munchkin Posted 21 August , 2004 Share Posted 21 August , 2004 Hi All, I started researching a member of my family a few years ago. A soldier that died in the Great War. This story has now come full circle. First of all i would like to thank everyone on the forum for helping me with all my questions over the last few months. You even answered what i would consider a trivial question. I cannot thank you all enough THANKYOU ALL. This is the story:- My great Grandfather was killed in the great war. His Sister (Mary Ellen Tew) sent numerous letters to him in the trenches and vice versa, i still have the letters. In one of the letters she tells her brother that she has just got married her name was now (Mary Ellen Heald), and that her new husband had just been sent to the front. Her marriage lasted 42 days in total. She got a letter from the captain of her husbands regiment, telling her that her husband had been seriously wounded whilst in fighting in the trenches. This is where i picked up the story, i needed to know more (you know how it is). I learnt that he had died of wounds in 1918 at No 10 Redcross Hospital Le Treport France and is buried in the cemetery there. For some reason i was not satisfied and went down avenue after avenue to find out more, but enevitably you hit a brick wall. Then for some unknown reason i got a phone call from my great aunt, we had a chat (as you do). She told me that she could remember this story when she was a young girl, and that there was still a relative named Heald living in the city i live in now. I opened the phone book and low and behold there was only one Heald listed, i rang. I explained that i was researching my family tree, and that my great aunt's husband (William Bagshaw Heald) had been killed in the war. "Yes that was my Father" came the reply from the chap on the other end of the phone. After a pause of what seemed ages i asked him for further details. It seems that his father (William) had got a Schrapnel wound to the head, that had penetrated to the brain. So severe was his injuries that Mary Ellen was sent to France to see her new husband. On the day she arrived she saw him, but he died that same night, they had been married just 42 day's. The chap on the phone (the son of william), told me that his mother named him after his father and she gave him Williams Medals, Letters & Silver watch so he could remember his father for always even though he never met him. When i went to meet William he told me that Several years ago, he went to France to pay respects to his father, he took with him the medals, letters and the watch to show his father that he had not been forgotten. So distraught was he and annoyed at the scale of casualties in war graves in France, that on the way back to England, he threw all the item's overboard of the ferry. He is a great dignified old chap, We both shed a tear when he was telling this story to me. I would like to pay tribute to William Bagshaw Heald and his Father William Bagshaw Heald 56530, 10th Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales own) who died 15th September 1918 and is Buried in Mount Treport Cemetery, Le Treport France. God bless then both. Glynn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AmericanDoughboy Posted 21 August , 2004 Share Posted 21 August , 2004 Glynn, That is a very touching story, and it shows the true stupidity of war. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful and at the same time haunting story and I hope that you continue your research on your relative. May he rest in peace, and may his name liveth evermore. -Doughboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandsonMichael Posted 21 August , 2004 Share Posted 21 August , 2004 Dear Glynn, I just read your story and my god, it brought tears to my eyes.. Yours in sympathy, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 21 August , 2004 Share Posted 21 August , 2004 Glynn Thanks for sharing your story with us. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin Posted 22 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 22 August , 2004 Thankyou all for your replies. I thought that i would share this story with you all. Once again thankyou. Glynn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRIAN TALMER Posted 22 August , 2004 Share Posted 22 August , 2004 Glynn, What a sad, sad story. I too was in tears reading it. The positive to come out of it was he had a child to carry on his family name, something which was denied far too many brave soldiers. Thanks for sharing this Lesley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyford Posted 22 August , 2004 Share Posted 22 August , 2004 Yes. It is a very sad tale and you have described the effect on his son very sympathetically. Can you imagine the helpless rage felt by his son which caused him to throw the medals and letters into the sea? I imagine that William Heald junior must have felt gratified that you had become involved and could share his feelings as he was recounting the story. Thank you for telling us about it so that now we can all think of William Bagshaw Heald, Mary Ellen and William junior. Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 23 August , 2004 Share Posted 23 August , 2004 So this is the photo you posted few Fridays ago mate? Gave me goosebumps and tears Glynn, thanks for sharing it. Just cant help but feel for all of them can you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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