A lyrical will

[alcavtay]

Reading the service papers for one of the soldiers from the memorial I'm researching, I came across his will, it is handwritten and signed and stamped by the B.E.F. HQ so official but a bit different to the others I have seen, here's a transcription:

Wrote in the trenches July 1918
Will
I leave the sunshine to the flowers,
I leave the springtime to the trees
and to the old folks, I leave the memory
of they baby on their knees, and to
the nighttime I leave the dreams
I leave the songbird to the blind
I leave the moon above to those in love
When I leave this world behind
(Sd) Pte J H Gribbin
Welsh Diehards

he died 4th November 1918 aged 19

I know that these lines are (slightly changed) lyrics from the Irving Berlin song 'when I leave the world behind' but I wondered whether this was something he thought of himself, or if it was something that was done by these young soldiers who, I imagine, didn't really have anything to leave in a will. Has anyone come across anything similar?

[Wendyem]

It's nice that he saw some beauty in life in the horrible year & place.

Wendy

[Katie]

Oh Amanda,

Nearly started crying reading that. I have obituaries wrote by soldiers to be placed in the local paper if they died. (I'll post one) so I suppose it was not unusual to write something like that when these poor men did not know if they were going to make it back to Roll call after going over he top.

I don't know if you have seen this I posted about 2 years ago


19th August 1916 by Private W. Prescott King's (Liverpool Regiment)

When you're sleepng on the fire-step in a great coat soaking wet.
When the mud is in your eyes and mouth and in your hair, you bet
When the rain comes through your dug out roof and drips down on your nose.
When your feet are blinking icebergs and you haven't got no toes
When the neighbours in your shirt are dancing hornpipes on your chest
When you've dug for fourteen nights on end and never had no rest
When the corporal's pinched your rations and the sergeants pinched your rum.
Never curse or swear but simply smile - remember Belguim

When the Alleman blows off your hat or helmet with a crump
When the aerial torpedoes scarcely give you time to jump
When you're always in the hottest part and never had no luck
When the whizz-bangs come so thick you haven't time to duck
When trench morters, bombs and shrapnel seem to have a love for you
When in trying to retaliate you fight until you're blue.
When you hear the bullets singing and your head they nearly hit
Never mind, but just remember your a doing of your bit

When your billets are a cowshed and the blooming roof all leaks
When you've mortgaged all the money that is due to you for weeks
When if sick the doctor gives you M and D and sends you back
When you've lost your iron rations, your smoke helmet and your pack
When your rifle's chocked with mud and you get F.P. No 2
When your pals all go to Blighty every blooming one but you
When you've got to pop the parapet and courage is at zero
Just remember who you are my boy - a blooming British hero


I think this soldier was Killed but there are about 4 or 5 W. Prescott who served with the KLR.

[Fledge]

A talented young lad, and with much still to give.

What a wonderful insight, however, into the kind of person he was. A gem of a find.

[alcavtay]

Wow, that's left me speechless Katie, amazing.