Roger Waters Visits Father’s Grave in Italy

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:02 pm

Roger Waters has ended a personal journey he has been making across Europe to visit the grave of his late father, Eric Fletcher Waters, who died in WWII in Italy. Roger visited the grave in Cassino War Cemetery south of Rome.

Roger said, “I’ve been making a journey through Europe to visit the grave of my grandfather who was killed in 1916 and my father who was killed at Anzio up the road here. So this is the end of the journey.”

Read more... http://www.rogerwaterstours.com/index.p ... -in-italy/

3Dasha · Post by **3Dasha** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:46 am

Some of my past is in my music and so is my future. I’m making a film that won’t be aired in public.

So the videos he was shooting near his grandfather's grave were filmed for personal archive.

moom · Post by **moom** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:00 am

3Dasha wrote: So the videos he was shooting near his grandfather's grave were filmed for personal archive.

And it's a good thing because such stuff is very personal.
This journey is necessary, but is also sad. And it's a bit surprising Waters Senior wasn't buried in England.
And Roger definitely has mother's face.

3Dasha · Post by **3Dasha** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:48 am

Agreed, moom. There were guesses that the film will be on Roger's new DVD or something: understandable, considering lack of news regarding his album.
And yes, sadly, Roger can't simply travel anywhere and not to be approached by fans.

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:25 pm

Roger said in an interview with local TV that it was filmed for his personal purposes so wont be going on no DVD to be sold.

iain mchenry · Post by **iain mchenry** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:36 pm

moom wrote:
3Dasha wrote: ....And it's a bit surprising Waters Senior wasn't buried in England....

Not surprising I'm afraid Moom. Until 1982 very very few British soldiers were ever repatriated back to the UK after dying abroad for whatever reason, war, disease etc. It was the accepted norm to bury them in the countries they fell. The Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission is responsible for the upkeep of our nations dead. The cemeteries and memorials stand upon ground that has been given in perpetuity by the nations they lie buried in.

Even if Roger wanted to bury his late father in the UK it would be impossible as there is no grave for his father. His father is commemorated on The Cassino Memorial. The memorial commemorates over 4000 Commonwealth soldiers who lost their lives during the Italian campaign and have no known grave. The memorial is located within Cassino war cemetery. I was lucky to visit and see Eric Fletcher Waters name on the memorial in 2006. I also visited the area that Roger's fathers regiment was fighting in when he was killed, very close to an area known as "The Wadi".

Roger visited his Grandfathers (His dads father - Sapper George Henry Waters) grave on the 20th March during a two day visit to the WW1 Battlefields. His Grandfather was a civilian coal miner from the north east of the UK who joined the army after a lesser known recruiting campaign to recruit men with mining experience into Tunnelling Companies of the Royal Engineers formed in 1915 and 1916. These men were to literally fight the Germans underground using this ancient form of warfare. Rogers Grandfather served with 256 Tunnelling Company, the last of 32 tunnelling companies to be formed on the Western Front in WW1. The Company was formed in July 1916 and was working underground a few kilometres south of what many people today know as Vimy Ridge in areas known as "I" and "N" sectors. Rogers Grandfather was killed not underground but on the surface by a mortar shell about 0950 hrs on the 14th September 1916. The official war diary of 256 Tunnelling Company for that day states:

"No: 158450 Spr Waters G killed and No:27559 Pte Anthony J wounded, by aerial torpedo."

An aerial torpedo was the common term of the day for a mortar shell.

Unfortunately the local French press covering Rogers visit to Maroeuill British Cemetery to see the grave of his grandfather stated that his grandfather had been killed in the area of Agney Lez Duisans, a small village near the cemetery where his grandfather is buried. This unfortunately is wrong as this was some way behind the front line and was where the headquarters of Rogers Grandfathers unit was located.

I'm a military historian (and Floyd fan!!) specialising in WW1 history and I live just a few miles away from where Rogers Grandfather is buried and will shortly be starting to write a book on the history of 256 Tunnelling Company. I visit his grandfathers grave often when I am in the area. Roger mentioned last year that a US veteran he met during the intermission of one of his Wall concerts had said to Roger that his father would be proud of what he had done. I like to think that also his grandfather would be as well.

I'm ever so pleased that Roger has taken the time to visit both his grandfathers grave in France and his Fathers name on the Cassino memorial. I often wondered if he had been before, perhaps when he and the other Floyd chaps were making the Pompeii concert many moons ago, but it appears that Rogers visit to see his fathers name on the memorial was his first.

I have a photo of Rogers Grandfathers grave and would love to post it here for those interested to see. Trouble is that the file is too big and being crap with computers I haven't a clue how to downsize the file. Could anyone assist.

All the best,

Iain

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:57 pm

iain mchenry wrote:I have a photo of Rogers Grandfathers grave and would love to post it here for those interested to see. Trouble is that the file is too big and being crap with computers I haven't a clue how to downsize the file. Could anyone assist

Email it to me at npfadmin at neptune pink floyd dot co dot uk and I will resize and post for you.

iain mchenry · Post by **iain mchenry** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:56 am

Thanks Keith. Sent you 2 emails, one of photo of Rogers grandfathers grave and some others just received of him visiting the grave week before last.

Regards

Iain

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:41 pm

Thanks Iain. Pictures are here....

http://www.rogerwaterstours.com/index.p ... -live-dvd/

iain mchenry · Post by **iain mchenry** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:20 pm

Glad to have contributed Keith!

Regards

Iain

Post by **snifferdog** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:19 pm

I hope the visit has given Roger some closure or whatever you want to call it.

iain mchenry · Post by **iain mchenry** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 6:17 am

Another article in the UK's Daily Telegraph on Roger's visit to see his Fathers name on the Cassino memorial:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ve.html?fb

Iain

moom · Post by **moom** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:46 am

Iain, thank you very much for the contribution, indeed

. Again proves war is bad.

Bigmanpigman · Post by **Bigmanpigman** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:28 pm

A War Diary has been found which outlines the last 24 hours of Roger's Father's life.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... tches.html

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:53 pm

I wonder if this and things like it will make their way onto The Wall DVD?

Roger Waters Visits Father’s Grave in Italy

Roger Waters Visits Father’s Grave in Italy

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