RETIRED mechanical engineer Richard Brown still gets choked looking at the correspondence from his grandfather who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Great War.

The 81-year-old from Botley discovered the letters when his mother Ida May died in 1983.

She had kept letters penned by her father Samuel Moulder who served with the 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (OBLI).

Promoted to Serjeant, he was sent to France and Belgium and fought in the First Battle of Ypres in western Belgium in October and November 1914.

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In a letter to his family written on October 16, 1914, Sjt Moulder said: “We are having a fine time today, but God knows what will happen in these next few days.”

The Eynsham man died just six days later in the battle of Langemarck.

Mr Brown said: “The last written correspondence we have from him is this postcard sent to my mother dated October 16, 1914. He was killed on October 22.

“Going through these old things is quite choking at times, particularly that postcard. It sort of makes me shudder.”

The family received a Field Service Card just two days before his death which he had signed, dated and indicated the option ‘I’m quite well’.

The postcards are part of a number of artefacts displayed by residents at an exhibition commemorating Botley and Cumnor’s role in the Great War.

Mr Brown, who lives with his wife Joy, the churchwarden of North Hinksey parish, said: “It’s so important people have come together for this exhibition, and that people don’t forget and that it doesn’t happen again.”

Among the artefacts is a letter penned by Samuel’s fellow soldier Serjeant William King informing the family of his death.

It reads: “I am exceedingly sorry to say Sam is dead, it was the last shell the Germans fired, before we got relieved by the French, that killed my chum.”

Sgt King goes on to explain that he was in command of the platoon before being wounded and handing over command to Sjt Moulder.

The Browns don’t know whether William King survived to the end of war.

Grandfather-of-13 Mr Brown said: “People don’t necessarily realise the impact it had on families back home. As soon as a soldier was reported dead, his pay stopped. My grandmother couldn’t afford the rent of their cottage in Eynsham. She packed up all their possessions and walked into Oxford with my mother and her five other children.”

Sjt Moulder’s wife Ada Jane eventually got a job as a cleaner in Christchurch cathedral to support the family.

She died in 1957, aged 79.

The exhibition is open all day today and tomorrow from 9am to 5pm and doors open on Sunday at 11.30am.

Saturday sees a First World War-themed Bake Off and for just £5 on Sunday people can enjoy a First World War-themed lunch.

Martin Harris of the Cumnor and District History Society organised the exhibition.

He said: “It makes us think just how lucky we are nowadays. Would we have done what they did 100 years ago?”

“It’s had a great response, I’ve had so many people ringing me and providing photos, letters, and even a trench cake for the lunch on Sunday. It’s a real celebration of life in the area this time 100 years ago.”

The battle of Ypres

  • The battle for the strategically important town of Ypres in western Belgium spanned from October 19-November 22, 1914 
  • After defeats at the Battle of the Aisne and thbe Battle of the Marne, Ypres was the Germans’ last option as they tried to outflank the Allied forces in Belgium in what became known as ‘The Race to the Sea’. 
  • The opposing armies engaged in a number of battles including the Battle of Langermarck, as the Germans went on the offensive and the Allies fended off counter-attacks. 
  • The result was victory to the Allies but at a great cost to the trained British regular Army. 
  • The Germans’ push for a decisive victory had failed and the static entrenched Western Front formed. 
  • Mobile operations would not resume until 1918. 

Medals from a war hero who died doing his duty

The medals were given to Samuel Moulder’s wife Ada Jane Moulder by the Government after the First World War. 
The war medals were awarded to those who had taken part in military campaigns outside the UK in the theatre of the First World War. 

Oxford Mail:
From left, the medals are:

  • The 1914 Star: authorised by King George V in April 1917 for those who had served in France or Belgium between August 5, 1914, to November 22, 1914, inclusive. 
  •  British War medal:  awarded to officers and men of the British and Imperial Forces who either entered a theatre of war or entered service overseas between August 5, 1914, and November 11, 1918.
  • The Allied Victory medal: each Allied country issued their own bronze victory medal. 
  • The recipient’s service number, rank, name and unit was impressed on the rim. 

The postcard

Samuel Moulder’s postcard to his daughter, Richard Brown’s mother, Ida May Moulder read: 

Oxford Mail:
My dear Tory and all, 
I hope you are all quite well. I am pleased to say I am A.1. We are having a fine time today, But God knows what will happen in these next few days. 

Best love and xxx to you all. 

Daddo

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