Winifred Mead, the Great Aunt of the contributor had a sweetheart called Fred Heley. He went to war in March 1918, and then was reported missing in action, presumed dead. Winifred later formed a relationship with a wounded soldier, Stephen Bachell, who had family in Stewkley and was sent there for his recovery. It was here that Winifred met him and they subsequently married. Fred Heley, who recorded his experiences in 1985, had been captured rather than killed, and was a P.O.W. He tried to escape but was recaptured. After the war he returned to Stewkley to meet Winifred again. She tells him that she has met somebody else. Much later in life, however, Fred and Winifred, now both widowed, married in 1964. || Photograph of Fred Heley; Fred Heley's hand-grenade, brought back from France; Leather dog tag; Photograph of Stephen Dachell || || Fred Heley || Photograph || Photograph of Fred Heley || Remembrance || || Fred Heley's hand-grenade brought back from France || Fred Heley's hand grenade || Weapon || Hand-Grenade

Notification of death Commemoration scroll in case with note from Buckingham Palace 'Death Plaque' in original folded case Copy of family photograph || My Great-Grandfather, Fred Haynes was part of the East Yorkshire Regiment. He was born in 1882 in Pickering, but he enlisted in Hull on the 25th July 1916. He died at Arras in 1917. These are the official documents of his death. The principal letter is to my Great-Grandmother. There is a memorial certificate from Buckingham Palace, officially from the King. Last Remembrance Day, I showed it to my three-year-old grandchild and tried to explain that it was a letter from the King - something she found hard to grasp! There is also a commemoration scroll, which is still in its case. I also have a death plaque, the families of all those who had been killed would have received one of these. It has his name inscribed on it. I also have a photo of Fred and his family, including my Grandma and my Great-Grandma. It is on card and creased down the middle, so I think it may well have been on the front with him. These were items that my parents kept and passed on to me, as I am the most interested in family history. My great grandmother put a lot of effort into finding out where Fred was buried, as I found war records with letters she wrote to the war office even up to 1923 asking where he was buried. In the end they found out, and he has a memorial in Arras, though with no personal effects. So my cousin who used to be in the army went out last year and left a little memorial. He also worked out that Fred most likely died when surrounded by Germans on three sides. Fred also had a cousin who died in Gallipoli in 1915, but I have no personal effects for him. || || Army form B.104-82, officially notifying next of kin of the death of Fred Haynes in action on 24th April 1917. || Official document || Remembrance || Fred Haynes || Official notice of death || || Commemoration scroll for Pte. Fred Haynes, East Yorkshire Regiment (with case) and accompanying notice, issued from Buckingham Palace. || Remembrance || Official document || Fred Haynes || Commemoration scroll for Fred Haynes || || Fred Haynes || Memorabilia || Death plaque and case issued in memory of Fred Haynes || Death plaque for Fred Haynes || Remembrance || || Photograph of Fred Haynes's family || Copy of a photograph, showing wife and children. Original was creased from being folded and might possibly have been a photo he kept with him. || Photograph || Remembrance || Fred Haynes

Non-fiction story of the early battles of World War I based on my grandfather's war journal. The reddish brown military ledger was near the bottom of the tattered box which contained documents and memorabilia that once belonged to my paternal grandparents. Carefully moving items out of the way I found the 6x9 inch journal and gently lifted it from its hiding place. I was consumed with the realization I was holding a piece of history in my hands but more than that, I was holding a piece of my grandfather's life. That is important to me because during his life I never got to know him as a person. He and my grandmother visited during the summer, but even then my grandfather was not a warm fuzzy and therefore he remained a mystery. This all changed after I transcribed his journal. Through his written words I came to realize the amazing man I called grampy. As a bonus I discovered the horrors of a war I knew so little about. In America WWI is called the forgotten war because it was over shadowed by WWII and we did not get involved until late in the war therefore it did not impact our daily lives.