I've been lucky to have had the last couple of months in the Greek Islands.

In spite of having been a big fan of the movie Guns of Navarrone as a kid, I wasn't aware of the battle for the Dodecanese islands in WW2. That changed when I was on the island of Leros a couple of weeks ago and chanced upon what they call the "English Cemetary", which is a cemetary for British/British&Irish) troops killed in the battle for the Greek islands.

I photographed several of the headstones, some of which are inscribed with personal messages from family.

Reading the messages has brought a tear to my eye if not to my cheek every time so far, as they capture the shock and loss of war, as well as its futility.

There are a lot of brave people fighting for their country and their liberty in Thailand at the moment, but it's good to remember the sacrifices that young British and Irish men made the best part of a century ago. The inscriptions that I have a copy of won't have the same effect reading them on here as seeing them on the headstones, but for the record and for interest, they read as below:

"Known unto God"

"The day may be dark, the way may be drear, but there is hope in the far-away tomorrow"

"We who love you can never forget the sacrifice you made that we might live"

"Deep in our hearts a memory is kept of one we loved and will never forget"

"They laid him where he fell in battle underneath the alien stars"

"He sleeps where sorrow is unknown and all is perfect peace"

"We shall always remember you Harry. Mother and all at home"

"Tell the Empire all ye who pass this way, that we who died serving it rest content"

"Rest in peace"

"Greater love hath no man than this. That a man may lay down his life for his friends."

"Times change many things, but memory will always cling"

"Rest in Peace. Your work is o'er. Loving Mother, Dad, Brother, Sister and family"

"Our loss is great, we'll not complain but hope in heaven to meet again"

"His young head proudly held he fought and died for Britain and the honour of his race"

"Sacred heart of Jesus have mercy on his soul R.I.P."

"These men died that others may live in freedom and decency"

"At rest. You died for England's glory and that your children might be free"