Every Family has a story to tell……….Welcome to mine
The land is silent now, peace prevails where once there was chaos. There was a time when the earth here was ripped apart by bombs and tanks, when men were torn apart by machine guns, shrapnel, bayonets and barbed wire. Today, crops and trees grow once more on soil that was once barren, a landscape … Continue reading Walking the Great War: My Journey to the Western Front
Private William Richards Crump was born in Birmingham in 1893, the youngest of two boys born to Minnie Crump. His baptism, alongside that of his older brother Francis, took place on 11 August 1894 at St James Church, Wandsworth. The brothers shared the unusual middle name Richards, which was almost certainly a quiet clue to the identity of their biological … Continue reading Before the Guns Fell Silent: The Final Days of Private Crump
In the summer of 2025, I travelled to the battlefields of the Western Front to pay tribute to three members of my extended family who gave their lives in the First World War. The experience was both moving and deeply humbling, walking among the countless white headstones, each one marking a life ended too soon … Continue reading In the Shadow of the Great War: Remembering William George Curtin
One of the unknown soldiers I promised to honour....... During the summer of 2025, I had the privilege of visiting the battlefields of the Western Front to honour and remember three members of my wider family who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War. It was an emotional and humbling journey, walking among … Continue reading The Story of Second Lieutenant Clement John Byron, Honourable Artillery Company
From Orchard Fields to Flanders Fields: The Story of Thomas Wootton Thomas Wootton was born on March 26th, 18921, in the village of Byford, Herefordshire, the sixth oldest of eight children born to John and Frances Wootton. Raised on the family farm at Lower House, he attended Byford School from 1898 to 1906. A quiet … Continue reading The Farm Boy Who Went to War
From the Fields of Herefordshire to the Trenches of France When I think of the First World War, I don’t just picture the vast battlefields or the rows of white crosses that stretch endlessly into the horizon. For me, it is much more personal. Many of my ancestors fought and died on the battlefields of … Continue reading The Forgotten Faces of the Somme
From the Banks of the Thames to the Mud of Passchendaele: The Life and Loss of Harry Joseph Keyes Before the mud, the gunfire, and the chaos of the Western Front, before the thunder of artillery at Ypres silenced his young life, Harry Joseph Keyes was a boy growing up in the heart of working-class … Continue reading In the Shadow of Passchendaele: Remembering Private Keyes
We all have hidden treasures tucked away in the corners of our family homes. These keepsakes passed down through generations are more than just objects—they’re pieces of history, bearing stories and memories that connect us to our ancestors and their lives. These heirlooms serve as silent but powerful reminders of where we come from, linking … Continue reading Hidden Treasures: Preserving the Stories Behind Family Heirlooms
Killed in the Line of Duty Sapper Harold Walter Thompson Service Number 2001843........... Harold Walter Thompson was born on 19 February 1920, in Romford in Essex, the third oldest of six children born to parents Harry Walter Thompson and Charlotte May Wheal. Baby Harold was baptised just two months later on 29 April 1920 at … Continue reading Sapper Harold Walter Thompson
Killed in the Line of Duty Sapper Michael Lambert Service Number 2094019........... Michael Lambert was born on 23 March 1919 in Clogheen, Tipperary, Ireland, the oldest of eleven children born to George Lambert and Catherine Daly. Interestingly his father is recorded as a Soldier on Michael's birth record. Michael's father, George Lambert, was originally from … Continue reading Sapper Michael Lambert
The Chiddicks Family Tree 