Adrian Stevenson
29th July 2008, 09:06
Hi Guys, here is my Grandad, Corporal Issac Stevenson, Royal Artillery, pictured with my Grandma, Hilda Elizabeth Stevenson, just after they were married in 1918.
Grandad wears his .303 Lee Enfield leather rifle ammo bandolier. My Dad recalls that he used to play Army wearing it and he used to keep it under his bed, but my Grandma must have thrown it out as my Dad cannot recall what happened to it. My Dad thinks it disappeared while he was doing his National Service in the '50's?
But on a nicer note, see if you can see the Diamond engagement ring that my Grandma wears in the photo? This was given to her by my Grandad in 1915 when he left for the front and it is now worn by Lez as our engagement ring. I wear my Grandad's wedding ring as my wedding ring. It is a heavy 18 carat gold ring in the form of a belt and buckle. They were married for 60 years.
My Grandfather was a volunteer soldier and joined the Army in 1915. As mentioned earlier before leaving for the Western Front he got engaged to my Grandmother. He was sent to France on 9/8/1915. He was a member of the Royal Field Artillery and was assigned to a gun team using the very effective 18 pounder field gun. He served on the Somme which was one of the bloodiest battles ever fought by the British Army. His unit was attached to the Third Infantry Division, nick-named the "Iron Division". One of his memories was that his horse drowned in the mud.
My Grandad died 30 years ago when I was 16, (which hit me really hard) so I have no real war stories to tell. My Dad says he never spoke of the Great War much to him either, other than to say he saw many horrific things and he did not want to remember them.
I know that he served in Koln in the Army of Occupation in 1919 and I have this letter from the Genral Officer Commanding with a few written notes and German phrases on the back. (I have done this in negative to make it a bit easier to read in one pic)
I also have a Barrage table of his gun and times shells were fired. Why he kept this I do not know? Maybe they were the last rounds they fired and that is why it was kept? Sadly it is un dated. By rights it should have been.
He did bring home a P08 Luger which he told my Dad he took off a dead German Officer. Sadly, this was handed in to the authorities in 1968 during a firearms amnesty. My Dad recalls he had taken out the firing pin but it was complete in the holster. However, I do have his medals. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal.
Cheers, Ade.
Grandad wears his .303 Lee Enfield leather rifle ammo bandolier. My Dad recalls that he used to play Army wearing it and he used to keep it under his bed, but my Grandma must have thrown it out as my Dad cannot recall what happened to it. My Dad thinks it disappeared while he was doing his National Service in the '50's?
But on a nicer note, see if you can see the Diamond engagement ring that my Grandma wears in the photo? This was given to her by my Grandad in 1915 when he left for the front and it is now worn by Lez as our engagement ring. I wear my Grandad's wedding ring as my wedding ring. It is a heavy 18 carat gold ring in the form of a belt and buckle. They were married for 60 years.
My Grandfather was a volunteer soldier and joined the Army in 1915. As mentioned earlier before leaving for the Western Front he got engaged to my Grandmother. He was sent to France on 9/8/1915. He was a member of the Royal Field Artillery and was assigned to a gun team using the very effective 18 pounder field gun. He served on the Somme which was one of the bloodiest battles ever fought by the British Army. His unit was attached to the Third Infantry Division, nick-named the "Iron Division". One of his memories was that his horse drowned in the mud.
My Grandad died 30 years ago when I was 16, (which hit me really hard) so I have no real war stories to tell. My Dad says he never spoke of the Great War much to him either, other than to say he saw many horrific things and he did not want to remember them.
I know that he served in Koln in the Army of Occupation in 1919 and I have this letter from the Genral Officer Commanding with a few written notes and German phrases on the back. (I have done this in negative to make it a bit easier to read in one pic)
I also have a Barrage table of his gun and times shells were fired. Why he kept this I do not know? Maybe they were the last rounds they fired and that is why it was kept? Sadly it is un dated. By rights it should have been.
He did bring home a P08 Luger which he told my Dad he took off a dead German Officer. Sadly, this was handed in to the authorities in 1968 during a firearms amnesty. My Dad recalls he had taken out the firing pin but it was complete in the holster. However, I do have his medals. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal.
Cheers, Ade.