We will remember them…
July 1914 – Countdown to War
One hundred years ago, on 28th June, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist.
This incident, which today we would call an act of terrorism, led Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia one month later. Russia mobilised in support of Serbia and within six days, Germany and Austria-Hungary were at war against Russia and France.
When Germany launched its attack on France by invading Belgium, Britain declared war in support of “gallant little Belgium”.
The War Memorial
Over the course of the war, 5.7 million men from the British Isles served in the forces and 705,000 died.
Of these 71 are recorded on the Alderley Edge War Memorial. A further 6 are remembered in the annual Remembrance Day service.
The first Alderley Edge soldier to die was Lance Corporal John Gibbons, killed in Flanders in February 1915. He will be commemorated in the newssheet next February.
Every month thereafter, we will remember those who died in that month 100 years ago.
Each month from now to next January, there will be some notes about the war and the War Memorial.
If you have any information about any of the Alderley Edge men who died, or who served in the war, please get in touch. It will enrich the commemoration.
