The Unknown Warrior......Lest we forget

[alfredmizen]

How many knew this,
On September 7th 1920, in strictest secrecy four unidentified British bodies were exhumed from temporary battlefield cemeteries at Ypres, Arras, the Asine and the Somme. None of the soldiers who did the digging were told why. The bodies were taken by field ambulance to GHQ at St-Pol-sur-Ternoise. There the bodies were draped with the Union Flag. Sentries were posted and Brigadier-General Wyatt and a Colonel Gell selected one body at Random. A French honour guard was selected, who stood by the coffin overnight. In the morning of the 8th a specially designed coffin made of oak from the grounds of Hampton Court was brought and the Unknown Warrior placed inside. On top was placed a Crusaders Sword and a shield on which was inscribed 'A British Warrior who fell in the Great Wa...r 1914-1918 For King and Country'. On the 9th of November the Unknown Warrior was taken by horse drawn carriage through Guards of Honour and the sound of tolling bells and bugle
calls to the Quayside. There it was saluted by Marechal Foche and loaded onto HMS Verdun bound for Dover.....The coffin stood on the deck covered in wreaths and surrounded by the French Honour Guard. On arrival at Dover the the Unknown Warrior was greeted with a 19 gun salute, normally only reserved for field marshals. He then traveled by special train to Victoria station London. He stayed there overnight and on the morning of the 11th of November he was taken to Westminster Abbey. The Idea of the Unknown Soldier was thought of by a Padre called David Railton who had served at the front during the Great War and it was the Union Flag he used as an altar cloth at the front, that had been draped over the coffin. The intention was that all relatives of the 517,773 combatants whose bodies had not been identified could believe that the Unknown Warrior could very well be their lost Husband, Father, Brother or Son.... Every year on the 11th of November remember the Unknown Warrior....

 

[Buzzer]

Oh it's Tommy this and Tommy that, and " Tommy, go away " ;
But it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
Oh it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play.

 

[pearl]

How many knew this,
On September 7th 1920, in strictest secrecy four unidentified British bodies were exhumed from temporary battlefield cemeteries at Ypres, Arras, the Asine and the Somme. None of the soldiers who did the digging were told why. The bodies were taken by field ambulance to GHQ at St-Pol-sur-Ternoise. There the bodies were draped with the Union Flag. Sentries were posted and Brigadier-General Wyatt and a Colonel Gell selected one body at Random. A French honour guard was selected, who stood by the coffin overnight. In the morning of the 8th a specially designed coffin made of oak from the grounds of Hampton Court was brought and the Unknown Warrior placed inside. On top was placed a Crusaders Sword and a shield on which was inscribed 'A British Warrior who fell in the Great Wa...r 1914-1918 For King and Country'. On the 9th of November the Unknown Warrior was taken by horse drawn carriage through Guards of Honour and the sound of tolling bells and bugle
calls to the Quayside. There it was saluted by Marechal Foche and loaded onto HMS Verdun bound for Dover.....The coffin stood on the deck covered in wreaths and surrounded by the French Honour Guard. On arrival at Dover the the Unknown Warrior was greeted with a 19 gun salute, normally only reserved for field marshals. He then traveled by special train to Victoria station London. He stayed there overnight and on the morning of the 11th of November he was taken to Westminster Abbey. The Idea of the Unknown Soldier was thought of by a Padre called David Railton who had served at the front during the Great War and it was the Union Flag he used as an altar cloth at the front, that had been draped over the coffin. The intention was that all relatives of the 517,773 combatants whose bodies had not been identified could believe that the Unknown Warrior could very well be their lost Husband, Father, Brother or Son.... Every year on the 11th of November remember the Unknown Warrior....

I knew most of this, but not the first part

 

[ManOfSussex]

Now is the time for marching,
Now let your hearts be gay,
Hark to the merry bugles
Sounding along our way.
So let your voices ring, my boys,
And take the time from me,
And I’ll sing you a song as we march along,
Of Sussex by the Sea!

Chorus
For we're the men from Sussex, Sussex by the Sea.
We plough and sow and reap and mow,
And useful men are we;
And when you go to Sussex, whoever you may be,
You may tell them all that we stand or fall
For Sussex by the Sea!

Refrain
Oh Sussex, Sussex by the Sea!
Good old Sussex by the Sea!
You may tell them all we stand or fall,
For Sussex by the Sea.

Second Verse
Up in the morning early,
Start at the break of day;
March till the evening shadows
Tell us it's time to stay.
We're always moving on, my boys,
So take the time from me,
And sing this song as we march along,
Of Sussex by the Sea.

Chorus and Refrain

Third Verse
Sometimes your feet are weary,
Sometimes the way is long,
Sometimes the day is dreary,
Sometimes the world goes wrong;
But if you let your voices ring,
Your care will fly away,
So we'll sing a song as we march along,
Of Sussex by the Sea.

Chorus and Refrain

Fourth Verse
Light is the love of a soldier,
That's what the ladies say -
Lightly he goes a wooing,
Lightly he rides away.
In love and war we always are
As fair as fair can be,
And a soldier boy is the ladies’ joy
In Sussex by the Sea.

