My Grandmother, Margaret, was the daughter of Samuel and Margaret Jane Lamont of Carnaboy, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
This story really begins with my mum Mary, who had heard the story many times as she grew up. Over many years my granny would let my mum read the letters from Allanthat were kept safely in a little box. Granny was always humming, whistling or singing "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return"
My granny was born shortly after the great famine and there was still very little work in Ireland. She met and was courted by a handsome young man named Allan and they fell in love and planned to marry.
With the outbreak of WW1 and the lack of steady employment, young Allan, like thousands of others during this time joined the Army. The love letters were many and while Allan was stationed in France he received word from my granny that he was going to be a father. He wrote back saying if he had a son to please call him Allan. He told her to remember their song, "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return" and he applied for and was granted leave to come home and marry his sweetheart.
The Records State, Private Allan McCullagh was at or near the train station when he was shot by sniper fire and rushed by stretcher-bearers to the nearby dressing station (field ambulance station). He was found to be dangerously ill and taken to the hospital at Le Havre France, where he died from his wounds.
Margaret had a baby boy and kept her promise to her sweetheart by naming the child Allan.
Every year on Remembrance Day, Margaret and Allan attended the service at the Bushmills War Memorial. Young Allan would pick wildflowers from the fields on their walk to town and when his father's name was called out, Allan would place the flowers on the memorial.
Margaret and young Allan were living in Bushmills when she met John Corscadden McLean In time they married and had 10 children, the youngest being my mum Mary .
All of the children looked up to their big brother whom they called "Our Allan".
Able Seaman Allan Lamont grew up and joined the Royal Navy during WW2. Allan was on the HMS Jaguar when it was struck by torpedos and was sunk on March 26th, 1942.
Behind the story
One day in May 2007, after hearing the story from my mum once again, I came home and started to do some searching for information on Allan McCullagh. In December 2007, my husband and I travelled to France and found the grave of the young man my granny had loved so dearly.
It was very emotional and exciting. The rain stopped and sun shone through while I took photos and "talked" with Allan.
I told him about his son that he never got to see. How my granny had never forgotten him and how she sang their song till the day she died.
It took 90 years, but Allan's grave was found and the story of their love has been told. I believe the circle is now complete and my granny, her sweetheart and their son, can all be at peace.
**************************
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return.
Once a girl said to a soldier
Sure of travelling over
To a land across the raging ocean foam
Where the bullets were fast flying
And in numbers men lay dying
Far from the peaceful shores of home
Meet me yonder won't you then love
In the lane down by the pine grove
When you come home from a far and distant land
On the hillside green with clover
After all the wars are over
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return
Now the days they passed so slowly
The night winds blew so coldly
Outside her cabin as she waited all alone
And the letters he did write her
She kept them all beside her
As she prayed some day that he'd be coming home
Now the years have slowly rolled past
The weeds have choked the green grass
In the lane where she goes walking all alone
And the wild flowers have faded
From the face of a lady
For a soldier who never came home.
The song is on You Tube for anyone who would like to hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZBjjRgTpOY
This story really begins with my mum Mary, who had heard the story many times as she grew up. Over many years my granny would let my mum read the letters from Allanthat were kept safely in a little box. Granny was always humming, whistling or singing "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return"
My granny was born shortly after the great famine and there was still very little work in Ireland. She met and was courted by a handsome young man named Allan and they fell in love and planned to marry.
With the outbreak of WW1 and the lack of steady employment, young Allan, like thousands of others during this time joined the Army. The love letters were many and while Allan was stationed in France he received word from my granny that he was going to be a father. He wrote back saying if he had a son to please call him Allan. He told her to remember their song, "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return" and he applied for and was granted leave to come home and marry his sweetheart.
The Records State, Private Allan McCullagh was at or near the train station when he was shot by sniper fire and rushed by stretcher-bearers to the nearby dressing station (field ambulance station). He was found to be dangerously ill and taken to the hospital at Le Havre France, where he died from his wounds.
