Remembrance Sunday in The View from the Terrace

Today is Remembrance Sunday and I am thinking of 2 people. I have no immediate relatives who died in any wars. My father was a year too old to be accepted for the RAF in World War 2. My paternal grandfather was too old for World War 1. My mother’s father did not meet the health regulations so became a special constable. Neither of my parents had any brothers. My father-in-law served but, fortunately came back, though my mother-in-law always said he was a different man.

The only relative I have been told of who was lost was a cousin of my mother’s. His name was Raymond. I knew his parents, my great aunt and uncle, well. He was adopted. My great aunt was unable to have children so her sister, who had 12 already, had another baby and gave him to her, what an amazing gift. They adored him. When World War 2 broke out he was called up as soon as he was 18. He died on a submarine after only 3 weeks in action. In spite of this I remember Great aunt Clara and Great uncle Sam as happy, jolly people. Perhaps they were grateful for the years they had with him.

The other person I think of in not a relative but he lived in our house at the turn of the 20th century. His name was Wallace Heiron. He was born in 1891 and was living in our house in 1901. He was killed in France in 1916. He played in the same garden as my children and slept in the same bedroom so I think of him.

Last updated November 08, 2015