Tuesday 13 January 2009

William Frederick Stone

One of the three remaining servicemen from the Great War resident in the UK has died.
William Frederick Stone died aged 108! 'Young Bill' Stone served in the Royal Navy through two major wars including time of the great and tragic battleship HMS HOOD. He wrote of his time in the services on the HMS Hood association website. It is worth a read! How many of us will live so long and see such adventures?

4 comments:

Da Old Man said...

I heard this on the news today. I didn't know he was on the Hood, also.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for commenting about pub names on my Book About blog.

The White Hart you mention has an association with Herne the Hunter who in turn was related to a Celtic god responsible for fertility and virility.

A second Herne the Hunter once worked for Richard II in Windsor Forest. He was fatally wounded whilst defending the King against a white stag but a local wizard brought Herne back to life on condition that he gave up hunting. Herne eventually hanged himself near the castle.

Richard II adopted the white hart with golden antlers as his badge and it would be nice to believe that it was all because of the legend. However, his mother's family also had a white hart in their crest.

The white hart no longer forms part of the royal coat of arms but in heraldry it symbolises peace, harmony and purity.

But then again, it could all just be a tall story over a pint of beer!

Elaine Saunders
Author: A Book About Pub Names
Complete Text
It’s A Book About….blog

Unknown said...

This world's loss is Heaven's gain.

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear of the loss..