rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 2:21 pm

I recently visted the graves of of Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel James Henry Reynolds VC and Private Fred Hitch VC in London.

I was interested to see that fixed to both headstones was a Poem called �The Ballad of the Victoria Cross�, which reads:

�I am the Pride of the Valiant Brave
I am the Shame of the Coward Knave
Look though the World � is there prouder need
Than the plain Bronze Cross of the Golden Deed�

This has been done by Kevin Brazier, but there's no indication on the "notice" of who he is and why this has been done.

I've since found out that the poem was written by Edward Harold Begbie (1871 - 1929), an English Author and Journalist. Kevin Brazier is the author of "The Complete Victoria Cross", which was published by Pen & Sword Books in 2010.

Does anyone have any more information about this, please?

Smile

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:45 pm

Is that on Hitch's grave as seen (but not readable) here on the white plaque with the VC carving, on the enlarged picture?
http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/VC/hitch_zoom.htm

Was there also one on Reynold's grave.

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:53 pm

You are suggesting that this could be a personal initiative by Kevin Bazier; an action that could be moving into dangerous territory if the right permission is not sought.

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:08 pm

Alan wrote:

Is that on Hitch's grave as seen (but not readable) here on the white plaque with the VC carving, on the enlarged picture?
http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/VC/hitch_zoom.htm. Was there also one on Reynold's grave.

Yes, that's it - and yes, there was one on both graves. Sadly, the image I took of the one on Reynolds' grave hasn't come out.

Smile

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:09 pm

Martin Everett wrote:

You are suggesting that this could be a personal initiative by Kevin Bazier; an action that could be moving into dangerous territory if the right permission is not sought.

I'm not actually suggesting anything - just asking if anyone knows the whys and wherefores of what has happened.

Smile

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:13 pm

I share Martin's very reasonable and prudent concerns. These various memorials and gravestones are surely not there to provide platforms for individuals to co-opt them for some sort of personal desire.

It's also surprising what junk and debris accumulates at places like the Chard grave over time.

We have suffered similar problems on the Western Front where a particular battlefield guide was encouraging his clients to use lead pencils to shade in the names of relatives commemorated on the panels of the Arras Memorial to the Missing, involving unsightly outcomes, inevitably encouraging graffiti, and leading to a restoration bill.

Nicer if people do not trifle with the solemn nature of (any) graves for personal gratification. "No respect" as Arthur used to tell Terry.

G

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 6:41 pm

Have any recent visitors to other VC graves seen a similar addition?

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 6:43 pm

I've had another look at the images I took last week, and it seems that this poem may have been fixed on the graves of VC holders in London but possibly not elsewhere.

As well as Fredrick Hitch and James Reynolds, I also visted the grave of CSM William George Evans, who was awarded his Cross in the First World War. The grave is in Elmers End Cemetery in Beckenham, not too far away from Frank Bourne. For (I guess) an obvious reason, there isn't one of these poems fixed to Frank Bourne's grave.

Although I didn't notice it at the time, it looks as if there is one on George Evans's grave as well. It is fixed onto a stick which has been placed in the surface of the grave in front of the headstone. There's other things there as well, which is probably why I didn't see it at the time.

The location of the poem on the grave of James Reynolds is similar to that of George Evans. On Fredrick Hitch's grave, it's fixed on a stick which has been been inserted behind the wreath at the end of the stone. There's a Royal British Legion poppy cross near to the wreath as well.

My reason for saying that this is a London thing is that, although I haven't been able to check my images, I'm pretty sure that there are no poems fixed to the graves of John Williams (Fielding) in Llantarnam, William Jones in Peterchurch and William Allen in Monmouth.

Finally, I have suceeded in tracking down Kevin Brazier. By googling his name, I found that he's a long-time member of Loughton Strike Force Wargames Club, whose web site says that he is the author of "The Complete Victoria Cross". I haven't tried to make contact with him, as I don't think that it is for me to do so - and, in fact, I don't know what I would say.

I think that's all for now - if anyone has any questions, please let me know.

Smile

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:23 pm

As you've no doubt or learned, Scorer, KB lives in London. Or at least that seems to be the case from an address I got from the Net.

When you mention that the poem as "fixed" to the headstones, did you mean in some permanent fashion? In my neck of the woods, photographs, flowers, letters and the like are often left on graves with respectful intent and that's different then senseless vandalism. I get the sense though that you're more curious than judgmental. I am as well. Nothing like a good mystery to make my pointy little ears perk up Smile

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:37 pm

Sawubona wrote:

As you've no doubt or learned, Scorer, KB lives in London. Or at least that seems to be the case from an address I got from the Net.

When you mention that the poem as "fixed" to the headstones, did you mean in some permanent fashion? In my neck of the woods, photographs, flowers, letters and the like are often left on graves with respectful intent and that's different then senseless vandalism. I get the sense though that you're more curious than judgmental. I am as well. Nothing like a good mystery to make my pointy little ears perk up Smile

They're not fixed permanently, and I'd say that they can be removed without causing any damage.

You are right, though ... my interest is curiosity rather than judgemental. I was struck by the words as much as the action of putting them on the graves. I guess that there's a reason, but I'm not sure what it is.

Smile

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:57 pm

The white plaque on Hitch's grave looks like a fixture.

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:32 pm

Alan wrote:

The white plaque on Hitch's grave looks like a fixture.

Yes, if you mean the white plaque bearing a representation of the Victoria cross, it is. However, this isn't the poem, which is a much smaller card fixed to a stick which is stuck into the surface of the grave.

Smile

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:59 pm

Ahhhh!

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:16 am

This topic seems to have "died a death" for a month, but it still interests me!

As no-one here seems to know the purpose behind KB's actions, I guess that the only thing open to me is to ask him myself. However, before I do, I'd appreciate your views on whether I should do this and (more importantly), what I should say if I do.

Thank you.

Smile

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 1:07 pm

I took the "bull by the horns" (ouch!) and contacted Kevin Brazier earlier this week.

I've had a very decent reply from him, in which he explains that he has been photographing VC and GC graves for two years now, and has over 500 photos. The only ones from Rorke's Drift that he doesn't have are these: Gonville Bromhead in India, William Jones in Manchester, John Williams in Gwent and Ferdnand Schiess who has no grave.

He asked me whether I have images of any of these. I've agreed to send him what I have now John Williams Fielding in Llantarnam, and what I will have later when I visit the grave of William Jones in Manchester. I haven't promised this, but does anyone have an image of Gonville Bromhead's grave that they can send me, please? If so, can you PM me, and I'll give you an e-mail address that you can use.

Regarding the poem, he hasn't actually explained why he has put it on the graves. He has said that it was meant to have been in the book ("The Complete Victoria Cross"), but the publishers managed to leave it out in error. I don't think that I will take this any further as it does seem to me that it's been done in the right context.

Kevin suggested that I google the author (Edward Harold Begbie) which I've done, and he does seem to be a very interesting chap with very strong views. I'm not sure whether I would have liked him had I been around then, though. The poem is very good, and does I think reflect the pride that the holders of the Victoria Cross can justifiably have (although, of course, very few of them would have expressed it in that way).

I think that's all on this for now - but if anyone has any questions, please let me know.