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Armistice Day Pilgrimage Uncovers WWI Soldier's Untold Story
16 Nov
Summary
- Woman travels to Ypres, Belgium to find great uncle's name on Menin Gate memorial
- Great uncle was an "unclaimed" soldier, family unsure of his age or death
- Grandfather also fought in WWI, was gassed and died young
On Armistice Day 2025, a woman embarks on a personal journey to the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres, Belgium to pay respects to her great uncle, Robert Palmer, who died during World War I. Her great uncle's name is among the 45,000 inscribed on the memorial, as his grave remains unknown.
The woman's family had limited information about Robert, who was just a young man when he was killed on the Western Front. They believe he was in his late teens and from London, and that he served as a rifleman with the Kent Yeomanry. The woman's grandmother, Robert's sister, knew he had died in Ypres, but the family could not claim him until a few years ago when the woman's sister brought her mother to the memorial.
In addition to honoring her great uncle, the woman also remembers her grandfather, George Randall, who lied about his age to enlist and fight in World War I. He survived being gassed in the Ypres bunkers, but suffered the consequences for the rest of his life and died at a young age.
The woman finds the experience of seeing the thousands of names at the Menin Gate, including those from the U.S., Canada, India, Australia, and New Zealand, to be incredibly moving and humbling. She is grateful to be able to pay tribute to her brave ancestors and all the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
