Memorial Day Memorials

It’s Memorial Day in the U.S. Please keep in mind all those that have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

This is a photo taken by my British step-father (who we sadly lost a month ago at 97) in North Africa. He found out, hours after the Allies claimed victory there, that his cousin Dennis had been killed nearby. Here is a snippet from Eric’s memoirs:

Dennis, three years my senior, was a member of the pre-war amateur British Territorial Army. At the outbreak of war in 1939 he went to France with the first contingent. As a young N.C.O. he was taken off the beaches at Dunkirk.

The next time that I knew of his where-abouts, he was in Iraq with the 56th(London) Division. By June, as this narrative will show, I was in Kariouan and the only place Dennis could have been killed was here. If Dennis had been killed here abouts, then the local Graves Registration Unit would have him listed and sure enough, although they had mis-spelt his name, which I corrected; there he was

D. Fenning. Company Sergeant Major. 56 (London) Division.

The Graves Unit gave me a map reference and, eventually, I headed towards a group of very small trees or saplins in the flat landscape. Through the white taped lines I slowly rode my bike, one foot on the ground along by a rail track. Over a small wadi the rail was carried by a low level sideless little trestle bridge and, as I got nearer, the saplins turned out to be a staggered little group of up turned rifles, stuck, bayonet down, into the ground, with a little cross here and there. There were six or eight graves in this lonely spot somewhere near Envidaville.

The whole area was heavily mined and I had to walk very gingerly inside a narrow channel formed by usual white tapes. I photographed the graves and sent the pictures back home. Dennis had been killed by mortar fire on the 11th May. Such a tragic thing, only hours before the official cease fire of May 12th.

I visited the area several times and re-photographed the site. Much later, on comparing the various pictures, I noticed that there had been a cap badge nailed to the wooden cross; it was missing on the later versions.What a pity I did not think to take it. I have often wondered who did, but I hope it was a friend.