To-day is Armistice Day

[THECORBYLOON]

"Having Henry at our school was brilliant as it gave us first hand information about what the war was like. Textbooks are good but they aren't necessarily reliable whereas Henry's accounts are accurate as he has been there and actually seen it all happen.

I think he is one of the world's most treasured people, as no-one knows better what happened than he does. Henry told us about one time when he was about 13 and his mother sat him on her lap and told him to be a good boy.

All the people that spoke to Henry are very privileged as soon unfortunately there will be no survivors of the First World War left.

Even though I have only spoken to Henry for an hour or so I feel like I know him and that the information he has told me I will remember for a very long time."

Pupil Faye Chadwick after speaking to Henry Allingham, aged 111, oldest man in the UK, survivor of The Great War

When you go home, tell them of us and say "For your to-morrow, we gave our to-day"

[Cetti]

Amen to your post, Corby. If I may I'll add the poem I posted on your thread a few years ago. It was writen by a 93 year old WW1 soldier.

Why Do You Still March Old Man?

Why do you still march, old man
With those medals on your chest?
Why do you still grieve old man
For those friends you laid to rest?

Why do your eyes still gleam old man
When you hear those bugles blow?
Tell me why you cry old man
For those days so long ago?

I�ll tell you why I march young man
With those medals on my chest.
I�ll tell you why I grieve young man
For those friends so long ago.

Through misty fields of gossamer silk
Come vision of distant times,
When boys of very tender age
Marched forth to distant chimes.

We buried them in a blanket shroud,
Their young flesh scorched and blackened,
A communal grave, newly gouged
In the bloodstained gorse and bracken.

And you ask me why I march young man,
I march to remind you all,
But for those apple blossom youths
You�d never know freedom at all.

[starmack]

Your view of the world is sentimental. There is no glory in War. WWI did NOT end all wars as promised.

[Gromit]

"And I can't help but wonder, no Willie McBride,
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
Did you really believe them when they told you "The Cause?"
Did you really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame
The killing, the dying, it was all done in vain,
For Willie McBride, it all happened again,
And again, and again, and again, and again."

[anotheoldgit]

How dare you starmack I don't know how old you are but, today is not for sentimental glorification of war. It is about remembering those who gave their lives for the sake of people like you, to enable you to grow up safe in a country that is free.

I cannot speak for WW1, but if we hadn't gone to war with Nazi Germany, and kept them from these shores, you along with the rest of us would now be leading a completely different life than the one we have become accustomed to.

Just read the last verse of the excellent poem posted by Cetti, that explains it fully.

[smudge]

Thanks TCL - your post made interesting reading - what a brave, lovely old boy Henry is.

Thanks for that Cetti - such lovely words, 'specially the lasts para.

starmack - my Grandad & his comrades fought for our country in WW1 - sadly, he was killed in action & is buried in Ypres. If it wasn't for him & all the others who fought & lost their lives, you & I might not be posting on AB.

Be grateful to them.

[starmack]

Gromit -- the period re: which Willie McBride was written (by a Scotsman living in Australia - about the futility of war) your country was executing Ireland's leaders. Your country have learned nothing from your wars, which is you're mired in Afghanistan. See front page London In do today.

Family members fought on the American side in France in WWI and with Allies in WW2 and remembered at Runnymede. It doesnt mean I susbscribe to the sentimental parade-past of mythology every year. I dont do it in my own country either, in relation to our history.

[cruella]

My Grandad was also killed in action during the first world war. Also buried in Ypres.
I would so much like to visit his grave someday, as no-one in my family was ever able to make that trip.
I have the telegram sent to my Gran informing her of his death and also, along with other medals and bits and pieces, have the "Death medal" that my Gran received.
Watched the service this morning with pride, seeing all those brave people marching.

[naomi24]

Cetti, I know that poem - and it says so very much. Thank you for posting it.

starmack, today we are not remembering those who create war, neither are we remembering their reasons for doing so - we are remembering those who gave their lives for our freedom. You may see today as a sentimental parade-past of mythology, but those brave men and women are no myth - and they deserve the gratitude and the respect of each and every one of us. Many of us here are fortunate enough never to have known the horrors of war, but the poor souls who fought in the two World Wars had no choice - they were conscripted. These were young people - often only 18 or 19 years of age - they were someone's son, someone's brother, someone's father, or someone's husband - and if you cannot feel at least a little respect for them, then you're a very sorry excuse for a human being. Your ignorance is sickening. Shame on you.

[ruby27]

My Grandfather fought in WW1. A more selfish and unpleasant person you would have to go a long way to find, racist, sexist and a wife beater. I am sure he fought because he was conscripted, not because he was heroic or concerned about other British people then or in the future. I am sure there were some very good types but there would also been the percentage of murderers, rapist and paedophiles amongst them.

It is the conscientious objectors who get my respect

[naomi24]

Ruby There would have been a percentage of murderers, rapists and paedophiles amongst them? What an absolutely ridiculous thing to say. You, like starmack, display appalling ignorance - and moreover, for someone who professes to care for her fellow man, unbelievable insensitivity. Count yourself lucky you have the freedom to say what you've said, because without these people the chances are you'd be living in a very different world now.

[starmack]

Hi Naomi24, Im not ignorant and Im not British, thankfully. We had to fight your soldiers for OUR freedom, a small nation. The bloody war was supposed to be about the rights of small nations!!! You executed our leaders and patriots during WWI.
You didnt conduct that War on your own. Without 'Black Jack" Pershing taking the American Expeditionary Forces to France you'd have been stuck in a mire like Iraq. The phrase re: "lions led by donkeys" anyone? It refers to one of the heroes.

[starmack]

There is no ignorance, Naoimi 24. My countrymen spent time in your country's prisons before and after WWI. Do you know any world history except your own domestic history?

[naomi24]

Starmack, again you're missing the point. Remembrance Day isn't about why wars happen - it's not about politics - it's not about borders - and it's not about right or wrong. It's simply held as a mark of respect for those millions of ordinary people who lost their lives.

[smudge]

I've said the same before on another thread Naomi, so I'll second yours too.

God bless them all.....

Cruella - my Dad & my brothers have been to visit my Grandad's grave in Ypres. I keep saying I'm going to go one day, but something always seems to crop up. When I do go, I'm going to take some copies of photo's with me & leave them with him - one of the young wife he left behind & one of all his little sons, including my dear Dad - all now sadly passed away too.

[Booldawg]

Starmack has encapsulated the ethos of Remembrance Day with the old WW1 quote 'Lions led by donkeys'; Its all about the Lions, not the donkeys.

[anotheoldgit]

"You executed our leaders and patriots during WWI".

Obviously your forebearers were neither leaders or patriots starmack, or you would not have been around today. (Pity)

[THECORBYLOON]

starmack Odd how you do not comment on the fact that yir own government imprisoned and executed IRA leaders and patriots during World War II.

What about the fact that yir Prime Minister �amon de Valera visited the German Embassy and yir President, Douglas Hyde expressed condolences when Hitler died, the only Government Heads to do so?