Bruce59
10-01-08, 01:30 PM
This is about my quest for a bit of my families history that spanned many
decades, the answers I got and the answers I will never get.
It all started one afternoon in a attic and a big steamer trunk when I was about 15 years old. My Grandmother and I went to the attic, she was looking for something that was in that trunk, just what I don't remember.
But that trunk was filled with all kinds of stuff. old pictures from the late 1800s early 1900s old deeds and news paper clippings ect. a treasure
trove of family history. The first thing I saw that caught my attention was
a flag of sorts a gold star in the middle surrounded by a gold squire,
I asked, grandma what is this? Oh, she said that was a flag that would hang in the front window of your home if someone was killed in world
war I. I then asked, who died, she said my brother was killed in France.
She then went on to explain how he died, how she new I did not know,
and should have ashed. She told me her brother was a runner, he would
run messages from headquarters to companies on the front lines. she
said he was killed by a sniper using a wooden bullet, made to splinter inside,
very painful she said. With that the story ended, the trunk was closed
and I went on with my life, but the story was always there in the back of my mind. Fast forward to my first computer when I started to think about it again, I wondered ware was my great uncle buried. I don't remember
anyone ever saying or visiting his grave, so I thought maybe he was buried in France, but why not bring him home? this I still don't know. So I did a search and stumbled on a site call National Monument Committee
they take care of all cemeteries for American service personal buried
overseas. So i went to the WWI part and put in his name and got one hit, it was him, so some of my questions were answered.
Harry Small
Private, U.S. Army
118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division
Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Died: October 17, 1918
Buried at: Plot D Row 16 Grave 11
Somme American Cemetery
Bony, France
Somehow I belive that I may be the only one left alive who knows who
Harry Small was, so its my job to tell the story of one of those who
did not come home from the war to end all wars, on Oct 17 it will be 90
years ago. Rest in Peace Harry.
Bruce
http://wallofhonor.bravehost.com
decades, the answers I got and the answers I will never get.
It all started one afternoon in a attic and a big steamer trunk when I was about 15 years old. My Grandmother and I went to the attic, she was looking for something that was in that trunk, just what I don't remember.
But that trunk was filled with all kinds of stuff. old pictures from the late 1800s early 1900s old deeds and news paper clippings ect. a treasure
trove of family history. The first thing I saw that caught my attention was
a flag of sorts a gold star in the middle surrounded by a gold squire,
I asked, grandma what is this? Oh, she said that was a flag that would hang in the front window of your home if someone was killed in world
war I. I then asked, who died, she said my brother was killed in France.
She then went on to explain how he died, how she new I did not know,
and should have ashed. She told me her brother was a runner, he would
run messages from headquarters to companies on the front lines. she
said he was killed by a sniper using a wooden bullet, made to splinter inside,
very painful she said. With that the story ended, the trunk was closed
and I went on with my life, but the story was always there in the back of my mind. Fast forward to my first computer when I started to think about it again, I wondered ware was my great uncle buried. I don't remember
anyone ever saying or visiting his grave, so I thought maybe he was buried in France, but why not bring him home? this I still don't know. So I did a search and stumbled on a site call National Monument Committee
they take care of all cemeteries for American service personal buried
overseas. So i went to the WWI part and put in his name and got one hit, it was him, so some of my questions were answered.
Harry Small
Private, U.S. Army
118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division
Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Died: October 17, 1918
Buried at: Plot D Row 16 Grave 11
Somme American Cemetery
Bony, France
Somehow I belive that I may be the only one left alive who knows who
Harry Small was, so its my job to tell the story of one of those who
did not come home from the war to end all wars, on Oct 17 it will be 90
years ago. Rest in Peace Harry.
Bruce
http://wallofhonor.bravehost.com