Gone to be a soldier

I was just writing a return email to a newly found cousin, and thought I'd share some of it on today's Blog post.

"It is fascinating to find out about your ancestors, even if you didn't know them. Just last night, I found out information on a second great uncle who died in Palestine in World War I - there are records of all the campaigns he was involved in, complete with a list of medals he was awarded (and remember, although, maybe distantly) he will be related to you as well through me). So I then went and looked at the details of the Palestinian and Egyptian theatres of war.
It is so much more than a name on a piece of paper. They are the blood in our veins and we are a result of (mostly) generations of their love." (*Slightly edited)

Clifford Turner died on the 18th April in 1918 (next week will be the 98th anniversary of his death). He was a Lance Sergeant. Clifford was just 21 at the time of his death.
Here is a list of the medals that he won.

Here's to a brave young man, who laid down his life, that others may live in freedom. 

I use the term, 'putting flesh back on the bones' a lot in relation to my research. It is (for me) the most interesting thing about my family history. To be able to 'see' them in context and know what issues of the day, locally, nationally and globally, would have affected them, or made them happy or sad, breathes life into them. 

I wonder did Clifford dream of the green hills of Somerset to sustain him through the cold dessert nights?