Wooden Cross, No Age

Wooden cross on the grave of Albert French, 16 years old.

The cross bears no age - and the official stone that marked his final grave on a later War Cemetery did not either.
In 1980 Albert's brother George complained that he had visited Albert's grave and that it had been the only grave he'd seen without the age of death on it.
An official at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission then offered to rectify the omission. Albert's grave now bears the legend "Age 16".

Picture right: After he enlisted Albert had his picture taken. He send it home and wrote: "My mate said I looked about 14, and not much like a soldier. I shan't be a soldier for another 2 or 3 years, I am only training for one yet awhile..."
A few months later he was dead.



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