What is it about these chiseled statements of lives past that hold such a place in our hearts. It is because they contain the pain of a generation, of a nation, of a world that was swept into the path of such destruction. Each name represents a sacrifice that enables us to stand and pay our respects in any town village, church or hall that we enter. Built by money raised within local communities the monuments were the only way of bringing the lost generation back home, to bring them close, for them to each be honoured.

We will always remember them…………….. and hopefully their presence will always make us mindful of the waste that is war.

One of the requirements of my MA in Biography (Lorraine writing) was to write the biography of an individual in 40,000 words. The decision that occupied the first term was 'who' to write about. I had just moved to my home in Buckinghamshire, an apartment in a converted mansion house, and was getting acquainted with the neighbourhood through local walks, one of which took me into an ancient church. I found my way to the memorial plaque for the IWW and was intrigued to find the name of Herbert William Tyrwhitt-Drake. The Tyrwhitt-Drake family had owned the house I now lived in for over 350 years and here was the news that one of the sons of the family had died in service. I later found his name on the War Memorial in the local Garden of remembrance. I looked no further, he was to be my subject and I spent the next eighteen months stepping into the footsteps of his life to bring his spirit home. The war memorial had introduced us to each other.

Do have a look at the work of The War Memorial Trust – www.thewarmemorial.co.org – they would welcome your interest and support.