This is the "association" that I meant! Beechey Boys - 5 Lost sons WW1 These boys were in predominantly British Regiments. Beechey Boys; War took five of eight sons, another was crippled. War took five of eight sons, another was crippled. from the Sunday Times of WA With thanks to Sandra Playle of WA
Yes that is another book I would like to get. Think it's called Brothers in war......... Thanks Spidge.
They wouldn't write home to their mothers because if the did, the mothers would know where there were and be able to claim them back, for being underage.
Due to passing the buck between politicians and the military , thousands of boys were not made to come home and the parents fought in vain to get them back. One 15/16? year old was actually shot for cowardice in the face of the enemy.
I visited the place where they were shot at dawn, and in the two cells, there is lots of writing on the walls, they wrote/scratched on before their deaths. The cells are full of poppy crosses, and little notes. The post is still there!!!
This reminded me of Saving Private Ryan & The US film of the Sullivan Brothers who were killed in the navy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sullivans Current Arleigh Burke class DDG serving in the USN but not the first ship to be named after the brothers: http://www.sullivans.navy.mil/
