Great War Portraits

In 1984 I was privileged to accompany 20 veterans of WW1 on a return to the battlefields of France and Belgium. This photograph shows the veterans on board the coach on their way back after nearly 70 years. For many this was the first time they had returned. Bert Weston was one, he is on the far left of the photograph looking at the camera. Bert enlisted underage in 1915. When his father H. E. Weston of 4th Battalion Middlesex was killed in action on 13th October 1915 at Hooge near Ypres, his mother applied for Bert to be released from the army for being underage. Bert, who lived in Hemel Hempstead in his later life, is featured in my book 'Great War Portraits' as are many of the veterans on this trip. Great memories. ©KeithCollman