THE FIRST WORLD WAR as reported in the daily news

This is a place for veterans of military service to remember and reflect. War time or peace. Any service.

Moderators: DuncaninFrance, Niner Delta

User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10936
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by DuncaninFrance » Sun Nov 11, 2012 8:13 am

For the 11th of November.................

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields........
Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
User avatar
Aughnanure
Moderator
Posts: 3131
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:59 am
Location: Glen Innes, NSW, Australia

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by Aughnanure » Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:51 pm

Here's a WW I story that I heard a few times, over the years, from my mother; she like thousands of others corresponded with a Digger in France.

I don't know his name other than his first, which was Gordon; there is a tantalizing post card that tells her of a change of address but it doesn't have his name.
He was batman/altar server and, I guess, bodyguard to a Catholic Padre and after the Armistice had come into effect he was shot dead as he and the Padre emerged from a trench that they had just checked to see if everyone was out.

He was probably shot by a German who just wanted to kill one more Brit whilst there was a chance.
--------------------------------
How close my mother and Gordon had become I'll never know but one Armistice Day, when I was home on leave, I remarked to my dad that mum was thinking of Gordon and dad said, as if speaking of an old friend, "If Gordon hadn't been killed he might have been your father".
Self Defence is not only a Right, it is an Obligation.

Eoin.
User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10936
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

PODCASTS

Post by DuncaninFrance » Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:31 pm

http://www.1914.org/podcasts/

If you visit this page of the First World War Centenary Site you can hear recordings of veterans talking about various aspects of the conflict, set out in 'podcasts' To date there are some 25 available.
Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10936
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by DuncaninFrance » Sun Jun 09, 2013 2:38 am

Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10936
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by DuncaninFrance » Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:54 pm

Your Country Needs You' - The myth about the First World War poster that 'never existed'

Here is a very interesting piece................

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/worl ... isted.html
Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10936
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by DuncaninFrance » Sat Nov 30, 2013 3:34 pm

Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
User avatar
Niner
Site Admin
Posts: 11522
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 1:00 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by Niner » Mon Dec 02, 2013 12:07 pm

Sacred soil imported to the UK? With a full dress parade too? Could this be the start of something? Want some Bunker Hill dirt? How about Normandy beach sand? What about Waterloo? What about Rorke's drift from the Anglo-Zulu War? The UK should have no end of possible sacred soil ceremonies. Although some soils would be pretty bad choices for planting gardens, I'd think. Maybe as a last resort........ any soil could still be the basis for a rock garden. Wonder if it will catch on in the US after England gets a good start on showing us how to do it? ...... I hope not.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.
A. Lincoln.
Attachments
XU3976581__2751155k.jpg
User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10936
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by DuncaninFrance » Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:37 pm

Seems to me that you have missed the point here Robert. It is a symbol of Remembrance that is being carried out by this generation in honour of those who died in Flanders during WWI.

"Over the summer of 2013, 1,000 schoolchildren from Belgium and Britain filled sandbags with soil from each of the 70 First World War Commonwealth War Grave cemetries and battlefields in Flanders"

The British Army suffered 564,715 deaths in this region during WWI, 512,647 being battle casualties as opposed to disease or injury.

Bunker Hill, the battle fought between the United Colonies and the British Crown both sides suffered a total of 341 deaths although the British also suffered a large number of wounded, some 828!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill
Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
User avatar
Niner
Site Admin
Posts: 11522
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 1:00 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by Niner » Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:00 pm

Sorry, Duncan. I apologize for my observation. If importing cemetery dirt is a meaningful symbol of gratitude for and remembrance of the slaughtered British soldiers in WWI who am I to speak a word against it.
User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10936
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

Re: THE FIRST WORLD WAR THREAD.

Post by DuncaninFrance » Sun Jan 05, 2014 12:17 pm

This link http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/worl ... world-war/ takes you to a page on the Daily Telegraph where you can view and download a PDF series about the conflict. It's free.
Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
Post Reply