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This is the fifth of a new series of articles about men and women connected to my family who served in – and survived – the First and Second World Wars. Louis Victor Murrin (1888-1981) Louis survived being shot in the head in 1915 – and spent many months in hospital recovering from a series of … [Read more...] about Rifleman Louis survived Great War after being shot in the head

Imagine… Reading about your ancestors and important milestones from the past in a unique new way Stories from a bygone age brought to life in true newspaper style For the first time, you can have a special newspaper produced just for you – focusing on the important characters and … [Read more...] about Your family history – told in a unique newspaper

A century-old family mystery has at last been solved – revealing an extraordinary story that, at the time, would have shocked the world. The conclusion of a seemingly impossible quest to discover the parents of a baby born in 1919 could not have been more remarkable, or controversial. The … [Read more...] about Unveiled: An extraordinary story that would have shocked the world

This is the fourth of a new series of articles about men and women connected to my family who served in – and survived – the First and Second World Wars. Bernard ‘Bernie’ Male (1917-1970) Bernie – who was just 10 years old when he sailed to Australia under a controversial child migration … [Read more...] about Boy who went to Australia served as field ambulanceman in WW2

This is the third of a new series of articles about men and women connected to my family who served in – and survived – the First and Second World Wars. Ernest George Iles (1898-1969) Ernest was a cook’s mate in the battleship HMS Warspite when she was badly damaged in the Battle of Jutland – … [Read more...] about Cook’s mate Ernest’s day of high drama in Battle of Jutland

This is the second of a new series of articles about men and women connected to my family who served in – and survived – the First and Second World Wars. Herbert Stanley Fewings (1896-1961) Herbert was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his bravery in the final advance against German … [Read more...] about Soldier honoured for bravery in final days of Great War

NEW SERIES This is the first of a new series of articles about men and women connected to my family who served in – and survived – the First and Second World Wars. William Albert Ernest Brackley (1923-2003) William was held as a Japanese prisoner of war in Thailand in the Second World War. … [Read more...] about ‘Death Railway’ survivor freed a week before he was to be executed

When he married the most famous woman of her era, Montagu Porch, an aristocrat, adventurer, archaeologist, and hero of the Boer and Great Wars, became stepfather to a man who would become Britain’s greatest ever Prime Minster – Winston Churchill. Montagu – or Montie as he was known – wed … [Read more...] about Revealed: my extraordinary family connection to Winston Churchill

On this day in 1941, Charles ‘Charlie’ Holder (1912-1941) died in Egypt when a ship – in which he was helping to guard about 1,000 German and Italian prisoners of war – was attacked and sunk by a German U-boat. Charlie was a private in the 1st Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry when he was … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…December 23, 1941: Charlie dies in U-boat attack

On this day in 1914, John Marshall (1891-1914) was killed in action at Givenchy in France in the Great War – just 14 days after arriving on the Western Front. A private in the 1st Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, John was 22 when he died. He is one of 26,000 officers and men listed in a … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…December 22, 1914: John is killed in Givenchy