A SAD ENDING? WW1 Memorial Stone

No, part of the National Archives WW1 service records released. Have the Red Cross released WW1 casualty info?

Don't know if has been released on line yet.

No, part of the National Archives WW1 service records released. Have the Red Cross released WW1 casualty info?

Hi Rick,

The Red Cross are still scanning it all. I think 'we' are five years off minimum and from memory they are not doing the British prisoner/deaths records first - but as a lifelong librarian I can tell you that the cross referencing task alone is gigantic. I was at a talk by Peter Barton where he showed us the job at hand. It is stupendous.If you can get to a wfa branch where he gives the talk on this - go. It is something to behold.

MB

Im not a member of the WFA but maybe I should be. Anyone asked their local WFA for any more info?

After almost 5 years (I found the HMVF entry which Joris made in the visitors book for October 2007) I finally managed to visit the Red Cross Cemetery at Beugny. We were travelling through the region on Friday and had some time spare, but the weather did not look promising. However the clouds parted as we approached Beugny, and we were treated to an hour of wonderful evening sun.

This is the first WW1 cemetery I have visited, and is one of the smaller ones (219 graves, 12 of which are unidentified), yet the neat rows of stones still manage to convey an idea of the sheer scale of casualties.

One thing soon struck me - Bernard Jackson is among friends here. Looking at the grave stones it became apparent that he was only one of 15 in this cemetery alone who died that day - there were 9 others from the Norfolk Regiment, 3 Bedfordshires, 2 Cheshires and 1 from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.

This small cemetery was such a peaceful place, yet so powerful - I feel somehow compelled to visit a few of the larger cemeteries.

Some of the stones here have acquired an interesting weathering effect - the surface of the limestone seems to have eroded back leaving fossil shell remains standing proud - quite a pleasant texture.

The cemetery is beautifully maintained.

Crikey, well I am fairly new on here and I am speechless, utter respect for you all.

I have just spent an hour reading all this and found it all incredible that so much information could have come from this. The auction site from where it originated is one I visit regularly as its not too far away as my family live around there. I have visited the Somme a few times now and I had an Uncle that was in the Royal Norfolks so it has been of great interest.

Well done to everyone that contributed it has made wonderful reading although there was a lump in my throat most of the time!

Steve

Thanks for sharing that Tony , very moving and such a tragedy that all of those young men had to give everything for their country ! When will we learn ?

very moving photo's.

The blue sky with white clods give it a peaceful atmosphere.

May they rest in peace.

Very nice, and a fitting tribute that you post these images exactly 96 years after he died.

Thanks for posting, when I think back to that crazy day it's almost a lifetime ago. Having gained 3 fantastic kids and lost my father since then. I call it a crazy day because I spent over 6 hours driving to and back and another 7 hours on the battlefields. Boy was I knackered when I got home.. Worth every minute though, would do it again in a heartbeat.

Thanks for the pics, I had forgotten about this thread, very fitting that he should have been remembered again. Thanks N.O.S. and Joris.

great work great story with a nice ending .

glad you made it

the smaller cemetarys are more respected sometimes as i do a few coach tours the big main cemetarys are so crowded that you dont have time to pay respect sometimes

This is the first time i have seen this thread, and along with many others i am sure, have just spent over an hour reading through it, unable to skip any comments or close the computer.

Without sounding too soft or emotional, i have found myself feeling immensley proud of all the members involved in this thread, from the original recoverer of the stone, the many members who have obviously committed hours of work to research, to the members supporting comments. The final act being the simple, and yet moving photo's of the final resting place of a young soldier, and his friends.

In an age of high tech computers, mobiles, etc where people are rushing everywhere, a simple inscription on a piece of stone can cause us to reflect on more important matters, and of sacrifices people make for others.

I know this thread has been dead a long time, but I only just found it and had to reply.

If only I'd found the thread a few years ago I could have helped a lot..maybe not in the military facts, but certainly in the genealogy records.

Bernard Ivo Jackson was my 2nd Cousin 2x Removed.

I only found this site recently when I was tying up some loose ends, making sure I had all his info for the file I keep on family WW1 soldiers and casualties, of which I'm in the long process of archiving this summer for future generations of my family to enjoy.

Bernard was born in New Buckenham as you discovered, but his father Henry died when he was very young and the family moved back to the Thetford area. His mother Emma's maiden name was Chase(my surname) and there was a nest of us Chase lot in the Croxton area near Thetford which filtered out to the surrounding Thetford area. So although Bernard was born in New Buckenham his family always gravitated back to the Thetford area with a brief stretch out to Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk...still not that far from there as the crow flies. Bernard had a couple of sisters, one of which he was living with in Thetford in 1911. That sister, Sarah, had married a 'Lockwood', another family with origins in Croxton. And his other sister Ada ended up marrying her cousin James Chase from the Yorkshire branch of the family, later in life. James came back from WW1 much the worse for wear.

Anyway, I was incredibly touched by the thought and care that went into this thread and the actions for the memorial stone etc. It's nice to find that so many people still care about this kind of thing. Thank you.

Edited to add: I joined this forum in 2011(apparently) when I wanted to read some info on here and see some photos for something else I was looking into...didn't have a clue about this thread then, sadly.

I know this thread has been dead a long time, but I only just found it and had to reply.

If only I'd found the thread a few years ago I could have helped a lot..maybe not in the military facts, but certainly in the genealogy records.

Bernard Ivo Jackson was my 2nd Cousin 2x Removed. .......

Epona - like most threads on here this one isn't dead, merely waiting for a great post such as yours!!!

I'm really pleased you found yourself here, we'll even forgive you for being so late!

