a tribute to my great granfather,and further ,my granmother.
On the 4th of January ,my granmother died at the age of 97.
Even if she had a long life,the day before she left us,she told me on her hospital bed,that the fact she never knowed her father,or at least,had no souvenir from him,has haunted her all her life long.
She was born in March 1914.In August ,her father left wife and kids to fight in the trenches for 4 years,before being killed in April 1918…4 long years of sufferings to end up like this,it makes me sick…Her brother died also in 1918,from the grippe Espagnole(Spanish flu???),and so she left the unique child.
I present you the only pic i have of him,besides my great granmother,a typical wife and husband cliché .The absence of my great mother on the pic makes me think it’s dated before her birth.
A pic of the Mount Kemmel french cemetery where he was supposed to lay,and an extract of the deceased military bulletin of my gran greatfather.
And finally,a pic of my greatmother besides her mother.(apparently,circa 1922)
During the 80’s,she destroyed what was remaining of her father,all his military stuff,after the death of her mother.She couldn’t surely face her lonelyness,even if she still had us.
Since she died ,my original family has just 2 members still alive:my brother who’s living in London,and me.
All the others are dead.Thank you.Attachment 296326Attachment 296327Attachment 296328Attachment 296329