145213 L/Cpl Charles Lowther British Army Pioneer Corps from:Chathill, Northumberland (d.17th June 1940) For years when my father was alive, he told us how at the age of twelve he had to take over the roll of his father as he was killed off the coast of St Nazaire, France in the evacuation on the ss Lancastria.
He also told us that his grave was somewhere on the cost of St Nazaire.
About ten years ago my eldest brother went on the search to France to see if he could find his grave, to no avail, he searched for almost a week hunting around all the war cemeteries.
I served 12 years with the army and each year I don my blazer with badge on my pocket, poppy tucked into my epaulette to attend the annual remembrance parade where I live.
On returning from the ceremony this year I decided to try my luck with the war graves commission and low and behold up pops my grandfather's grave.
I was sickened to read about the awful way the ss Lancastria was overloaded and sunk so quickly and of how the survivors were in the water still been shot at.
My grandfather was 42 when he died and what I'm after is his history before that. My father died 17 years ago and my mother died last year, there are no more survivors of my father's family to retrieve information about my Grandfather so I'm asking in hope that someone reading this might just spark a memory of him whether in the forces or out. Thank you for reading this and I hope some one could fill this little gap I have for my very respected grandfather. I remain in your debt Granddad, God bless.
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