I've been over to the Isle of Man this weekend. It was a poignant visit.
My great Uncle Willie's name was being added to the Rushen Parish War Memorial - nearly 101 years after he died.
Rushen (the most southerly parish and Sheading in the Isle of Man) like Frodsham has been going through the process of making sure that all who died for the freedoms that we all take for granted are commemorated.
Willie was 17 when he died. He was born in 1900. He was my Grandmother's elder brother.
Willie, like so many of my relatives went to sea in the merchant navy. His father was a Master Mariner.
Willie was a seaman on the SS G A Savage - a coastal steamer carrying a cargo of pitch from Whitehaven to Swansea that was torpedoed near its destination in March 1917. All nine hands were lost. Willie's body was never found.
It was this lack of a body that led to Willie's name being left off the war memorial originally. The then Vicar of the Parish, who was himself traumatised by the loss of his son in war, refused to allow his name to be added - as he clung to the vain hope that the absence of a body may mean that he was still alive somewhere.
Such a decision seems cruel today. That decision and the injustice that it represented powerfully affected my Grandmother and my entire family. My Grandmother married another Master Mariner. Both my Grandmother and Grandfather made sure that my brothers and I knew that Willie's name had been missed off the memorial and the injustice that that represented.
I'm sure you appreciate, that given that context, when the decision was made to add Willie's name to the memorial and that of another 17 year old sailor Jame Quine who also died in World War 1, I had to be there.
Yesterday's commemoration service was wonderful. The tone was absolutely 'spot on. It was impeccable.
The church was packed. His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man Sir Richard Gozney was in attendance along with members of the House of Keys, representatives of the Royal British Legion and, importantly members of the both families.
There was no glorying in war, rather a solemn commitment that succeeding generations should do what they can to avoid war and promote real peace. We remembered what happened to the U Boat commander who led the attack that sunk the SS GA Savage as well as commemorating the two young men.
Records show that it was German submarine UC 47 under the command of Capt Lieutenant Paul Hundius that made the attack on the SS GA Savage. This was shortly after Germany had declared that unrestricted submarine warfare would commence on 1 February 1917.
In the period 11 -16 March UC 47 sunk 17 vessels - (6 steamers of which the SS GA Savage was one, 10 fishing vessels and a sailing vessel). Capt Lieut Hundius was one of Germany's most successful U Boat Captains responsible for sinking some 72 vessels and damaging 8 more.
Capt Lieut Hundius lost his life when on 18 August 1918 the submarine he was then commanding UB 103 was sunk of Flamborough Head. He was awarded the Pour la Merite posthumously. In WWII the 6th Unterseebootsflottille was named after him.
This is the loss and tragedy of war shared by many from all sides.
In Frodsham we see and recognise this tragedy too. All of us in Frodsham owe a debt of gratitude to the World War 1 Commemoration Group and the work they are doing to make sure that all from Frodsham who gave their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today are commemorated. I fully support their work.
O Valiant hearts who to your glory came
through dust and conflict and through battle flame;
tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved
your memory hallowed in the land you loved.
Proudly you gathered rank on rank to war
as who had heard God's message from afar,
all you had hoped for, all you had you gave,
to save mankind yourselves you scorned to save.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
We will remember them.
My great Uncle Willie's name was being added to the Rushen Parish War Memorial - nearly 101 years after he died.
Rushen (the most southerly parish and Sheading in the Isle of Man) like Frodsham has been going through the process of making sure that all who died for the freedoms that we all take for granted are commemorated.
Willie was 17 when he died. He was born in 1900. He was my Grandmother's elder brother.
Willie, like so many of my relatives went to sea in the merchant navy. His father was a Master Mariner.
Willie was a seaman on the SS G A Savage - a coastal steamer carrying a cargo of pitch from Whitehaven to Swansea that was torpedoed near its destination in March 1917. All nine hands were lost. Willie's body was never found.
It was this lack of a body that led to Willie's name being left off the war memorial originally. The then Vicar of the Parish, who was himself traumatised by the loss of his son in war, refused to allow his name to be added - as he clung to the vain hope that the absence of a body may mean that he was still alive somewhere.
Such a decision seems cruel today. That decision and the injustice that it represented powerfully affected my Grandmother and my entire family. My Grandmother married another Master Mariner. Both my Grandmother and Grandfather made sure that my brothers and I knew that Willie's name had been missed off the memorial and the injustice that that represented.
I'm sure you appreciate, that given that context, when the decision was made to add Willie's name to the memorial and that of another 17 year old sailor Jame Quine who also died in World War 1, I had to be there.
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| The plaque commemorating WH Watterson and JJ Quine has been added to the memorial in Rushen Church |
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| The family's poppy wreath commemorating Willie's sacrifice |
The church was packed. His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man Sir Richard Gozney was in attendance along with members of the House of Keys, representatives of the Royal British Legion and, importantly members of the both families.
There was no glorying in war, rather a solemn commitment that succeeding generations should do what they can to avoid war and promote real peace. We remembered what happened to the U Boat commander who led the attack that sunk the SS GA Savage as well as commemorating the two young men.
Records show that it was German submarine UC 47 under the command of Capt Lieutenant Paul Hundius that made the attack on the SS GA Savage. This was shortly after Germany had declared that unrestricted submarine warfare would commence on 1 February 1917.
In the period 11 -16 March UC 47 sunk 17 vessels - (6 steamers of which the SS GA Savage was one, 10 fishing vessels and a sailing vessel). Capt Lieut Hundius was one of Germany's most successful U Boat Captains responsible for sinking some 72 vessels and damaging 8 more.
Capt Lieut Hundius lost his life when on 18 August 1918 the submarine he was then commanding UB 103 was sunk of Flamborough Head. He was awarded the Pour la Merite posthumously. In WWII the 6th Unterseebootsflottille was named after him.
This is the loss and tragedy of war shared by many from all sides.
In Frodsham we see and recognise this tragedy too. All of us in Frodsham owe a debt of gratitude to the World War 1 Commemoration Group and the work they are doing to make sure that all from Frodsham who gave their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today are commemorated. I fully support their work.
O Valiant hearts who to your glory came
through dust and conflict and through battle flame;
tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved
your memory hallowed in the land you loved.
Proudly you gathered rank on rank to war
as who had heard God's message from afar,
all you had hoped for, all you had you gave,
to save mankind yourselves you scorned to save.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
We will remember them.