Margaret had a baby boy and kept her promise to her sweetheart by naming the child Allan.
Every year on Remembrance Day, Margaret and Allan attended the service at the Bushmills War Memorial. Young Allan would pick wildflowers from the fields on their walk to town and when his father's name was called out, Allan would place the flowers on the memorial.
Margaret and young Allan were living in Bushmills when she met John Corscadden McLean In time they married and had 10 children, the youngest being my mum Mary .
All of the children looked up to their big brother whom they called "Our Allan".
Able Seaman Allan Lamont grew up and joined the Royal Navy during WW2. Allan was on the HMS Jaguar when it was struck by torpedos and was sunk on March 26th, 1942.
Behind the story
One day in May 2007, after hearing the story from my mum once again, I came home and started to do some searching for information on Allan McCullagh. In December 2007, my husband and I travelled to France and found the grave of the young man my granny had loved so dearly.
It was very emotional and exciting. The rain stopped and sun shone through while I took photos and "talked" with Allan.
I told him about his son that he never got to see. How my granny had never forgotten him and how she sang their song till the day she died.
It took 90 years, but Allan's grave was found and the story of their love has been told. I believe the circle is now complete and my granny, her sweetheart and their son, can all be at peace.
**************************
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return.
Once a girl said to a soldier
Sure of travelling over
To a land across the raging ocean foam
Where the bullets were fast flying
And in numbers men lay dying
Far from the peaceful shores of home
Meet me yonder won't you then love
In the lane down by the pine grove
When you come home from a far and distant land
On the hillside green with clover
After all the wars are over
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return
Now the days they passed so slowly
The night winds blew so coldly
Outside her cabin as she waited all alone
And the letters he did write her
She kept them all beside her
As she prayed some day that he'd be coming home
Now the years have slowly rolled past
The weeds have choked the green grass
In the lane where she goes walking all alone
And the wild flowers have faded
From the face of a lady
For a soldier who never came home.
The song is on You Tube for anyone who would like to hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZBjjRgTpOY
My Grandmother, Margaret, was the daughter of Samuel and Margaret Jane Lamont of Carnaboy, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
This story really begins with my mum Mary, who had heard the story many times as she grew up. Over many years my granny would let my mum read the letters from Allanthat were kept safely in a little box. Granny was always humming, whistling or singing "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return"
My granny was born shortly after the great famine and there was still very little work in Ireland. She met and was courted by a handsome young man named Allan and they fell in love and planned to marry.
With the outbreak of WW1 and the lack of steady employment, young Allan, like thousands of others during this time joined the Army. The love letters were many and while Allan was stationed in France he received word from my granny that he was going to be a father. He wrote back saying if he had a son to please call him Allan. He told her to remember their song, "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return" and he applied for and was granted leave to come home and marry his sweetheart.
The Records State, Private Allan McCullagh was at or near the train station when he was shot by sniper fire and rushed by stretcher-bearers to the nearby dressing station (field ambulance station). He was found to be dangerously ill and taken to the hospital at Le Havre France, where he died from his wounds.
Margaret had a baby boy and kept her promise to her sweetheart by naming the child Allan.
Every year on Remembrance Day, Margaret and Allan attended the service at the Bushmills War Memorial. Young Allan would pick wildflowers from the fields on their walk to town and when his father's name was called out, Allan would place the flowers on the memorial.
Margaret and young Allan were living in Bushmills when she met John Corscadden McLean In time they married and had 10 children, the youngest being my mum Mary .
All of the children looked up to their big brother whom they called "Our Allan".
Able Seaman Allan Lamont grew up and joined the Royal Navy during WW2. Allan was on the HMS Jaguar when it was struck by torpedos and was sunk on March 26th, 1942.
Behind the story
One day in May 2007, after hearing the story from my mum once again, I came home and started to do some searching for information on Allan McCullagh. In December 2007, my husband and I travelled to France and found the grave of the young man my granny had loved so dearly.
It was very emotional and exciting. The rain stopped and sun shone through while I took photos and "talked" with Allan.
