Memorial at last for 1916 soldier
Standing over the grave of Lance Corporal William Fellows at a cemetery in Belgium, Fred Blades made an emotional vow that he would get his great-uncle's name carved in stone on a Black Country war memorial.
Next week his wish will come true as a plaque bearing the name of L/Cpl Fellows, killed in battle at Ypres in 1916, aged just 22, will be unveiled at Moxley War Memorial.
His name will join those of 98 others who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
"This is like bringing him home," said Mr Blades, aged 77, of Bustleholme Lane, Stone Cross, West Bromwich.
"He was my great uncle, my grandmother's younger brother and she absolutely adored him.
"When I was little she was always telling me about young Bill.
"During World War Two, she said to me, when the war is over I'll take you to see his grave in Belgium. But she died before the war ended."
Mr Blades said he did not know much about his great- uncle's World War One experiences and was unable to find out more following his grandmother's death, but he he believed he may have been killed by a German sniper.
Last year, father-of-two Mr Blades fulfilled his grandmother's wish when he visited Belgium with friends from Moxley People's Centre. There, he sought out his relative's grave and made his promise.
"It was a very emotional day," said retired Mr Blades,
"I felt incredibly proud. But when you go over there, it's so devastating and humbling to see miles and miles of graves."
Returning to England, Mr Blades set about getting his great-uncle's name added to the war memorial in Wednesbury, where L/Cpl Fellows had lived from a young age.
But when this did not happen, friends from Moxley People's Centre helped Mr Blades to get his great uncle honoured on Moxley's cenotaph.
L/Cpl Fellows was born in Queen Street, just yards from the memorial. The plaque will be unveiled by the Mayor of Walsall at 11am next Thursday.
