Personification: Grief.
I thought about a grief common in many people. The grief they feel for themselves. When someone goes through trauma, they may lose their identity and therefore grieve their own selves. I wanted to display this type of grief.
My focus point was war because I have such a fascination with history of wars and a deep respect for the military departments. It was so freeing to finally get to combine my three loves, Theatre, Costume and History. I got quite attached to a few soldiers that I was researching and fell in love with their stories, which were always so exciting, thrilling and sad to read, and it made me more determined to play homage to a grief that not many people witness or empathize with.
Over the summer of 2018, I got to contribute to a Project with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) based in Maidenhead. The CWGC, are responsible for all military personnel who died during the wars receiving a white grave stone. Everyday they commemorate fallen soldiers, either current or found. I researched a co-wrote a project called “The Road to Peace”, that highlighted a singular soldier who died 100 years ago to the day. We released their stories on their day of the last 100 of the First World War. I was lucky enough to use their resources to research and include my Great Great Grandfather.
His Story…
“William Bignell was born in Shalbourne, Wiltshire, in 1893, to Thomas and Rose Bignell. He was one of seven children and he worked as a farm labourer with his father and brother.
William moved to Pontypridd, Glamorgan in South Wales, where he married Edith Annie Thomas in October 1916. On 6 July 1917, Edith gave birth to a son, Trevor.
During the First World War William served in the 5th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. From October 1918, his battery worked in support of the soldiers of Fourth Army who were fighting north of St. Quentin.
In October, William contracted the illness that became known as Spanish Flu. He was evacuated to a hospital in Normandy. He died on 7 November 1918, four days before the Armistice. He was laid to rest in Tourgeville Military Cemetery, Calvados France. He was 25 years old.
Upon William’s headstone are inscribed the words ‘Peace perfect Peace’, chosen by his wife, Edith.
Throughout his service William and Edith exchanged many loving letters, and after the war Edith wanted to commemorate him personally.
She made a fabric plaque and embroidered the words: “In ever loving memory of my dear husband, William Frederick Bignell, Gunner. R. F. A. The dearly beloved husband of Edith Annie Bignell. Who in France fought and gave his life for the cause of JUSTICE and FREEDOM. November 7th, 1918. Aged 25 Years.”
