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Something very interesting happened yesterday to my husband which left him in tears with so much emotion.
David's nephew delivered to him a card board box with instructions to give the box & contents to my husband with his older sisters death.
The contents of the box sent chills as well as a flooding of memories back to my husband. David (my husband) was only 3 yrs. old when his oldest brother; Robert went into the service and was killed by a snipers bullet at the age of 19yrs.
The U.S. flag with only 48 stars that draped his brothers casket when he was returned home was heart wrenching but also in this box was a book which we had NO IDEA it even existed.
The book is titled: BRITAIN'S HOMAGE TO 28,000 AMERICAN DEAD
at the bottom of the front cover reads: In Memory Of
Pfc. Robert James Everts, U.S. Army
My husband and I had no knowledge that an American Memorial Chapel was set up in St.Paul's Cathedral and that his brother; Bob is one of the 28,000 names inscribed in what Britain calls "The Roll of Honour". "The Roll of Honour lays facing west upon a marble pedestal under the eastern arch of the baldachino, which thus provides a setting for it and may therefore be considered an integral part of the chapel itself. The names of the American dead will in this way be recorded in the very heart of London on a spot more sanctified by its history and associations than any on which Britains's own dead are named."
I am hoping someone on our boards may know how my husband and I could possibly get a copy of the page from "The Roll of Honour" that has his brothers name inscribed. Our boards have members from all over the world and it's my hopes that someone may read this post and beable to help in our quest to gain a copy of the page with Pfc.Robert James Everts name.
There is this acknowledgement in the front of this book which I would like to share with you.
"A copy of this book is being presented to the next-of-kin of each of the 28,000 Americans whose sacrifice is therein commemorated. This has been made possible by The Times, Printing House Square, London, and the Dulverton Trust. Lord Dulverton, founder of the Trust, is a member of the Wills family, being the son of the late4 Sir Frederick Wills, Bt."
The knowledge we now have that David's brother's name is forever memorialized in such a distinctive manner in of all places St. Paul Cathedral is such an Honor which we would like to pass on to our family for the next generations.
Another item of interest is the following:
"A page at the beginning of the volume bears this tribute from General Eisenhower, in gold and black lettering:
Each name inscribed in this book is a story of personal tragedy and a drieving family; a story repeated endlessly in white crosses girdling the globe. The Americans, whose names here appear, were part of the price that free men have been forced a second time to pay in this century to defend human liberty and rights. Fittingly, this Roll of Honour has been enshrined by the Mother Country of all English-speaking democracies in this special Chapel of St. Paul's, once target of a barbaric attack. Here, we and all who shall hereafter live in freedom will be reminded that to these men and their comrades of all the Allies we owe a debt to be paid with grateful remembrance of their sacrifice and with the high resolve that the cause for which they died shall live eternally."
The Roll of Honour, for the time being is displayed in a glass case near the north transept of St. Paul's, close to the model of the reconstructed east end. A virger turns a page of the book each day. There is also a photostat duplicate of the book, bound like the original, which is for the purpose of enabling visitors to St. Paul's to verify the presence in the Roll of Honour of any particular name in which they are interested. A member of the cathedral staff is in attendance to find the page for them.
If you have any suggestions on how we would go about possibly getting further information in regards to "The Roll of Honour" and how one might possibly get a copy of the page that has David's brothers name inscribed we would truly be greatful. David was only 3 yrs. old when Bob was killed and next month David will be 69yrs. old so for 66yrs. this story of his brother has been untold until now.
Thank you so much for putting up with me. I hope I've given enough info and if you would like to ask me or David more questions just send a private message to me and we'll work on getting ahold of you to discuss your ideas.
Love & God's Blessings:
Jodi
