In November of 2014 the attention of a nation was turned to a century earlier. A graphic attempt to put the numbers of casualties of WW1 into perspective was displayed at the Tower of London. As I gazed in awe and soberness over the oceans of ceramic poppies surrounding that ancient monument, each representing the death of a soldier, the question I asked myself was, what can I do?

That may seem a daft question; those 888,246 soldiers were dead, what could possibly be done for them? But as a Mormon I have a deep belief in life continuing after death and that there are certain things we can do here in this life for those who have passed on.  Many of all Christian faiths have a similar belief, whether it be lighting a candle, petitioning a saint or for a Mormon performing a symbolic act of faith, by proxy. I decided to look for soldiers who died in that conflict that had my family name and who were from my home county. I found several and so after entering their names into FamilySearch.org, went to the Preston Temple and performed for them baptism by immersion and confirmation by the laying of hands.

Although I have not directly connected them to my family tree, I have no doubt I shall find that link. These men passed away before being married and having no posterity of their own, I did not feel I would offend anyone by doing this for them.