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Michael Heaviside survived the war and died on 26th April 1939, aged 58, at Craghead, Co. Durham following a long illness owing to the effects of gas poisoning from the war. He was buried in an unmarked grave in St. Thomas's Churchyard, Craghead, and because of the imminent beginning of WWII, the erection of a stone was forgotten. Although Heaviside's grave was unmarked, the location was known through the burial records of St Thomas's church. However, these records were destroyed in a fire, thus condemning Michael Heaviside to obscurity. It was only in 1999 that an effort was made to locate the grave by matching burial numbers, held by the local council, to the graves attached to them. Thus, after much 'jig-sawing' and a process of elimination, Heaviside's burial location was finally pinpointed. On 1st. November 1999, a headstone, paid for by the family, the DLI Association and the Light Infantry, was unveiled, the Last Post sounding once more for Private Michael Heaviside whose courage was finally rewarded after 60 years. St. Thomas's church is now a private residence, but pedestrian access to the churchyard is possible via the driveway. . |
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Iain Stewart, 1 November 1999