My grandad was born in 1899 and was only a young man during World War 1. He served in the merchant marines. He did not serve long.

I created this a few years ago. It’s of my granddad and his service in WW1. He didn’t like to talk much about it, he only said he didn’t serve as long as others, mostly in 1918. He said where he was and that the Britannia sank. He signed up with his friend Chris.

My favorite picture of him at that time is this one with his friends.

They were all so young. We should always remember that it was young men who went to war.

He had a young family in WW2. He still wanted to support the effort so he fought fires in London during the bombing. He also didn’t like to talk about that. He said lots of people were injured and hurt.

I asked my mum about what she remembered about that time in her childhood. My mum remembers being carried down the stairs as bombs fell and the house shook. She said a bomb landed on a house down the street from them. She said that they were evacuated from London for their safety and was probably about 5. My mum remembers that they didn’t stay there long because a boy was murdered so her mother decided that they would be safer with her dad and they returned to London.

My mum remembers going to school and hearing the air raid sirens going. She remembers the gas masks they had to wear and running across the field holding hands with other primary school students and the songs they sung until the all clear was announced. She does not like those songs. The war gave her many scary memories.

I am grateful for those who served. I am forever grateful that neither myself nor my children ever had to experience that. I will remember and want my children to always remember.