Sue Radford's Emotional Family Tree Discovery on 22 Kids and Counting
In a poignant episode of the Channel 5 series 22 Kids and Counting, Sue Radford was visibly moved as she delved into her family history, uncovering a tragic chapter involving her great-grandfather's service and death in World War I. The episode, which aired recently, saw Sue and her husband Noel Radford embark on a heartfelt journey to explore their roots, driven by their shared experience of being adopted.
A Search for Ancestral Connections
Sue Radford expressed a deep curiosity about her lineage, stating, "I think being adopted, it just makes you be a bit more curious." While Noel had previously searched for his birth mother, Sue focused on learning more about her great-grandfather, James Thomas Curwen. She visited Lancashire University to consult with historian Professor Corinna Peniston-Bird, who accessed the 1911 census to reveal details about James's life.
The census showed that at age 21, James was married to Sarah and living in Lancaster with their daughter. He enlisted in the war on September 8, 1914, a decision Professor Peniston-Bird attributed to the intense propaganda and societal pressures of the time. "There was an awful lot of pressure. They were surrounded by propaganda," she explained.
The Harsh Realities of War
Further research revealed that James served in the Machine Gun Corps, a unit Professor Peniston-Bird described as highly vulnerable on the front lines. "The machine guns are particularly important on the front line. It is the first thing the enemies will try to knock out, so people working on the machine gun units were very vulnerable. He would have been in the thick of things," she said.
Sue was devastated to learn that James was killed on November 30, 1917. Reflecting on the news, she shared, "If Noel had been sent to war and then he was killed in action and left me with the kids, I just couldn't imagine it must have been so incredibly difficult. To be honest, I think I would have struggled to have fed them." Professor Peniston-Bird added that most soldiers who died in France never returned home, leaving families without graves to visit.
A Pilgrimage to France
Determined to honour James's memory, Sue and Noel travelled to France to find his grave. During their search, Sue grew emotional, saying, "I can't imagine what it was like to say goodbye to your sons. Sending them off to war when they're still children, really." They discovered that many unknown soldiers had gravestones inscribed with "A soldier of The Great War Machine Gun Corps," but James's name was not among them.
The couple then visited the monument of the Battle of Cambrai, which lists over 7,000 soldiers whose bodies were never recovered. Sue reflected, "That is just the reality of the war back then. The majority did not get found, and they didn't have headstones, and their names were just written on the stone."
A Moment of Closure
In an emotional turn, Noel spotted James's name on the monument. Sue described the moment as deeply moving, stating, "It was emotional when we first saw his name. Because it put it into perspective, doesn't it, that he was my great-grandad." She added, "It was nice to be able to pay my respects, the send off that couldn't have been done 109 years ago."
This episode of 22 Kids and Counting highlights the personal impact of historical events on families today, showcasing Sue Radford's journey to connect with her past and honour a relative lost to war.
