On the eve of Easter, 2002 The Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, died Saturday, March 30, at Royal Lodge, Windsor at the age of 101, Buckingham Palace announced. "Queen Elizabeth died peacefully in her sleep at 3.15 (local time) this afternoon at Royal Lodge (Windsor)," the palace said in a statement. "The Queen was at her mother's bedside," the Palace said.

Palace officials added she "had become increasingly frail in recent weeks following her bad cough and chest infection over Christmas." The news came as the Queen and other members of the Royal Family prepared to attend Easter service as planned at St George's Chapel, Windsor. "Her condition deteriorated this morning and her doctors were called," Buckingham Palace said.

The Queen Mother's death comes less than two months after she attended the funeral of her younger daughter, Princess Margaret, who died on 9th February at the age of 71.

The Mother Queen was born as Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, on 4 August, 1900, the ninth of 10 children of Lord and Lady Glamis. The Bowes-Lyon family is descended from the Royal House of Scotland. One of The Queen Mother's 14th century ancestors became Thane of Glamis, home of Macbeth 300 years before. Glamis Castle is the family seat.

Word War I
On August 4, 1914, the day the lights went out in whole Europe as Great Britain declared war on Germany, coincidentally it was Elizabeth's 14th birthday and did mark the end of her sunny youth. Her family turned Glamis into a hospital for convalescing soldiers. She was too young to join the nursing staff, even than Elizabeth helped with tending the patients. She would walk a mile into the village to make sure that they had candy and cigarettes, write letters for them, serve meals to seriously wounded with her own hands.

Fortunately my paternal grandfather Late Nanhe Mall Singh, resident of Sahaswan Tehsil, District Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, India fought great World War I under British Royal Army. He was in Royal King's uniform on December 25, 1914 abroad. He was the receipent of Princess Mary Christmas Gift 1914, given by Her Royal Highness Princess Mary seventeen years old daughter of King George V and Queen Mary. This gift is an embossed brass box. The lid of the tin bears the head of Princess Mary, with the word "Imperium Britannicum above and Christmas 1914" below. On the sides of lid the names of six allies countries are engraved who also fought World War I. This is a "Gift from Great Britain for the every Sailor afloat and every Soldier at front who participated in World War I. This great Christmas Gift 1914 is our family heritage and pride.

In World War I, India sent 1.5 million men and as many as 47000 were killed. Indians soldiers won 13000 decorations for bravery and 12 Victoria Crosses. My grandfather was severely wounded in this war and was retreated in 1916 from abroad and became handicapped. But when did he join the British Royal Army this account is not known to me. But it was commonly saying I heard in my family that when King George V visited New Delhi in 1911 my grandfather saluted him in military parade at Red Fort. On 10th June, 1920 my Paternal Aunt Late (Dr) Shanti Rajeshwari Solomon was born. She was four years younger than my late father Mr. Johnson Mall. She rose to the rank of founder of International Fellowship of the Least Coin (IFLC) in 1956. Presently IFLC affiliated with World Council of Churches is working in 85 countries supporting women's projects. Same year in 1920 my grandfather was poisoned by his Hindu cousin brothers, because he converted to Christianity. Thus my grandfather fought to defend the Great Britain but died for the sake of his Christian faith.

Being as monarchist and evangelist I salute Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Mother Queen on behalf of my late grandparents, my parents and members, Voice of Christian Evangelical Church, Ludhiana - Panjab - India, who left for her eternal abode safe in the everlasting arms of our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. I also fervently pray for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, may the Lord grant her His grace and courage to bear this great loss, while the year 2002 is being marked as the 50th anniversary of her accession to the British throne.

God bless and re-revive Great Britain in Christ again!

By Rev Isaac Newton Johnson Click here

The above article published on 15th April, 2002 issue of Masihi Sansar (Christian World) newspaper. Freddi Joseph, Chief Editor “Masihi Sansar” (Christian World) Newspaper, Lamba Pind, Jalandar, India.