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
Sometimes we discover a story that's so remarkable that even though it's not a member of your own family, we feel compelled to make sure that the story is told. The photograph of the young boy standing outside the White Star Line offices in London, holding an Evening News poster announcing ‘Titanic Disaster Great Loss … Continue reading The Boy Behind The Picture
A few years ago I was fortunate enough to visit the National Arboretum in Staffordshire, which holds over 300 memorials to those lives that have sadly been lost in conflict and civilian life. The Arboretum stands as a place which honours the fallen and recognises their service and their sacrifice for their country. It was first … Continue reading My Visit to The National Memorial Arboretum
At the start of the Great War the population of Byford in Herefordshire, including children, was 148 and Mansell Gamage 116, giving a total of 264 inhabitants. 51 young men enlisted from the two villages and 13 of those sadly died. The others returned, but life would never be the same for any of them, … Continue reading A Family at War (Part 2)
WW1 touched the lives of millions of families, both at home and across the Empire, with families suffering irreconcilable grief and loss, many families never fully recovered. So many young men volunteered at the outbreak of War, to do "their bit" for King and Country, little did they know the full scale of the horrors … Continue reading No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station
At the outbreak of WW1, there was an ongoing debate about the best way to treat casualties from the front line. Opinion was divided, should you treat the casualty as close to the front line as possible, getting the wounded and injured men to surgery in the fastest possible time, whilst accepting that the operating … Continue reading Casualty Clearing Stations During WW1
The Chiddicks Family Tree 