Fusiliers'gravestone Flowers

[10ClarionSt]

Some of you may remember I posted on here about Rochdale Veterans' Association wanting to know who had been leaving flowers on the grave of Fusilier Stephen Whalley, one of those soldiers murdered in the M62 coach bomb. You'll remember that I told you it was my brother-in-law. He phoned them to tell them it was him and they didn't believe him because they said three other people had made the same claim. My BIL said they were liars as he had tended Stephens grave for 45 years and there had only ever been his floral tributes. He also said that he could tell them lots of personal things about Stephen, as they were best mates. He made the point that some people were trying to glorify themselves by this insulting behaviour. RVA initially asked who the person was, and they got the answer. My BIL hung up in disgust. He still tends Stephens' grave, as he has done for the last 45 years because he promised Stephens' mother that he would never froget him. And he never has.

[MargoTester]

That's very sad but almost to be expected in this day and age, always someone jumping on the bandwagon. Your BIL should be very proud of himself and continue with the good work he's been doing all these years.

[Togo]

I did read it first time around Clarion. As long as your BiL carries on doing what he does it will all resolve itself for the good. Just a very strange point to make. There was also a victim of the Birmingham pub bond called Stephen Whalley.

[Togo]

Birmingham pub bomb. Sorry for the typo.

[hereIam]

Your BIL is a good man.

[marval]

Well done to your BIL, shame on the others for claiming it was them.

[10ClarionSt]

Sorry for not replying sooner but thanks for the replies. My BIL and Stephen were friends right from nursery and lived next door but one to each other up to the day he joined the army. I don't know why people try to make spurious claims about these things. It just insults the memory of a murdered soldier.