      Frank 16
      Sidney 14
      Cecil Raymond 6.......killed 1915
      Oswald 3

      (ages as at 1901)

      So, that's all of them at war...............

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      • #4
        I have a relative who only have two children, both sons, born about 25 years apart (two wives!). The first son was killed in WW1 and the second son was born the following month. The second son was killed in WW2.

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        • #5
          My great grandad was the youngest of five boys in a family of nine

          Eldest William died aged 9 of tonsilitis
          Robert died aged 6 of laryngitis
          Alfred died 3 from croup

          all 3 died within 18 months of each other

          Sidney William Robert went off to the Boer War and returned injured and died from his wounds in 1901 in a hospital in Nottingham without having seen his family again

          Oscar, my great grandfather, went off to the Somme and was killed aged 28

          They never found his body so was 'missing presumed dead' and until the day she died my great great grandmother swore he was still alive and would return to her one day.


          They also lost one of their girls aged 2 of pertussis (whooping cough)
          Zoe in London

          Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

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          • #6
            In my family
            William Vaux served in WW1 d 7 jun 1917
            James Vaux d 1883 (less than 1 yr old)
            Frank Vaux served in WW1 d dec 1931 TB leaving wife with 9 children
            Annie Vaux survived
            Adelaide Vaux died dec 1889 (age few days)
            James Vaux served WW1 d 8 sep 1916 TB
            Adelaide Vaux d sep 1893 (age 3 months)
            Edward Vaux served WW1 d dec 1928 TB leaving wife with 1 child
            Jesse Vaux served WW1 d dec 1928 Heart attack
            Elizabeth Vaux d dec 1898 (age few days)

            5 boys all served in WW1 only one girl survived into old age.

            Frank's wife dealt with all the deaths as the parents had already died.
            She also had the death of her elder brother in WW1 and two of her sons were in WW2 (one in German POW camp the other in Burma, though both survived)
            Jayne




            My avatar is great great granny Annie Pugh, possibly christened 24 Feb 1858.

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            • #7
              Dreadfully sad.

              My paternal grandfather was too old to be sent abroad though he was at a training camp during WW1, when my father was born.

              My maternal grandfather also survived, though he was in France for 5 years.

              I haven't found any of my family killed in WW1 which is amazing, considering the death toll.

              My ex's family also survived, though both of our serving grandfathers were gassed.
              ~ with love from Little Nell~
              Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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              • #8
                Anniern
                you have pm , I have info for you
                cheers
                craig

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                • #9
                  Such a sad letter but a wonderful testament to him.

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