UKC

May they never be forgotten.



http://uk.news.yahoo.com/last-first-world-war-veteran-dies-041955423.html

In reply to The Lemming: That's one hell of a life.

In reply to The Lemming:

This is the end of an era that the under 30's just won't realise.

I bet it has just a cursory mention on the news. If it wasn't for them (my Grandfather survived the Somme, at least in body he did) and my Father WW2.

My mother was a child through WW2 and wasn't left unscathed mentally either.

Thank God we haven't experienced the traumas they and the general public went through. This forum and our cycling / climbing freedom is down to them, the Ladies holding the home front and the suffering they all went through.

I'm going right now to my local where some old soldiers drink and am going to have a drink to my grandfather who suffered from the war as only 19 when he went over the top. And another to everyone else affected by it. MyMum and dad are still alive and must sometimes cringe at how selfish we (and I include myself) have become without realising it.

I've a tear in my eye writing this.

In reply to Peterpumpkineater:


Most won't realise, but there are quite few who will.

In reply to The Lemming: 76 year marriage...some going...

In reply to Peterpumpkineater:
well said

The Channel 4 News had a good report on the life of Claude Choules.

In reply to The Lemming:

And he was a pacifist, always said he hated war... afterwards, of course. He didn't speak of the glory of it all and refused to take part in commemorations and such like... or so I heard on the radio this evening.