Met After 100 Years: The Missing Soldier (WW1 Documentary)

[@williamwulff289]

As a Belgian, you cannot imagine the deep appreciation that we have for our Allies friends and all the poor souls that died in our fields. My Great-grandpa was fighting, along with his father from the retreat from Antwerp until the Armistice. He was in the 14th Chasseurs, the first unit to take back Namur after War's end. As a student, I lived in Namur for 3 years - all these streets are so very familiar. Madame Delaye's shop is in one of the nicest street of the old town and Elfie was nursed next to my university auditoriums. So many known and unknwown men have stood where we now stand. Let us hope that war never comes back to our cities. thank you so very much for telling this story

[@Crusty_Camper]

@wiilliamwolff289 The link between our histories is very strong. I have visited Belgium several times and always feel welcome there. The ties that link us are far stronger than any temporary political differences. As a British person I am proud to be European too.

[@SkipperBlue]

@@williamwulff289 as a german, i know how Belgians suffered in both world wars. 5000 civilians massacred in ww1 suspected as "franctireurs". My grand-grandfathers behaviour was like warriors of tshengis-khan.

[@jamesross1799]

I expirienced this appreciation when my dad and myself went to visit our great uncles in the Ypres area. I was truly moved by the kind comments from hotel staff when they learned the reason for our visit.

[@Nubis509]

Great story! Your channel is criminally underrated..

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thank you so much.

[@ch33sytac05]

Completely agree, the amount of research and storytelling that goes into this videos rivals if not outdoes the majority of big history channels, love the fact he always goes into individual stories, really reminds you when you hear thousands of dead its not just a number, but a person with a life

[@desmondrobinson169]

@@BattleGuideVTWhy meters not metres in your graphics?

[@martyndick327]

Couldn't agree more. Absolutely love this channel!!

[@Skipper.17]

I think most of us have read about the main battles of these wars, but learning about the individual stories of these soldiers is always fascinating.

[@63mckenzie]

My grandfather and his brother both fought in WW1. My grandfather survived, his brother did not. My great uncle James is buried in the war cemetery at Arras and videos like this always remind me of the life he and all the other young men never had.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Outstanding work. Thanks for giving life to this story.

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it, Dan

[@grahambaker1736]

Such a moving story, how wonderful that complete strangers in Belgium could care for a sick lad, alone and away from his family. Kindness and care! Bless them all!

[@Alwuwa]

Phenomenally presented and so well written documentary. Thank you so much for covering this. This was such an inspiring story of love from the deep sadness of losing a child. Excellent work as always!

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thanks so much... delighted you enjoyed it.

[@michaeljohnryan7801]

What a sad story 😢, at least he had someone with him before he passed

[@MichaelLeBlanc-p4f]

Who would have imagined then that 106 years later so many hearts around the net world, would be so touched by this account. Thank you for sharing it.

[@sherylkite6575]

Meeting the decendants of Mrs Delaye was simply incredible, such a moving moment in my life I will never forget. Thank you Dan for helping us to share our family's storey which had been lost through the generations. I will most certainly keep the storey going for generations to come.

[@Poguemuhone]

Rest in peace dear old chap, and all your guardians,,im 65 here in cork city ireland and my mother passed away on the 5 October 2024 at 92.her father, my grandfather, John Cogan,known as jacko,,,was a soldier in the Royal munster fusiliers, born 1896,,No 9998.prisoner of war 1916 i think.he then went back to England to reenlist in 1940 but was un successful so he worked in munitions till 45 .....if I should fall along the way,,then lay me down where i will stay,,,and if it's so that you may pass by,,you might stop a while at where i lie,,and sit and rest and maybe smile, when you recall a time in my blue eyes, and if your memory serves you right, then your own eyes will catch the light, and keep it hidden in your heart, and when it's needed to call upon you might think of me for i am the one,who loved you once for a moment in time...Michael.

[@LordLaDiDa]

What a moving story. And beautifully presented

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thank you so much!

[@arlenechambers2419]

Courageous young men who bravely volunteered to go to war we will never forget their sacrifice and service

[@rhoddryice5412]

Such a moving and sad story. Even though the title gave away the sad ending I was hoping until the end Elfy would recover from his poisoned wound. And I’ve got to admit your story put tears 8n my eyes. Thanks

[@jmeyer3rn]

This is such a emotional story; thank you for sharing Elfington's sad demise. War is hell.