I told him about his son that he never got to see. How my granny had never forgotten him and how she sang their song till the day she died.
It took 90 years, but Allan's grave was found and the story of their love has been told. I believe the circle is now complete and my granny, her sweetheart and their son, can all be at peace.
**************************
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return.
Once a girl said to a soldier
Sure of travelling over
To a land across the raging ocean foam
Where the bullets were fast flying
And in numbers men lay dying
Far from the peaceful shores of home
Meet me yonder won't you then love
In the lane down by the pine grove
When you come home from a far and distant land
On the hillside green with clover
After all the wars are over
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return
Now the days they passed so slowly
The night winds blew so coldly
Outside her cabin as she waited all alone
And the letters he did write her
She kept them all beside her
As she prayed some day that he'd be coming home
Now the years have slowly rolled past
The weeds have choked the green grass
In the lane where she goes walking all alone
And the wild flowers have faded
From the face of a lady
For a soldier who never came home.
The song is on You Tube for anyone who would like to hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZBjjRgTpOY
This story really begins with my mum Mary, who had heard the story many times as she grew up. Over many years my granny would let my mum read the letters from Allanthat were kept safely in a little box. Granny was always humming, whistling or singing "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return"
My granny was born shortly after the great famine and there was still very little work in Ireland. She met and was courted by a handsome young man named Allan and they fell in love and planned to marry.
With the outbreak of WW1 and the lack of steady employment, young Allan, like thousands of others during this time joined the Army. The love letters were many and while Allan was stationed in France he received word from my granny that he was going to be a father. He wrote back saying if he had a son to please call him Allan. He told her to remember their song, "When the fields are white with daisies I'll return" and he applied for and was granted leave to come home and marry his sweetheart.
The Records State, Private Allan McCullagh was at or near the train station when he was shot by sniper fire and rushed by stretcher-bearers to the nearby dressing station (field ambulance station). He was found to be dangerously ill and taken to the hospital at Le Havre France, where he died from his wounds.
Margaret had a baby boy and kept her promise to her sweetheart by naming the child Allan.
Every year on Remembrance Day, Margaret and Allan attended the service at the Bushmills War Memorial. Young Allan would pick wildflowers from the fields on their walk to town and when his father's name was called out, Allan would place the flowers on the memorial.
Margaret and young Allan were living in Bushmills when she met John Corscadden McLean In time they married and had 10 children, the youngest being my mum Mary .
All of the children looked up to their big brother whom they called "Our Allan".
Able Seaman Allan Lamont grew up and joined the Royal Navy during WW2. Allan was on the HMS Jaguar when it was struck by torpedos and was sunk on March 26th, 1942.
Behind the story
One day in May 2007, after hearing the story from my mum once again, I came home and started to do some searching for information on Allan McCullagh. In December 2007, my husband and I travelled to France and found the grave of the young man my granny had loved so dearly.
It was very emotional and exciting. The rain stopped and sun shone through while I took photos and "talked" with Allan.
I told him about his son that he never got to see. How my granny had never forgotten him and how she sang their song till the day she died.
It took 90 years, but Allan's grave was found and the story of their love has been told. I believe the circle is now complete and my granny, her sweetheart and their son, can all be at peace.
**************************
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return.
Once a girl said to a soldier
Sure of travelling over
To a land across the raging ocean foam
Where the bullets were fast flying
And in numbers men lay dying
Far from the peaceful shores of home
Meet me yonder won't you then love
In the lane down by the pine grove
When you come home from a far and distant land
On the hillside green with clover
After all the wars are over
When the fields are white with daisies I'll return
Now the days they passed so slowly
The night winds blew so coldly
Outside her cabin as she waited all alone
And the letters he did write her
She kept them all beside her
As she prayed some day that he'd be coming home
Now the years have slowly rolled past
The weeds have choked the green grass
In the lane where she goes walking all alone
And the wild flowers have faded
From the face of a lady
For a soldier who never came home.
The song is on You Tube for anyone who would like to hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZBjjRgTpOY
