Page 55 - History of War - Issue 05-14

Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial,
one of the most poignant parts of the
All Quiet On The Western Front tour

Back ton pas
“THEY SHALL GLEAM WITH

SPIRITUAL GLINTER”

First World War: Between 1914 and 1918, the Western Front was anything but quiet –
northern France and Belgium resonated with the sound of gunfire and the throes of death.
But, as Andy Emerson finds out as he embarks on a tour of the region, peace reigns at last

,
ROWING UP I RECALL A FRIEND they could have been lifted straight out of a
of mine often talking about his great- boy’s comic. Whether those adventures had
grandfather. He had never known actually happened or were simply figments of
him (the old chap in question died the imagination that, like Chinese whispers,
many years before my friend was had chopped and changed and become more
born) but Stevie spoke about him fantastic over the decades, we may never
like he was some kind of superhero. know – but in the minds of Ginger’s family
G “Ginger” (as the great-grandfather he was a hero, and that was enough for them.
was affectionately known by his family and A lot of people are like that. When a distant
friends) had served with Cavalry Corps at the relative passes away, they don’t feel the need
Battle of Ypres in 1914, and – like thousands to delve deep into their life story or engage with
of other men on both sides of no man’s land – their memory on a more tangible level. For them,
had been cut down on Belgian soil, a long way it’s enough to celebrate the relative in question
from home. Whenever I went to Stevie’s house by occasionally bringing out photo albums and
for parties, his mother would bring out faded regurgitating well-worn family anecdotes. I’m
old photographs and regale us with stories of not knocking that – everybody has their own
Ginger’s derring-do – they were so enthralling, life to get on with – but what it does mean
HISTORY WAR 55
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