[@jasonruggles2579]

Outstanding. As a Herts man. Very moved

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thanks Jason.

[@DimBeam1]

Bloody hell, i've got something in my eye. Great video and very respectfully done.

[@MC-nb6jx]

Such a sad story, watching through tears, but so well presented as always, thank you..

[@freelancebush]

Yes, tears❤️

[@frankg9102]

The detail and background in every story is amazing! Keep up the great work and thank you for these amazing videos (and podcasts)!

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thanks for the kind comment!

[@bobstride6838]

What a sad story, this brings home the human side of warfare but also kindness from one human being to another

[@annew1692]

I was so moved by this story. Thank you. It is a sad story and yet there is hope with the kindness of strangers.

[@owencrater7089]

What a well done story. One of the best on KZbin.

[@SkipperBlue]

As a german born in the 60ies - it breaks my heart. My imagination is - if our european nations had worked together in Peace - our engineers, workers, doctors, sailors - what a beautiful place europe could have been.

[@davidwhite4874]

All wars are engineered into existence by those with the power to prevent them. You and your country are not to blame.

[@fryertuck6496]

Never going to happen. Germany in the 20's and early 30's was an open sewer. The loss of morals and the early trans-children movement (which were the books the Nazis first burnt) resulted in a massive and understandable rise in nationalism. Same thing is happening now, debauchery, trans idiots and migrants are fuelling anger across Europe and the West. Thai will not end well.

[@fryertuck6496]

​@@davidwhite4874He didn't claim any blame, you incinuiated blame.

[@davidwhite4874]

@@fryertuck6496 After generations of Germans being taught and propagandised that the blame was on them, I assumed that he felt some guilt, if I was wrong, I apologise, but my assurance still stands.

[@cassiebarratt2131]

brought a tear to my eye

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thank you.

[@jamesross1799]

This young man's story isn't unusual many men had very similar war experiences. Experiences that we find hard to comprehend from our modern perspective. I love your channel thanks for the massive effort you put in to these films it's very much appreciated 😊

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thanks very much James.

[@Wee_Langside]

That was a very moving story very well told. Many thanks

[@hobbitspot6998]

Exceptional presentation. Thanks for sharing it.🙏🇮🇳

[@thenoworriesnomad]

OMG... this has to be one of my favourite videos you have done, thank you and God Bless Them All..

[@dondouglass6415]

What a touching story.... 😢

[@jasone4460]

Your channel and Dr Mark Felton have the best war history on KZbin. Thank you for all the informative content and excellent commentary.

[@iangrimwood3345]

Another brilliant video. Thank you

[@BattleGuideVT]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@J.Walker88]

Great story. I enjoyed and appreciated it very much.

[@alistairj4851]

This is both tragic and heart warming at the same time. So sad that the son did not make it home, but finding such a caring family who looked after him as if he was their son. It must have been of great consolation to his mother, knowing he had been cared for and loved and in very good company.

[@padigernon7838]

Fantastic video,incredible story!

[@allanburt5250]

Another cracking video please keep them coming 👍

[@CanOfRabbitHoles]

My god that was such an incredibly powerful one! Thank you so much for your incredible work. Seriously, how is this channel still so small!?!?!

[@grahamwaz4689]

Excellent content, well presented.

[@bikenavbm1229]

That is such a bitter sweet story, but it is hard to imagine that it could have been recounted any better, thank you so much.

[@BilltheDoughboy1996]

What a story... and what an incredible video! I will be sharing this to all my mates who research the 10th as well 🙂

[@wensday8784]

Sad but beautiful story, told so compassionately, I love your videos for their brilliant production quality and deep research. Thank you.

[@nickward1366]

Utterly fascinating thank you so much

[@stevemorrell4066]

Very tastefully done.

[@davidroberts8874]

Thankyou for this

[@resnonverba137]

Thanks for your research and for keeping stories like this alive. God bless one and all.

