Unlike my maternal grandfather (J. Kennedy) I knew my paternal grandfather well, up until he died in 1966. At that time he suffered a brain aneurysm, survived one of the earliest surgical procedures for that, but died days later from a blood clot in his leg - a residual of his 1917 war injury. So not all Great War Soldiers died on the battlefield from their injuries, some died decades later. The story of MY HERO is detailed from start to finish on his web site. Amazingly (and despite the 1967 house fire) a lot of his personal records were passed down to me and are posted to the site ... come for a visit:

http://www.censol.ca/research/greatwar/

The photo I have posted is when he was awarded his Military Cross. This photograph appears to have been taken outside the Ontario Legislature Building in Toronto, Ontario, at the time he was awarded the Military Cross for his actions at Vimy Ridge. The statement on award of the MC was as follows:

"He displayed conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty and by his splendid example and lack of interest in his own welfare, encouraged his men to remarkable achievements. "He led a bombing squad against a machine gun which was holding up the attack and, after the bombers we all killed, captured the gun single handed and destroyed its crew. After all the officers had been killed or wounded he assumed command of the fallen battalion for the remaining days and held the position unaided against repeated German counter-attacks".

Later Grandfather Laughton would be "Mentioned in Despatches" by General Haig for his amazing survival capabilities. What we have in the records is as follows:

To be concealed behind German Lines and remain food less for five days and nights was the recent experience of G. V. Laughton, Northumberland Fusiliers. Mr. Laughton was on night patrol with a sergeant, and eventually found himself behind the German front line and unable to get back to his own unit. The sergeant was killed by a shell, and the officer had perforce to remain hidden for five days and nights without food.
At the end of the period the British captured the enemy position, and Lieut. Laughton was found unconscious as a result of his privations. The features of this case have aroused great interest in medical circles. Mr. Laughton has been granted extended furlough to Canada.

My Grandfather Laughton was but one of hundreds of thousands of Canadian men who risked their life for our freedom today. He survived, probably suffered, and then he died. In between all of that he married (the nurse who rehabilitated him), raised a family, became a successful business man, and was a fabulous grandfather. To bad that back in 1966 I did not know to ask more. He probably would not have told me anyway.

Keep the Flame Alive!