Mono Monday Ancestors

I've always loved this photo of my darling mother Zoe which sits alongside the one of her brother, my Uncle Jack. 

Jack was born in April 1913 and my mother on 2nd August 1914.  (We used to tease her that she was the cause of WW1 which was declared two days later! )  I think Mummy was about two years old and Jack about three when these photos were taken.  I love the shoes! 

Sadly Jack was killed in Tunisia in 1942 by a direct hit from a mortar on his armoured car,  just shy of his 30th birthday.  I never knew him which is something I've regretted my whole life.  He was apparently someone who could light up a room when he came in and was a wonderful mimic and actor. 

He was a pig farmer when the Second World War started which was a reserved occupation so he never even needed to join up.  His commanding officer wrote to Jack's parents after he'd died saying "He will be very hard to replace with anyone half as good.  Though I had only known him a fairly short while, I had found him a very good friend and a most loyal and trusted officer.  He leaves a great gap with us and I am most awfully sorry that you have had to lose him - he was such a grand fellow."  So sad.  He left behind him his wife Anna and very young son Michael.

My mother died in 2007 aged 93 and missed Jack for the rest of her life  without Jack in it.

Many thanks to MrsLinda for hosting.