who it was. After giving Sudbury a greeting, the machine sped
off  to  Lyston,  where  numerous  friends  were  awaiting.  He

this family, four from that, three from another - were a
memorial too, to a way of life that was gone forever.

alighted gracefully in the park at Lyston.
 On   Saturday   he   made   several   flights   over   Melford   and

It was more of a memorial than the village was used to.
For the vast majority had lived and died for the most part
unknown, un-regarded and now their vanished world would
keep its silence for eternity.

Sudbury,  encircling  several  times.  A  large  crowd was  in  the
park,  morning  and  afternoon  to  see  the  ascent  and  descent,

and to inspect the machine at close quarters. Mr. Ward took to
the  air  again  on  Sunday  and  manoeuvred  the  machine  over

In a telegram to David Ward that arrived at Lower Hall
on September 23, 1917, Lieutenant Colonel Carthew,
Bernard’s Commanding Officer, wrote explaining how his
eldest son and heir, had been killed.  

Melford  and  adjoining  parishes,  and  left  for  Hendon  in  the
afternoon with the best wishes from his numerous friends.

Soon he was dispersed into a divisional unit and was seconded
for  duty  with  the  Royal  Flying  Corps.  He  began  serving  in

‘Your son was killed in a fight with four hostile scouts today.
His machine fell in our lines, and we recovered his body, but

France from February 1916.
On Tuesday 21st November 1916, The Times newspaper stated

he   died   without   regaining   consciousness.   His   observer,
Campbell,  tried  to  land  the  machine,  but  it  was  completely
smashed,  and the observer sustained a  compound  fracture of

that Captain and Flight Commander G.B.Ward, was awarded
the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action.

the skull  and I am afraid  he is  not likely to recover. Nothing
that I can say to you will adequately convey the true sense of

 He  flew  over  the  enemy  lines at  a height  of  100  feet  under
heavy   fire,   and   carried   out   a   very   successful   artillery

the deep affection and respect which all of us who worked with
him  and  were  privileged  to  know  him  well,  entertained  for

your son.
He has been in my Wing since he first took command of No 10

After  surviving  several  daring  missions  taking
recognisance photographs, Bernard took off from his
aerodrome at Cloque, on the Pas de Calais on September 21
1917  at  10.45  am  together  with  his  observer  2nd
Lieutenant  W  A  Campbell.  Their  objective  was  to
photograph the German front-line. Shortly before 1 pm,
ground observers saw his machine crash while fighting four
German aircraft. He was mortally wounded and died at the
scene and Campbell later died from his injuries. It was a
world away from the beauty, peace and tranquillity of the
English countryside. The final, sombre statistics of the war,
750,000 British servicemen killed in the carnage, another

Squadron, and  has  proved  himself  one  of  the best and most
efficient,  as  well   as  one   of   the  most   popular,   Squadron

Commanders I have ever known in our Corps. As you know he
loved  his work. He  has  given  you  every right  to  be  proud of

him, and his loss to us is irreparable. For myself, I mourn him
not  only  as  a Squadron Commander  but as  a  close  personal

friend of whom I was very fond,  and I  ask you to accept  this
tribute to him as an expression of heartfelt sympathy which is,
believe me,  deep and  heartfelt. I have  compiled a  poem as a

2,500,000 wounded (many permanently) reinforced the
belief that mass militarism should be rejected.

We walked for hours, and still I hear you say
Lapina I love - and the warm breeze of Spring

The war memorials which rose on village greens
throughout the land after the cataclysm of the Great War,
with their poignant lists of the old village names - five from

Bluebells and pools and sand and everything
That’s clean and fresh. Paddling in pools - the sun