The suddenness and absence of glory.

[Paul Caswell]

All,

I have just been sent a transcript of part of my grandfather's memories of WW1. I hope soon to see all of it but what I have read so far is quite moving. It has been recently published in a magazine called "Stand To" published by The Western Front Association. The article was written by my cousin.

Now to my point. There is a story in it about his helping carry a Major Sewell to the aid post on a stretcher across rough broken ground. They finally get to the cellar where the aid post was set up and are told to take the man outside as he was already dead.

The story itself is powerful enough but my grandfather's writes:

"We stumbled up the cellar steps, added the body to a long row of others who had finished their soldiering, and made our silent way back to our billets feeling numbed and shocked at the suddenness and absence of glory in this incident which had taken from us the dominant personality who so far had directed and led the company."

If there are any descendants of Major Sidney Davies Sewell, my grandfather was there.

Paul

[corisande]

His grave is here

http://www.inmemories.com/Cemeteries/yprescomext.htm

And his family here

http://www.morawel.com/fam2808.html

Births Dec 1874  Sewell, Sidney Davies ,  Hampstead    1a   614

[corisande]

There are 2 people with him on their trees on GenesReunited on this link   - not sure if you can see that without being member there

And his CWGC grave has
Name:     SEWELL, SIDNEY DAVIES
Initials:    S D
Nationality:    United Kingdom
Rank:    Major
Regiment/Service:    Royal Engineers
Unit Text:    3rd Field Coy.
Age:    40
Date of Death:    18/02/1915
Additional information:    Son of Col. Thomas Davies Sewell and Elizabeth Sophia Sewell.
Casualty Type:    Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:    II. E. 4.
Cemetery:    YPRES TOWN CEMETERY EXTENSION

[Paul Caswell]

Thank you corisande,

I will be contacting the GR members, if I can, my membership expired ages ago.

Paul

[corisande]

You should try the owner of the Morawel tree as well

[Home Fires]

I would like to request the use of this paragraph in a novel I am publishing.  It is a novel written about some characters during the first world war and one of my characters is the father of Sidney Davies Sewell.  It is a mixture of fact and fiction.  I would be most grateful if you would allow me to use this paragraph and to acknowledge the source.

[philipsearching]

I would like to request the use of this paragraph in a novel I am publishing.  It is a novel written about some characters during the first world war and one of my characters is the father of Sidney Davies Sewell.  It is a mixture of fact and fiction.  I would be most grateful if you would allow me to use this paragraph and to acknowledge the source.

Hallo, Home Fires, and a warm welcome to Rootschat.

The original poster, Paul Caswell, wrote:
I have just been sent a transcript of part of my grandfather's memories of WW1. I hope soon to see all of it but what I have read so far is quite moving. It has been recently published in a magazine called "Stand To" published by The Western Front Association. The article was written by my cousin.

There may be copyright issues with the magazine, so you would need to approach the Western Front Association.

All the best
Philip

[Paul Caswell]

I would like to request the use of this paragraph in a novel I am publishing.  It is a novel written about some characters during the first world war and one of my characters is the father of Sidney Davies Sewell.  It is a mixture of fact and fiction.  I would be most grateful if you would allow me to use this paragraph and to acknowledge the source.

Hi Home Fires,

I personally would have no problem with you using the quote. Obviously you may need to contact WFA for their thoughts. If they say "so long as you have permission from the author" I would be happy to contact my cousin who wrote the article. Sadly my grandfather is no longer available for comment.

Paul

[Treetotal]

All,

I have just been sent a transcript of part of my grandfather's memories of WW1. I hope soon to see all of it but what I have read so far is quite moving. It has been recently published in a magazine called "Stand To" published by The Western Front Association. The article was written by my cousin.

Now to my point. There is a story in it about his helping carry a Major Sewell to the aid post on a stretcher across rough broken ground. They finally get to the cellar where the aid post was set up and are told to take the man outside as he was already dead.

The story itself is powerful enough but my grandfather's writes:

"We stumbled up the cellar steps, added the body to a long row of others who had finished their soldiering, and made our silent way back to our billets feeling numbed and shocked at the suddenness and absence of glory in this incident which had taken from us the dominant personality who so far had directed and led the company."

If there are any descendants of Major Sidney Davies Sewell, my grandfather was there.

Paul

Gosh Paul...that is so poignant...I I got a lump in my throat 

Carol