Lest We Forget: Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge

My cousin Simon (Hamish’s brother) stopped at the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge on his way back home from North Uist (outer Hebrides) in late August. He took the photographs below that includes the following plaque remembering those who died during Operation Herrick in Afghanistan, which lists my nephew Sam Alexander (see Wiki entry):

Edmund Frederick Astley Birtwistle (1924-1986)

Unlike our uncles Michael and David, our uncle Edmund (aka Frog) never received an obituary we can find (even in the Ampleforth Journal):

As a child I had heard stories about his war exploits from my mother and grandmother, which included how he may have been picked up in the North Sea having had to ditch from a plane or possible accident while crossing the channel in patrol boat. That apparently included getting lung damage through the inhaling of diesel fumes, which may have contributed to lung problems later in life. My cousin Hamish had also been told a similar story by his mother, although in the version he’d heard our uncle had ended up in the channel when boat he was in sunk on its way to France.

BBC South Today feature Marine Sam Alexander MC Memorial

 
We went to memorial in Hamble near Southampton on Saturday for my nephew Sam Alexander who was killed in Afghanistan having previously been awarded the Military Cross. It was very moving event that was covered by BBC South Today. Marines could not have been sweeter to my kids, and here is photo of my son having been face painted marine-style.
  

First World War sculpture unveiled in Trafalgar Square

I went to Trafalgar Square today with my sister Serena. It was a very surreal and moving event as she was unveiling the Every Man Remembered sculpture with the artist Mark Humphrey. She was a Legion beneficiary after her son Sam (my nephew) was killed on patrol in Afghanistan having been awarded the Military Cross (MC).

Lt. Col. Horace Augustus Kirby, D.S.0., M.C.

Here’s a little snippet to accompany my WW1 Revisted post. Augustus George Kirby (1847-1926) was my great great great uncle. I found a record for his son Horace Augustus on the Army List July-December 1940 under Lieutenant Colonels. It shows that he was awarded both the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross. I’m not sure when he was awarded the MC, but he is listed in the London Gazette on 3 June, 1918 as having been awarded the DSO as a Major with in the Royal Garrison Artillery. I found a few other bits like his attendance at a funeral and mention in probate announcement, but nothing much else.

WW1 Revisited

Lieut. Norman Birtwistle

Few things have prompted this post. Firstly, it seems like that the cavalry sword of my great uncle Norman Birtwistle has been found (more on this soon). Looks like my sister Serena will be helping launch some new Royal British Legion campaign, and also I found this blog on Great War from one of my Pawle relatives. Lastly, it doesn’t seem like my children are studying WW1, so I thought I put this post together for them given the 100th Anniversary. 

In loving memory of Marine Sam Alexander MC

It’s taken rather a long time to post this, probably because it’s still a bit raw. But in late March I headed up to London with my family attend the unveiling of a plague on Hammersmith Bridge in memory of my nephew Sam Alexander who was killed on patrol in Afghanistan last year. The ceremony was coordinated by my sister Serena who laid the plaque with the mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Frances Stainton. You can read more about the ceremony in the Fulham Chronicle. In the meantime, here’s a few snaps form the event:

Roll of Honour: Harry Llanover Davies

What’s interesting about going through my great great Agnes Selina Fox’e scrapbox is trying to work out who the people in it might be related or what the connection might me. I found this photograph of Harry Llanover Davies. He’s mentioned on the Roll of Honour Site, having died of wounds near Ypres 25th October 1914:

A poem for Sam and Claire on their wedding day

A poem written and read by my mother Angela at the wedding of my nephew Sam to Claire in 2009. He was awarded the MC the following year and they had a baby boy together called Leo. Earlier this year he was tragically killed in Afghanistan. I have lots of other material to add about Sam, including his entry in the Clan Maitland year book. In the meantime, you can read the poem his mother and my sister Serena wrote and read at his funeral here.

Sammersmith Bridge

I went up to London today to watch Hammersmith Bridge get renamed as a tribute to my nephew Sam Alexander who was killed in Afghanistan in May. I was half expecting to be coerced into jumping off as he used to do for fun in his teens. I even had a spare pair of clothes and towel just in case. Fortunately, it was low tide as last time he jumped off he was arrested for attempted suicide. Fortunately, his sister managed to explain to the Police that he was actually sane. The Bridge renaming was a really nice gesture by his London mates and certainly a whole lot less emotional than the ceremony at Wootton Bassett and his funeral in Plymouth.