Sacrifice

[chris000]

In this 100th anniversary year of the start of World War 1, in the UK we are seeing many images of the horrors of that war and of the huge cemeteries in norther France and Flanders. However, the casualties were not confined to those who died in battle and I thought that I would post this

Many of the village cemeteries around Salisbury Plain include War Graves from both World Wars. These are graves of soldiers who died locally from accident, wounds or disease (including the horrendous Flu epidemics of 1917/1918). The two graves shown here are of Australian Infantry soldiers who came from half way around the world to finish their training on Salisbury Plain before going to France to fight. They Succumbed to flu, died from pneumonia and now rest in a small village cemetery in England, 12000 miles from home. There are 141 AIF graves in this one small cemetery alone.

Herbert Hector Seefeldt, 26th Bn. Australian Infantry, died 8th February 1917 aged 21. Born at Woongarra, Bundaberg, Queensland.

Victor William Hindhaugh, 5th Bn. Australian Infantry, died 18th February 1917 aged 19 - from Port Fairy, Victoria.

 

[OurManInTangier]

A very good point Chris, it's far too easy to think only of those who fell in combat and forget about stories such as these. On a side note I travelled through Victor Hindhaugh' s hometown whilst making my way from Adelaide to Sydney, perhaps the small village he now rests in wasn't too unrecognizable to him from the small town he came from all those miles away.

 

[j.scooter]

Thanks for posting.

I very much enjoyed your pictures, especially the second one and the story behind the them.

 

[robert blu]

Sad and moving stories. Thanks for posting. I can't imagine to travel to the other side of the world to end the life in a foreign country...again, so sad.
robert