I remember reading somewhere that they had asked Harry Patch and he said “No thanks !”
Both my grandfathers faught in WW1, my dads dad was in Mesopatania (Iran / Iraq) and then at the Northwest Frontier and Kyhber pass whilst my mums dad was in the trenches at the Somme and others.
We have some fantastic diaries and papers from the time which we lent to the Imperial War Museum for a WW1 exhibition a few years ago. When you read the incredibly neat and small writting that was written IN THE TRENCHES all those years ago it really feels like you are reaching out backwards in time, to hold the same pages that were carried through the battles.
My Grandmothers brother, my mums uncle,Herbert, was killed on the first day of the Battle of The Somme. We have some papers, hand written, from his Sergeant I think, saying that my mums uncle,Herbert,was last seen alive,involved in heavy hand to hand fighting in the German trenches!!!
My Mums dad, my grandad was shot in the right leg at some stage…apparantly when he returned from the war he refused to talk about what had happened over there, but I remember when i was a litle kid about 5-6, he showed me his bullet wound just below the knee…I dont recall what or even if he said anything, but I remember my Gran saying that he was greatly disturbed by his experiences.
Every Memorial day and Rememberance Sunday I observe the 2 minute silence in memory of ALL the brave fighting men and women…but especially, MY TWO GRANDADS who were there and survived, and **MY “GRAND UNCLE”**who didnt.
johnpirate:
I remember reading somewhere that they had asked Harry Patch and he said “No thanks !”
this is what he said,
when asked in 2007 how he would like to be remembered, Harry rejected the idea of any special arrangements for him, but accepted the principle of a state funeral as a mark of respect for the generation who fought in WWI.
Harry said his personal wish was to be buried in a private ceremony alongside his family in Monkton Combe Church where his parents were married and his parents and brothers are buried.
i think he’s against the idea of not being buried with his family, theres nothing to stop him having a state funeral and still being buried with his family.
I have had a poppy on my car all year, and hubby has two on his truck. I feel we should remember all year round not just 11/11. The large poppies are sold in shops with the smaller ones. Liz
Lovely pictures kindle.
I heard one veteran say,“For us,every day is Remembrance day”.
Sorry i’m late on this one.
Have any of you been to France and seen the memorials over there, quiet little cemetarys to big monuments.
It’s very touching when you find a small one in the middle of a field and find out that it’s tendered by the local villagers who keep them immaculate.
My wife has got 2 great grandparents buried out there and we visited a few years ago, incredibly touching.
Paid a visit to Thiepval Memorial, a place that brings out so much emotion in you, looking at names of missing people that died and suffered for what we have today.
Finally, didn’t realise until last week that the village of Ypres celebrate it’s liberation from the Germans everyday at 8pm, not just once a year.
God rest their souls and thank you to all of them.