Chorus and Refrain

Fifth Verse
Far o'er the seas we wander,
Wide thro’ the world we roam;
Far from the kind hearts yonder,
Far from our dear old home;
But ne'er shall we forget, my boys,
And true we'll ever be
To the girls so kind that we left behind
In Sussex by the Sea.

Chorus and Refrain

 

[GT49er]

Shame they didn't take as much care of him when he was alive!

 

[alfredmizen]

Shame they didn't take as much care of him when he was alive!

I agree , but think this post should be purely about remembrance rather than the obvious failings of the high command etc.

 

[pearl]

How many knew this,
On September 7th 1920, in strictest secrecy four unidentified British bodies were exhumed from temporary battlefield cemeteries at Ypres, Arras, the Asine and the Somme. None of the soldiers who did the digging were told why. The bodies were taken by field ambulance to GHQ at St-Pol-sur-Ternoise. There the bodies were draped with the Union Flag. Sentries were posted and Brigadier-General Wyatt and a Colonel Gell selected one body at Random. A French honour guard was selected, who stood by the coffin overnight. In the morning of the 8th a specially designed coffin made of oak from the grounds of Hampton Court was brought and the Unknown Warrior placed inside. On top was placed a Crusaders Sword and a shield on which was inscribed 'A British Warrior who fell in the Great Wa...r 1914-1918 For King and Country'. On the 9th of November the Unknown Warrior was taken by horse drawn carriage through Guards of Honour and the sound of tolling bells and bugle
calls to the Quayside. There it was saluted by Marechal Foche and loaded onto HMS Verdun bound for Dover.....The coffin stood on the deck covered in wreaths and surrounded by the French Honour Guard. On arrival at Dover the the Unknown Warrior was greeted with a 19 gun salute, normally only reserved for field marshals. He then traveled by special train to Victoria station London. He stayed there overnight and on the morning of the 11th of November he was taken to Westminster Abbey. The Idea of the Unknown Soldier was thought of by a Padre called David Railton who had served at the front during the Great War and it was the Union Flag he used as an altar cloth at the front, that had been draped over the coffin. The intention was that all relatives of the 517,773 combatants whose bodies had not been identified could believe that the Unknown Warrior could very well be their lost Husband, Father, Brother or Son.... Every year on the 11th of November remember the Unknown Warrior....

BTW - thanks. Did you know the water is Northern France is still contaminated?

 

[alfredmizen]

BTW - thanks. Did you know the water is Northern France is still contaminated?

I didn't, but I did know farmers routinely disturb unexploded munitions etc whilst ploughing.

 

[W.C.]

Didn't know the full story, thanks for that.

 

[theboybilly]

There is a plaque at the end of Platform 8 at Victoria Station which is where the coffin arrived by train.

 

[GT49er]

There is a plaque at the end of Platform 8 at Victoria Station which is where the coffin arrived by train.

Never knew that. Will try to remember to check it out next time I'm in London.

 

[theboybilly]

I didn't, but I did know farmers routinely disturb unexploded munitions etc whilst ploughing.

The Iron Harvest. They expect to be still digging up munitions for years to come. The collection of shells is all very organised and the farmers know exactly what to do. The tourists however need constant reminding that this stuff is still volatile. If a shell doesn't blow your hand off a toxic substance is likely to do you great harm.

 

[Hillian1]

I do believe that our very own [MENTION=451]BensGrandad[/MENTION] had a relative who was one of the Pall Bearers that carried The Unknown Warrior into Westminster Abbey.

 

[lawros left foot]

I didn't, but I did know farmers routinely disturb unexploded munitions etc whilst ploughing.

A few years ago,I was told that a French farmer had cut down a tree, and sat on the stump to have his lunch. The stump was leaking Mustard gas liquid and the farmer ended up in Hospital with burns to his buttocks and upper legs.
This was told as a part of an NBC lecture while I was in the forces so I imagine it must be true.

 

[alfredmizen]

A few years ago,I was told that a French farmer had cut down a tree, and sat on the stump to have his lunch. The stump was leaking Mustard gas liquid and the farmer ended up in Hospital with burns to his buttocks and upper legs.
This was told as a part of an NBC lecture while I was in the forces so I imagine it must be true.

Deep breath , mask up , name and number and out you go

 

[lawros left foot]

Deep breath , mask up , name and number and out you go

Remember it well

 

[alfredmizen]

Remember it well

 

[Seaber]

The van that carried his body back is preserved at Bodiam Station on the Kent and East Sussex railway. It also carried Charles Fryatt and Edith Cavell's body and is named the Cavell Van after her.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's the sheer quiet dignity of the 11th of November 11am Remembrance ceremonies that cut you to the bone and have you wiping something out of the corner of your eye. Every damn time. It's what we do. It's who we are.

 

[Brovion]

There is a plaque at the end of Platform 8 at Victoria Station which is where the coffin arrived by train.

I knew Alfred's original story (I've got a book on it), but I didn't know that. When was it put there, do you know?