Robert McSorley

My Grandfather meant everything to me. He was the father in my life up to the age of 13, when he passed away. He had ten children, one of whom was my mother, Edna. He was born in 1891 and signed up for the Army in 1914 at the onset of World War 1. He was decorated with the MM and DCM in 1917 at Messines Ridge and Westhoek, Ypres. Not bad going for a cook in his troop. He came out of the War injured, but not by field action. He and a friend were walking through the camp one day and someone was cleaning a rifle, a shot rang out and the bullet hit a wall, broke into two and ricoched, hitting both Granddad and his friend. He wasn't invalided out of the Army, so the injury could not have been life threatening, but I always remember him having problems with the injury because there were times when it just wouldn't heal, even late in his life. He met my Grandmother Lily at the local Temperance Bar, and they eventually married in 1919. The first child was born in 1920 and from then on until 1939, nine more children appeared. Sadly, the youngest born in 1939 died in infancy. But all the other nine were still alive in 1996. It was always a full house where we lived. I sometimes wondered how we managed to all fit in a three bedroomed house, but we did. Then one by one people got married and moved out. Grandma Lily died in 1963 and there were many times that I would come home from school and Granddad would be sat in his armchair in the living room, sometimes he wouldn't see me and I would see him stretch out his hand. I asked him once why he did that. He told me that Grandma wanted him to hold his hand and go with her. I prayed he wouldn't, but three years after Grandma left him, he took hold of her hand and joined her again. There will NEVER be another like him in my life. I miss him every day, even 43 years on. Since then another 5 children have gone to meet him and Grandma. Hope you're all happy. God Bless.xxxxxxxxxx