I too was blown away by the interest it received and the efforts people went to in order to establish the significance of what we had. I did find out a little information about the family but was reluctant to put it in such a public place. It is very difficult to trace forward in time compared to going back, and you could certainly help in that respect.

One puzzle in particular which is yet to be resolved is why such an expensive stone should have been commissioned and then apparently not delivered / installed.

I will send you a pm and hopefully we can get in touch?

Tony

just read this from start to how its finished so far. excellent work by lots on here

Well there is certainly one man who will never be forgotten. It was great doing some research on him, especially with the online help of others as well who were interested in the fact that a gravestone of a WW1 soldier was up for sale at the local auction. Perhaps we should have a section on here to help others/assist in research? I love doing this sort of thing.

Very true Rick. There is such a knowledge of scources and obscure links around here. Just re reading everything, rather apt considering the time now. I've spent the last few months researching all I can to try and work out WHY the war started in the first place! As a result I can now say I am a lot more ignorant! The picture turns out to be a jigsaw, unless every part is there it dosen't make sense. Bernard is one piece of that jigsaw that could have been so easily lost. As I said previously the ancinet Greeks belived a man never dies until his name is never mentioned.

This is not the first story of a memorial stone being removed from its original place to turn up many years later. I once researched a boxer called Jem Mace Champion of England and of the World 1831-1910 whose memorial cross was discovered at a stone masons yard in Norwich the memorial was originally paid for from followers of the sport and admirers of his, it was to be sent toLiverpool where Jem laid in a paupers grave the memorial never made it to Liverpool f ollowing objection from the family. After spending several years in a Norwich graveyard it eventually ended up at the Stonemasons 1n 1968 , much like this case a home needed to be found for the stone, if I remember correctly it took about 10 years for Jems memorial to find its final resting place when eventually permission was granted from the diocese for the memorial to be placed in thechurchyard of Beeston in Norfolk, Jems Birthplace.

I am a collector of Norfolk Regiment related items and very recently I purchased a framed pair ofworld war one medals and death plaque to a Private Bernard Ivo Jackson Norfolk Regiment, soon to discover the amazing story of this memorial stone that I am now contributing to, I just wanted to share with you the image of the medals and plaque as I can see there has been a considerable amount of time and effort in researching and putting the story of the stone and Bernard Ivo Jackson together by members of this forum.

Another piece of the jigsaw appears! Thank you Nick for posting this.

This is the first time I have come across a Death Plaque - can you enlighten me (and maybe others) further?

I cannot see a name on the plaque or mount, so what is it that has enabled you to attribute the plaque and medals to Ivo?

If not a private sale, would there be any way of finding out how these medals came to market - e.g. house clearance?.

Again, many thanks for taking the time to post on HMVF.

Tony

The Death Plaque is officially known as the Memorial plaque other names for it include death penny ect, the plaque was given to the next of kin of those who had lost there lives on active service during the war. It was made out of bronze, there were 1,355,000 issued to gentlemen and only 600 to ladies , obviously making those issued to ladies a rare item and much sought after by collectors.

Each plaque is named , but has no regiment or regimental numbers on it , when researching the plaques it is very often that you will find multiple entries on the Commonwealth War Graves commission website to the same name so with common names it is not always possible to pinpoint who the plaque belonged to. There is only one B.I Jackson listed so it is a unique name listed amongst the casualties this confirms 100% that the plaque is to the man in question, this along with the fact that it came in a period frame with his medals which are named around the rim confirms without doupt that the medals are those issued to the family of Bernard Ivo Jackson Norfolk regiment.

The medals were brought privately through a second party. I attach another photo to show the name on the plaque.

The plaques were originally issued with a scroll which had Rank , name and regiment written on them, again it is rare to find these scrolls still with the plaques so takes us back to having to research the plaques through the CWGC.

Thanks for the explanations Nick - my excuse is that I know nothing about medals and could not see the name on the plaque.

A great discovery :thumbsup:

Blimey! That's unexpected. I frequent the local auctions and it never ceases to amaze me as almost every week there are some WW1 medals, usually from distant relatives of the person they were issued to. A Death Plaque recently, still in the box with documents etc. I knew the bloke who bought it in and asked why he was selling it, apparently it was an uncle of his who he never knew thats why he was selling it. I would love to get hold of my Great Grandfathers medals and war plaque but no-one has ever seen them.

Blimey! That's unexpected. I frequent the local auctions and it never ceases to amaze me as almost every week there are some WW1 medals, usually from distant relatives of the person they were issued to. A Death Plaque recently, still in the box with documents etc. I knew the bloke who bought it in and asked why he was selling it, apparently it was an uncle of his who he never knew thats why he was selling it. I would love to get hold of my Great Grandfathers medals and war plaque but no-one has ever seen them.

Yes lots of ww1 medals about, I think what you said about family members selling the medals that belonged to a long lost relative who they never knew seems to be the case in a lot of cases , a hundred years has passed now most if not all immediate family members of the recipients have also passed away, just to leave distant relatives who feel in many cases no real connection to the original family member the medals were presented to.

There are lots of reasons why people do sell the medals and other bits and pieces that belonged to family members who served. Some are elderly and the last family members still alive and want to know the medals have gone to a good home, others have no interest in the medals or history and just want the money, or in a case just recently I purchased some items from a family because they are trying to care for a son of a ww1 vet which is costing them a fortune to keep him at home and out of a care home, think the Father of the Son would be more than happy if he knew his medals ect were helping to pay for the care of a loved son.

Me personally like many people would love to have my family medals but they have been lost over time. There are websites where you can advertise " looking for medals belonging to........" you can also find a medal tracking service in the medal news magazine, always worth a try as medals do get reunited with families.