110 year old WW1 Passchendale Veteran

[Mart]

Following my post last week about the oldest British survivor of World War 1, here is the second oldest survivor, Harry Patch, celebrating his 110th. He is the oldest survivor of the war in the trenches, and his life has been celebrated in many ways, in the arts, in recent years, including a poem written about him by the Poet Laureate, the live reading of which was introduced by Prince Charles, no less. I'm not much for Royalty, myself, but it must have been great for Harry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7458315.stm

Mr Patch seems to have two great messages for us all. Healthy living is good, and war is not.

Marvellous story.

It is a very sobering thing to visit some small village churches in Britain. In WW1, men from the same locale would often be fight together. The result was that all the young men of entire villages could be killed in one day. Often, in the church is a plaque with the names of all the dead. You look at the length of the plaque, and compare it to the small size of the village. When I first came across these, as a student, among the churches of Northumberland, I have to admit to being very upset.

Well, Harry got home safe, and I hope he has a great birthday.

Martin

[Ed Rotondaro]

Following my post last week about the oldest British survivor of World War 1, here is the second oldest survivor, Harry Patch, celebrating his 110th. He is the oldest survivor of the war in the trenches, and his life has been celebrated in many ways, in the arts, in recent years, including a poem written about him by the Poet Laureate, the live reading of which was introduced by Prince Charles, no less. I'm not much for Royalty, myself, but it must have been great for Harry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7458315.stm

Mr Patch seems to have two great messages for us all. Healthy living is good, and war is not.

Marvellous story.

It is a very sobering thing to visit some small village churches in Britain. In WW1, men from the same locale would often be fight together. The result was that all the young men of entire villages could be killed in one day. Often, in the church is a plaque with the names of all the dead. You look at the length of the plaque, and compare it to the small size of the village. When I first came across these, as a student, among the churches of Northumberland, I have to admit to being very upset.

Well, Harry got home safe, and I hope he has a great birthday.

Martin

Martin:

As always, thanks for sharing these special events. A tip of the pint glass to Harry and all the surviving vets of all wars. One thing I do remember from my trips to Britain was the memorial plaques that you mention in churches great or small commenorating those who fell in battle. One of the most impressive was at Westminster Abbey where the tomb of the unknown soldier lies among kings and queens.