Saturday, July 25, 2009

RIP Harry Patch

Genuinely the end of an era; the last British soldier from the WW1 trenches died today; and he was a conscript with no illusions about war.

A few years ago he was taken to meet a German veteran who had fought opposite him in Flanders. "Nice old chap. A pacifist. Same as me. Why did they suffer, those millions of men?"

3 comments:

Mary deB said...

I just read a book about him. Amazing to get to 109!

Janet said...

A tragic tragic time. We must never forget that generation which suffered and sacrificed so much.

cazj said...

He always came across as such a wonderful man with so much dignity - the book about him is in my to be read pile. Hopefully the story of the sacrifices that he and others like him made will be recognised by future generations and help them to avoid the futility of war.