Dimitris- he is a great guy!

[Guzzirider]

I have been doing a bit of geneology, and have managed to go as far back as 1780. While I was doing this, I found out a little more about my Great Grandfather Ernest Lewis, who was a professional soldier and was killed in WW1 in Northern Greece.

 

I traced his war grave to the Commonwealth cemetery in Thessaloniki, and asked Dimitris if he would one day take some photos of his gravestone.

 

Dimitris has gone out of his way to kindly send me some photos- what a great guy!

 

Thanks matey

 

Guy

 

P.S. When my grandfather was made a POW in Crete in 1941, his German captors allowed him to visit his father's grave in Greece, an act of humanity during dark times.

 

[tmcafe]

Thanks for sharing the story. Thumbs up to Dimitris (and you for your interest in your family history).

[Admin Jaap]

And to think that some people ask me why I bother running an internet forum...

 

to Dimitris

[Dimitris]

Dear Guy,

 

It is just a small token of my respect to your great grandfather and the other soldiers that gave their life during those dark and violent days. You must be sure that people here recognize the importance of the Cemetery, so much that I was amazed by the devotion and assiduity they are showing to it.

 

 

Best Regards

 

Dimitris

[DeBenGuzzi]

NO KIDDING, that grave stone is what at least 40-80 years old? I don't know when they put in all the markers but it looks like they just carved it out yesterday. impressive.

[Martin Barrett]

Thank you for mentioning this.

As Jaap alluded to one of the wonderful sides of a common interest bringing people together and doing things for each other. Rekindles ones hope in humanity, especially as the in the world seems to revolve around making an advantage over everyone else to further your own ends, and sometimes coupled with barbaric actions.

Timely because we are entering the period of remembrance as well.

Some very interesting programmes on the telly. One thing always strikes me is the war graves. Especially the general condition, the memorials here seem almost to fade into the background until this time of year.

My eldest had a school trip to Flanders, I too mean to make the trip.

[Orson]

I remember passing through a tiny village in Northern England that couldn't have had more than 200 souls. In the village square was a marker commemorating the names of twenty or so local lads who gave their lives in the Great War.

 

I was moved by the fact that for a village so small, twenty men must have comprised the majority of an entire generation.

 

Quite sobering.

[pasotibbs]

I remember passing through a tiny village in Northern England that couldn't have had more than 200 souls. In the village square was a marker commemorating the names of twenty or so local lads who gave their lives in the Great War.

 

I was moved by the fact that for a village so small, twenty men must have comprised the majority of an entire generation.

 

Quite sobering.

I once visited an National Trust House where the sons room was laid out with his suitcase from the trenches (if I remember correctly he didn't return) and in the suitcase was the rouge makeup that officers where expected to wear when leading there men out of the trenches, the idea was that they could at least look like they weren't afraid !

[badmotogoozer]

My friend was just telling me about a trip he and his son took to Germany. The son remarked that there were lots and lots of old women but hardly any old men. The realization of why that was hit him like a ton of bricks. As did visiting cemeteries in Normandy.

 

Let us hope that nothing like that is ever allowed to happen again.

[Skeeve]

My friend was just telling me about a trip he and his son took to Germany. The son remarked that there were lots and lots of old women but hardly any old men. The realization of why that was hit him like a ton of bricks.

 

That men have a shorter life expectancy than women, so he'd better pack in a few extra years of living on the front end?

[sorry, couldn't resist!]

 

Sorry, but let's not get our stats crossed; the fact is that most of the young men who fought in WWII would be dead of old age now anyway; let's not forget that here in the U.S., we're losing something like 250? WWII survivors a day at this late date just due to old age [and the greatest generation had better dietary habits than most kids today, too, which is the only reason many of them lasted THIS long!]

 

Veteran's Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day - whatever you want to call it - is only a week away. Nice to see the fine folks at V11LM getting a jump on everyone else [as usual!]