The graves of the first and final British soldiers to die in the first world war face each other in a Belgian cemeteryThe full four years of the first world war separate the deaths of 16-year-stale John Parr from Finchley,north London, and 40-year-stale George Edwin Ellison, and a son of Leeds.
Between the firing of the bullet that killed Parr and the ringing out of the shot that struck Ellison down,approximately 750000 British soldiers were killed. In a remarkable coincidence, just a few yards of lawn stand between the two men’s graves today.
The Armistice is signed. The absolute Declaration of Peace won’t be withheld much longer. The thought that there is a now a limit to our separation chokes me.
It wasn’t in the morning paper. I had just gone to acquire my money when I heard it. Flags went up directly. The news came thro’ officially while I was in the Post Office. Leslie came to dinner, and & afterwards he & I & the children & Mrs Edwards went up to Tally Ho. General excitement. Leslie & I boarded a tram & went down as far as Camden Town. I meant to fade proper up West but the Tubes were hopelessly crowded & I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to acquire home,so came back on a tram & got home in time for tea. Mrs Edwards had seated our family on the hearthrug in her drawing room with a Tablecloth on their knees & was feeding them bread & honey. She is a brick. There isn’t another so good. Just keep her so she doesn’t have any cause for jealousy & she’s all there.
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Source: theguardian.com