A Remembrance Story
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: depends what day
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A Remembrance Story
A Remembrance Story:
My late mother attended our local church in Northern Ireland weekly until her death 3 years ago. This is the same church where my 6 siblings and I were all christened, confirmed and some married. Her friend, with whom she attended church, mentioned at one Remembrance service a number of years ago that her father had been killed in WWII. She didn’t know how and when her father was killed as her mother died when she was a toddler and she was brought up by her grandparents who didn’t like to discuss it. She told my mother that “I would love to know what happened to my father before I leave this earth myself”
My mother told me this story a few months later during a visit to me whilst I was serving in Naples. I gathered as much information as possible from my mother and simply searched the CWG Wedsite for clues. Lo and behold within a few minutes we tracked his history down and was able to print off a synopisis on how and when he died. We were also able to locate where he was remembered and astounded to discover he died at Monte Cassino and his name was on one of the memorials there.
As we were in Naple we jumped in the car the next day for the 1.5 hour to Monte Cassino, located his entry on the memorial and the roll of honour. I took some photographs and along with the print outs from the CWG Website gave them to my mother for her friend.
You can imagine my mother’s friend’s delight when given this news and photographs the next time they met for church. She was absolutely ecstatic and carried the artefacts around in her purse until her death some 6 months ago. Thanks to the CWG and little bit of leg work I was pleased to bring a little bit of happiness to this elderly lady prior to her own demise.
We Will Remember Them.
My late mother attended our local church in Northern Ireland weekly until her death 3 years ago. This is the same church where my 6 siblings and I were all christened, confirmed and some married. Her friend, with whom she attended church, mentioned at one Remembrance service a number of years ago that her father had been killed in WWII. She didn’t know how and when her father was killed as her mother died when she was a toddler and she was brought up by her grandparents who didn’t like to discuss it. She told my mother that “I would love to know what happened to my father before I leave this earth myself”
My mother told me this story a few months later during a visit to me whilst I was serving in Naples. I gathered as much information as possible from my mother and simply searched the CWG Wedsite for clues. Lo and behold within a few minutes we tracked his history down and was able to print off a synopisis on how and when he died. We were also able to locate where he was remembered and astounded to discover he died at Monte Cassino and his name was on one of the memorials there.
As we were in Naple we jumped in the car the next day for the 1.5 hour to Monte Cassino, located his entry on the memorial and the roll of honour. I took some photographs and along with the print outs from the CWG Website gave them to my mother for her friend.
You can imagine my mother’s friend’s delight when given this news and photographs the next time they met for church. She was absolutely ecstatic and carried the artefacts around in her purse until her death some 6 months ago. Thanks to the CWG and little bit of leg work I was pleased to bring a little bit of happiness to this elderly lady prior to her own demise.
We Will Remember Them.
Several years ago I was contacted by the Sister of a fellow who was killed in a helicopter crash while assigned to my Unit in Vietnam. She was asking for any information I could provide about her Brother's Service and his untimely death.
I was doing the Touring Pilot routine and as happens.....my promise to dig through my stash of photographs and old 35mm slides...took far longer than it should. Part of that delay came from the lack of any sense of urgency that we all fall prey to at times.
When i finally got around to it, found several items that were useful, copied them and sent them off to the Sister.....I received a Thank You Note.
I am a crusty, hard hearted, don't show any kind of emotion sort of guy....will pretend to be really.
When I read Sis's account of her Mother's reaction to seeing the photos of her Son, photos of him in uniform and flying Chinooks and engaging in social activities in Vietnam prior to his loss......her description of her Mother's reaction went right to my Heart. Mom broke down in tears immediately upon seeing the photos and later told her Daughter just how much she would treasure them.
To this day....I feel so guilty for having taken so long to "get around to it" in finding those photographs.....as I deprived Mom and Sis of the comfort those few photos provided them.
If ever you get a chance to do something like this....please get on it like a Chicken on a Junebug.....because it is the exact right thing to do....for both those who are asking for the help and for yourself after you realize just how much it means to them.
Mr. McKelvy......Hand Salute, Sir! You did a wonderful thing!
I was doing the Touring Pilot routine and as happens.....my promise to dig through my stash of photographs and old 35mm slides...took far longer than it should. Part of that delay came from the lack of any sense of urgency that we all fall prey to at times.
When i finally got around to it, found several items that were useful, copied them and sent them off to the Sister.....I received a Thank You Note.
I am a crusty, hard hearted, don't show any kind of emotion sort of guy....will pretend to be really.
When I read Sis's account of her Mother's reaction to seeing the photos of her Son, photos of him in uniform and flying Chinooks and engaging in social activities in Vietnam prior to his loss......her description of her Mother's reaction went right to my Heart. Mom broke down in tears immediately upon seeing the photos and later told her Daughter just how much she would treasure them.
To this day....I feel so guilty for having taken so long to "get around to it" in finding those photographs.....as I deprived Mom and Sis of the comfort those few photos provided them.
If ever you get a chance to do something like this....please get on it like a Chicken on a Junebug.....because it is the exact right thing to do....for both those who are asking for the help and for yourself after you realize just how much it means to them.
Mr. McKelvy......Hand Salute, Sir! You did a wonderful thing!
