Passchendaele

[sp1814]

I don't want to offend anyone, and I am not being flippant - but I've literally never heard of this before.

There are rememberance ceremonies going on today - but the Battle of Passchendaele isn't something that (I suspect) my generation really know about.

Is this a notable event in WW1? Am I just uneducated in this, or have others been taken by surprise?

[Zacs-Master]

Well, I'm pleased to hear the remark didn't offend you sp.

Sherr. That's an impressive collection and I see that he lived to be 99! A true hero who fought for our freedom.

[sherrardk]

I seem to remember that he lied about his age to sign up - sadly he wasn't very fortunate as he served in both world wars and was a prisoner of war in both. His medals are in the Museum of Wales.

[fender62]

[jourdain2]

I'm not trying to make it a cause of division, it's more that
I see lack of knowledge by the younger generation (fault of the education system, not of the youngsters) as a prime cause of the current division of understanding in society. I was very clear in saying that it was not jim's fault (or any younger person's) fault. Does no-of argument any

[jim360]

Not *my* fault? What do I have to do with it?

[Togo]

My Grandad was at Ypres and suffered a head wound that rendered him deaf as a post, with a hollow in his temple that was the first thing you saw of him, lucky you might say. He lived to be 95 before the dementia got him. He was 6ft 1" when he died and at the age of 90 would march, with a ramrod straight back, from Porthill to Stoke to watch Stoke City play. Had he died my father and his brothers would not have been born. Before he joined the Army he had just been promoted at work and been offered trials at Stoke for a goalkeeping position. I do not believe that anyone who has lived and been educated in Britain has not heard of Passchendaele.

[mikey4444]

This may be of interest mainly to us here in Wales ::

Here are two young lads who won't forget their visit to
Passchendaele ::::

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-40775306/hedd-wyn-s-nephews-attend-passchendaele-memorial-service

[jourdain2]

jim knows lots and lots of stuff about which I haven't a clue. I bow down to that, but if we don't have a commonality of understanding of our History it leads to division. Not trying to be nasty and I am not an intellectual snob. This stuff is v ery basic to societal coherence. The Educational Authorities have a lot to answer for.

[Togo]

Just to expand on that. My Grandad lost his little brother at Gallipoli and had two older brothers wounded during WW1 . My father was named after the boy who has no known grave, as is my son. His name is engraved on panel 43 at St Helens monument.

[Cloverjo]

History was very badly taught when I was at school. Of the two history teachers that I remember one regaled us with tales of his childhood in Wales, while the other made us copy text from books. And we were the top set. What a waste of time. No wonder I got such a bad O level grade.

I have to admit I had never heard of Passhendaele before this week. We did go to see a WW1 cemetery in northern France on a school trip, which was very moving and emotional.

[mikey4444]

jourdain2....I agree with your last sentiments. When I recall history lessons at school, mainly in the 60's, we seem to endlessly go over how many wives Henry the Eighth had, and the Wars of the Roses, but no time at all about WW1 and WW2.

I can recall exactly how old I was and where I was, when I first heard of the Holocaust. I was 19 years old and sitting on a Greek Island beach, reading "Exodus"
by Leon Uris.

Entertaining as that book was, I think I should at least have been made aware of the basics involving the Holocaust when I was in school.

As we are still living with the results of those events, all these years alter, I think its a darn sight more important that Henry the Wife Killer.

[jourdain2]

Thank you, mikey . We should all understand history which has made us the country that we are.

[ToraToraTora]

seriously? what school did you go to SP?

[New Judge]

"...but no time at all about WW1 and WW2."

Precisely, Mikey. You were not taught about it at school but nonetheless you still know about it. It's something to do with having an "enquiring mind".

[goodgoalie]

Yes, as when people on quiz shows say "oh, before my time" - infuriating

[ToraToraTora]

I cannot comprehend how you could have been at school in the 70s/80s and and thus must be over 40 and are unscathed by this knowledge. Astonished!

[Zacs-Master]

There are many pivotal moments which have made us the country that we are. I'm sure it would be impossible to learn about them all in school history lessons.

[mikey4444]

NJ....yes, I suppose you are right, but I am what is sometimes called "well read", which must help an awful lot I suppose. I prefer to use my mind for interesting things, rather than fill it up with trivia.

Tonight I have watched " University Challenge" and a bit of Ch4 News, and that is about it. I could, I suppose have spent the time watching boring, low-grade TV but managed to resist !

[ToraToraTora]

The Labour party conference is on soon mikey!

[Cloverjo]

It's to do with bad teaching, TTT. Or the ridiculous new (then, 1980s) history curriculum, where you didn't learn about actual things that had happened, but about whether any sources were first hand or second hand and write about how you knew they were first or second hand.