There is a rather sad but also heart warming story behind my most recently finished commission. The request was to take a rather grainy picture of a World War 1 soldier, and add more detail to the picture.
The soldiers name was Harold Dyson. A young private enlisted with the Duke Of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment. He was killed in action on the 8th October 1917 at the age of 21.
Mick, who requested this commission, had found Harold’s name on a poppy that he bought his daughter from the British Legion. It was a rather special poppy called a Passchendaele 100 pin, and it was made from the fuses of the shells that rained down on the soldiers during the war.
His daughter Nelly, who was 15 at the time, was touched by the sentiment of the poppy and wanted to go to Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium to find out a little more, and to pay her respects.
She has since made this trip and now plans to return every year to continue the remembrance of this young soldier.
Mick will also be returning to Harold’s home town of Golcar near Huddersfield where Harold was born to also continue remembrance there.
The portrait of Private Harold Dyson has now been presented to his Daughter and they are both currently heading to Tyne Cot to pay their respects.
It is wonderful to know that Mick and his daughter feel so strongly that this young soldiers sacrifice, that was also made by so many, be remembered. They keep the memory of Private Harold Dyson alive.
I can only hope I have done him justice in my representation of his photograph,
More information on Harold can be found at the link below.
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/1630704/Private-Harold-Dyson
