Black & White Photo Project Wk 18

I normally only post one photo but today I wanted to include a few on this most important of days.

For me rememberance Sunday is an important day, in which to remember so many lives that were changed by war. 

When visiting France I always make time to stop at one of the many cemeteries that dot the landscape, my heart brakes at the scale of the loss.

More sombre are the German cemeteries, no flowers, no colour, just black stones of usually four men to a grave. Such a sad sight, such loss, such needless loss!

To my Great Grandad, who never returned and the countless others who gave everything for their country.

Lest We Forget

Today I remember my great grandad who was lost during the first world war, as well as the young family he left behind.

I also remember the other hundreds of thousands or service men and women who didn't make it home and those who are still out there fighting.

I leave you with a few pictures from my visits to two very poignant places.

Theipval Memorial to the Missing where my great grandad is named.

American Cemetery - Omaha Beach

One of the exhibits at the American Cemetery at Omaha

Wherever you are and whatever you believe is right or wrong, I hope you to stop and think about those who gave their lives so that we may live ours in freedom.

Not so Silent Sunday

Today is my not so silent Sunday, not because I'm ranting or shouting about anything, but my photos don't fit the criteria.

It does however fit in with what today is, Remembrance Sunday.

My great grandfather was killed in the Somme on 12th July 1916, my grandad was born in September 1914, we don't know if he ever got to meet him or not!

So cruelly taken away from his wife and their four children he has no known grave. His name appears on the wall of Thiepval Memorial, a memorial to soldiers missing in action.

Those whose bodies could not be identified either because there was no body to identify or because the wooden dog tags of the time hadn't survived!

As gruesome as it sounds I always try to believe things happen for a reason, after all had he not been killed they might not have moved to the house they did and my grandad might not of met my gran!

Thiepval is a very quiet and reflective place. The memorial looks like a huge building when you stand back, but when you get up close the scale of loss becomes obvious!


Name after name line the stones, nothing can compensate for the pain and suffering both those men and their families went through!

I feel sad my grandad never got to go to Thiepval and I was determined I would, to pay my respects to those who will never have their own grave and who never got to see their loved ones again.

Thank you to those who gave their lives so we might have ours and thank you to those that continue to do so at home and abroad!