[@jameswebb4593]

Very moving . In many ways reminds me of my Grandfathers neice and her husband , He had his leg amputated up to the thigh , after being wounded as a Lancaster gunner. Cannot remember the date , but grandpa and myself travelled across from Kent to Bath for a weeks holiday at his sister small farm. With using a single crutch played cricket with us kids . A few weeks after returnibg home heard the sad news he had died .

[@JimSobery]

"With the 10th Essex in France" is the 1914-18 regimental history for Elphy Chambrlain's regiment. Capt. R.A. Chell, D.S.O, M.C is the author and was a dear friend and neighbor of my family. This book has been reprinted, and I understand a reenactor group now portrays the WW1 10th Essex Regiment.

[@dallasreid7755]

Very moving story

[@huibertlandzaat1889]

Thank you for uploading

[@elliottgoad3128]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@la_old_salt2241]

What a marvelous story! Thank you for sharing. God bless, Rob

[@jamesharryward5595]

Sensitively done ... I really enjoyed your short Documentary .... great Editing and a wonderful story - thank you

[@notpopeye]

Such an amazing story! My own Great-Grandfather participated in the assault on the Hindenburg Line, going "over the top" with the 119th U.S. Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, on September 29th, 1918. On the far left of the American lines, that assault occurred just a few kilometers (or less) from Elphie's attack the week prior, this time towards the western end of Saint Quentin Canal and the village of Bellicourt. (I nearly fell out of my chair when you showed the map in the video). And like Elphie, Private Ray Burton Ryan was wounded, and captured in a mid-morning German counter-attack. He would spend the next several months in a POW camp in Duhlman, Germany, before being repatriated back to the U.S. in the early-Spring of 1919.

[@ph6475]

Netflix level documentary as usual, nice job.

[@BattleGuideVT]

Thanks for the very kind comment!

[@mickmc5807]

What a fantastic story

[@loafersheffield]

Thanks.

[@annehersey9895]

Good Lord. The graphing you showed breaking every part down to just 5 yards is mind-boggling!! Are you saying that someone had a job of detailing these actions 5 yard increments at a time for an entire area? WHOSE job was that? Who came up with that system? Was the same system used in WWII? Man that would be so much easier with a computer. It had to have taken hours if not days or more to compile the action in just this one little village. Thanks for teaching me something new-as you always do!

[@RaspberryWhy]

Wow, just wow. A veery powerful story. What a story to research

[@martinjf467]

Bloody marvellous. Well done on your research for this. It is so moving. My wife worked out what happened to my cousin (twice removed) from the battalion departing Britain (right down to the ship they sailed on) to his demise in late October on the Menin Road a short way out of Ypres past Hooge. We followed his footsteps over a week. It is very moving to follow a soldier's time in this way and your work on Elphi is amazing and deeply moving. Thank you.

[@walkingdad6978]

A very touching story. 😢The amount of research must have been overwhelming to piece together this tale. Thank you for sharing this, and all your other hard work. It’s much appreciated. One of the many reasons that you’re my “go to” channel here,and my “go to” podcast Superb 😊

[@el_aleman]

Outstanding research and channel.

[@grahamhollingworth8253]

What a wonderful amazing story, thank you for telling the stories of these heroes.

[@annehersey9895]

How did Elfy have a daughter when he joined the Army at 16? What a wonderful story and how wonderful Elfys mum must have felt to know that her son had another woman who was a mother to him in his last days. The picture of Marie just exudes compassion and caring. Thanks so much for sharing this story.

[@BattleGuideVT]

You are quite right, it was his great niece, not grand-daughter: no idea how I forgot that.

[@annehersey9895]

@ no problem because it was such a wonderful story. I’m still thinking about it an hour after watching the video!

[@FilipDePreter]

Fascinating story.

[@michaeldouglas1243]

Amazing story and content

[@sandykenuk]

Fantastic story, puts my faith in humanity high

[@MarkDenson-ld8bf]

Absolutely amazing story it had me in tears what a lovely lady total respect to her and all the families thank you for sharing this with us

[@paulbradford8240]

A very touching story that you wished didn't need to happen. So many men, teens and older who left England and other Countries to meet and die on the battlefield. For nothing some might think, but for me and many like me, a matter of pride for what my Great Grandfather did, now lying at peace in a cemetery in France.

