London

Went to London to see a concert at the Festival Hall ( Christy Moore) Wandered through three parks, but came across this young soldier at Horseguards Parade - we had met him earlier when he had asked us to take his picture with Horseguards in the backgroud. Later we found him standing very still in front of this memorial. He was here, standing silently for several minutes; he looked about 17-18. I felt awkward taking his picture but at the same time wondered what was going through his mind

My father introduced me to this song years ago Willie Mc Bride The song itself is still a powerful indictment of war, and has been recorded many times since it was written in 1975. According to the song, the gravestone of the soldier, Willie McBride, says he was 19 years old when he died in 1916. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, there were eight soldiers named "William McBride", and a further six listed as "W. McBride", who died in France or Belgium during World War I but none matches the soldier in the song. Two "William McBrides" and one "W. McBride" died in 1916 but one is commemorated in the Thiepval Memorial and has no gravestone. The other two are buried in the Authuile Military Cemetery but one was aged 21 and the age of the other is unknown. All three were from Irish regiments