Red Cross Blogs

A lasting relationship with the Red Cross

By Ellie Matthews
May 4, 2011 at 11:16 am

One of the British Red Cross’ fundraisers, Marie Ford, has a particularly personal reason for wanting to support the organisation.

During the First World War Marie’s great-grandfather, Herbert Munyard, was taken prisoner by German forces. He was kept as a prisoner of war in Germany and in Russia.

Back in England Herbert had worked at a cinema with a woman called Emma Carpenter and when he became a prisoner of war Herbert began to write to her. The first card, which Emma received in 1915, was addressed formally to ‘E. Carpenter’ – later ones simply to ‘Emmie’.

An international proposal

Emma and Herbert wrote to each other for two years. Eventually, although still classed as a prisoner of war, Herbert was allowed to leave for neutral Switzerland. In March 1917 Emma received a letter from the British Red Cross, as part of the Joint War Committee, asking whether she would travel to Switzerland to marry Herbert.

Emma agreed, despite the continuing war, and the British Red Cross organised for her to sail to Switzerland on the SS Hantonia. Emma’s daughter, Molly, says: “I think it was so brave of Mum to leave England and cross the Channel, with risks from U-boats and air raids, to marry a man she hardly knew.”

Giving something back

Having arrived safely, Emma married Herbert in a civil ceremony on 22 May 1917. The next day an English clergyman blessed their union at the village of Murren. English prisoners of war drew the bridal carriage to and from the church and the town’s whole population turned out in honour of the event.

Although it is nearly 100 years since the Red Cross helped to reunite her great-grandparents, Marie is still grateful. The help her family received then has inspired Marie to become a fundraiser for the organisation today. As she puts it: “Technically, I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for them.”

Help support the British Red Cross – volunteer or donate as part of Red Cross Week

Read stories from more of our fundraisers

Photos courtesy of Marie and Molly Ford.

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Tags: First World War, fundraising, international tracing and message service, UK

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