What a lovely idea, and you've put it together beautifully. My attempts in that direction so far have resulted in a number of A4 envelopes for each great uncle and a lot of photocopies and notes which I intend to tidy up very soon! You're an inspiration.
Your family story really underlines how terribly unlucky some families were and how lucky were others. My own grandparents had several brothers fighting in WW1 and just the one was killed, right at the end, having served all the way through.
This month, in particular, is an opportunity to really remember not just our ancestors who died in wars, but all who have gone before us. We had a dinner last night to particularly remember a great uncle of mine who drowned while saving a friend.
I know a lot of people will, like me this month, be visiting graveyards and meeting up with family for the occasion. I was in Northern Ireland this summer and, while trekking around one particular graveyard, questioned the amount of gardening activity that was going on at the time. I was told that the gardeners were getting ready for Family Sunday the following week, which is a yearly remembrance by local families for all those buried in the churchyard. Everyone comes, and it is quite a big do. What a lovely idea.
Good luck with your thread. (I'm not sure why it merits a transfer to 'The Lighter Side' though!).
