Anna Durie, a mother who's son

Captain William Arther Durie

Were killed in the firing line

At Lens, France 1917

The Britsh War Ofice & The War Graves Commission

Had decided that no war-dead

Were to be repatriated - all would be

Buried close to where they died

No Anna Durie attitude was stuff and nonsense the treatment Anna Durie received from - The War Office & The War Graves Commission!

 William Arther Durie - HER SON CAPTAIN WILLAM ARTHER DURIE WERE NOT THE PROPERTY OF THE WAR OFFICE NOR OF THE WARGRAVS COMMISSION!

Letters sent to and through were exchanged year after year!

The mother Anna Durie, were the daughter of an officer
Her father a colonel in Queen's Own Rifles!

So with almost military precision!

Anna Durie got set to work on her plans
To outwit The Mighty War Office & The War Graves Commishan!
Anna Durie was a woman a mother not to be trifled or patronised with!

Anna Durie, decided, TO HELL WITH THE BRITISH WAR OFFICE & its Commishan

Her son was going back to the country of his birth - CANADA!

Come What May!
Her son William Arther Durie - WAS GOING HOME - TO REST!

Anna Durie, took ship to France, air flight was not then a choice of travel

Back then

The cemetery her beloved son lay named Corkscrew
BUT, when Anna arived she found the cemetery were closed & empty of graves
All the bodies including Anna's son Captain William Atrther Durie

Had been disinterred
Anna though distort with grief, now - SO VERY ANGRY, as you the reader

Will understand, set about her task, her greith firmly under control now
She accused the war commission of lying to her!
The commission had been told by the farmer who owned the land

Would not let his land become a cemetery!

So the Commission obtained another field for the war-dead

Anna, found out whear her son, William Arther were laid

Late at night past the midnight hour, Anna found her son's grave
Had his coffin removed from his grave, opened his coffin opend

Put William Arther's remains transferred into a box, that his mother

Had brought with her her for be beloved son, William Arther

Then swiftly took a ship back to Canada, with her beloved son William Arther
Back home to Canider
Where in Toronto, Willam Arther, were put to rest with his beloved family
Now he lays with them, finally out of the ranks of the war dead!

Ken D. Williams

The Dyslexic Wordsmith Ov Thanet