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AN adventure
story in the Hotspur boys comic 16 years ago brought
a grand-daughter of the only Victoria Cross war hero
to be buried in Barrow back to her home town.
For the colour
comic strip told the story of how Samuel Wassall VC
rescued a drowning comrade under enemy fire during
the Zulu war in 1879.
And Mrs Hilda
Wright believes her inquiries, sparked off by the
strip, enabled an invitation to the biggest
gathering of the Wassall clan for generations to
reach her.
Mrs Wright,
58, from Warrington was one of 85 descendants of the
war hero who gathered round his grave in Barrow
cemetary to take part in a remarkable memorial
ceremony.
Official
recognition was conferred on Pte. Wassall 60 years
after his burial following the discovery by the
Barrow Royal British Legion branch of the grave -
with no headstone. |
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The branch raised
£200 to pay for the headstone - erected by Barrow
mason Mr Victor Grozan free of charge - and
organised the ceremony which was held at the
graveside on Saturday.
Place of
honour at the graveside was taken by Maj. Edward
Green, regimental secretary of the Staffordshire
Regiment which is the modern descendant of Pte.
Wassall's Staffordshire Volunteers.
The service
was conducted by British Legion padre the Rev. Bill
Hayward, a wreath was laid by branch president Mr.
Derek Lyon and Barrow major Coun. Mrs Irene Lucas
attended.
After memorial
prayers the Last Post was sounded by L/C Robery Boyd
of the Band Detachment, who then played Reveille.
Legion coulours were borne by branch standard bearer
Mr Geoff Dempsey.
Also in
attendance was chairman of Barrow public amenities
committee Coun. George ???, whose committee
unanimously voted to tend the grave free of charge. |
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But most of all
it was the relatives day - all 83 of the
representing five generations.
Present were
the oldest grand-son, Mr. George Sutton, 78, West
Row, Roose and the oldest grand-daughter Minnie
Crawford, 69, from Be??erley Avenue, Barrow.
Family
At the other
end of the scale were three-year-old Jill
Balla??tyne and her nine-week-old sister Michelle of
Queen Street, Barrow, the youngest
great-great-granddaughters of the war hero.
Many had not
met for years and family tales were swopped
including the Hotspur story. Mrs Wright said: "My
son showed me the comic and had Samuel's story in a
st?? on back and front.
"I wrote off
to his regiment for more information and this is how
they knew where to find me. I now have the original
of that comic strip from 16 years ago."
by Martin Hebbert,
(paper unknown) |