[@steve7956]

Excellent 👌

[@bobbybates2614]

To those brave soldiers who fought and died in ww1 R.I .P you will always be remembered

[@hachimaru295]

powerfull and personal well done !

[@kenroberts6906]

Wonderful

[@kevinsenior8155]

A very touching story.... thanks.

[@johnpage4581]

The youth of today should read this to realise how they owe such a lot to the youth of the great war.

[@blackpoolrox6475]

What a meticulously researched story. The adopted Mother Madame Delay's love for this lady's child is one of many 1,000s of cherished links to all those who endured this atrocious waste of young lives, of all countries involved.

[@CalasTyphon488]

Wow , brought tears to my 6.4 ft four eyes this story did , fantastic humanity, us European's don't get along a lot but stories like this prove there's a shared friendship

[@bigjohno242]

A very moving story . Letchworth is not far from where I live in Herts , and I have a big interest in all the forbear regiments to the now Royal Anglian Regiment..

[@marciabaldwin2506]

Fantastic story of this brave young man and the families here in the UK and Belgium totally fascinating ❤

[@14rnr]

I have lived in Letchworth almost 60 years and never heard of this brave young man. And further to that he was in the Essex Regiment which is the one my Grandfather served in too.

[@TwoMikesProductions]

This is superb. We followed the 10th Essex heading to Tombois a couple of years back. One of our members was from the same school (Gordonbrock Lewisham) as one of the casualties at the Cemetery there.

[@joslynscott466]

So heartbreakingly beautiful.

[@1MrMoor]

Stunning, poignant, heartbreaking and yet so heartwarming. My sincere respects to the Chamberlain Family along with a very belated salute to brave Elphinstone. ….Dearest Madame Delaye… you are and you were an Angel …Caring for Elphy as you did, reaching out to his family….those are acts of an Angel …To the Delaye Family of 2024… There is a special bond of caring and kindness shared between your family because of the kind acts of your grandmother Madame Delaye…and millions of English people who’s family members served in WW1. My love and respects to you all ❤

[@richsmith4363]

Really interesting story. Sad though.

[@redtomcat1725]

Brought tears to my eyes !!

[@johnvandezilver1388]

A sad story, afther 4 years he still was a soldier !? No promotion afther all those years.

[@danrooc]

GREAT WORK. (I just rather like to listen it in English).

[@jamesross1799]

That poor lad. The spanish flu epidemic was a final tragic twist to ww1.

[@bigsarge2085]

❤

[@anthonyquinn5058]

The lost generation

[@lisathomas627]

At least he went in his sleep.😢

[@timmermansj1300]

I will look for his grave in the next two weeks.. may he and all others rest in peace. We will remember them 🕊

[@douglynn8357]

Great video I to am trying to put together some bits about my grandmothers 2 brothers family name doe one unfortunately Kia a few days before the end of war

[@ragandoil]

This made an old soldier weep

[@Theoobovril]

Lovely.

[@henrychinaski712]

Recordad que los alemanes no son los malos, y que en la guerra sólo ganan los políticos, los banqueros y los fabricantes de armas.

[@ravenseft]

At 9:19, the letter reads "possible" and not "horrible".

[@BattleGuideVT]

Well spotted.

[@harveymiller4988]

WOW

[@angelamary9493]

Rest in Peace to All the Fallen past and Present ..

[@scrubsrc4084]

My grandma lost her uncle a few days after the war whilst disarming germansg in Holland.

[@alland35]

Sounds like had blood disease and a secondary infection killed him.

[@wals-1]

I assumed the great flu epidemic that took millions world wide at this time - the symptoms certainly fit. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu

[@coreychipman]

I have a modern story about the how wonderful the Belgian People are. I was in Belgium for some training. That is probably all I can say. I was 19 years old at the time and my impacted wisdom teeth got infected. They had to send me to a military hospital for two or so days before I could get back to training. Every single person I met treated me like a visiting prince once they found out I was an American Soldier. I will never forget that experience. They have NOT forgotten our sacrifices, I assure you. My Belgian friends, do not forget that we were saving ourselves as much as helping save you. Oh...and between the SAS, Para's and Belgian Commandos, the Belgians would pull us aside over beers and we would tell harmless jokes at the expense of our good friends of Britain. America is blessed to still have both as Allies.