They shall not grow old

[TitanTim]

Just watching this on BBC2, haven't seen it upto now.

Good grief, I know it was bad but seeing it like this it makes you lost for words.

I've recently been doing some war records research into my grandad and his 3 brothers who all enlisted at the same time, they were all at the Somme, my grandad was gassed but survived, I always remember him in the late 60s being bedridden with chest problems, his brother lost a leg and I can just remember him walking with a single piece peg leg, I've found out recently from war medical records he lost his leg in 1917 aged 18. He apparently enlisted at 15 and got in but was discharged when the army found out his real age, he enlisted again when of age only to loose his leg. The other brother who was in the cavalry survived the war. The remaning brother I've found out was part of the machine gunners suicide squad, these aparently were sent into no man's land to try and get a foothold to provide covering fire for when they went over the top. He was only 17. He didn't survive.

Quite upsetting watching this film, very sobering.

Tim.

 

[ronk]

I saw this last November - very moving.
I tend to look at war memorials when out and about and it always shocks when I read several names from the same family.

 

[TitanTim]

I must get over to France Ron and visit the war grave sites.

Makes you realise how cushy life has been really.

Tim.

 

[firebobby]

I attend our village remembrance service every year and there are families who lost multiple men and women from the same family name. When you do visit the war graves Tim, it may shock you at the age of many of the poor souls who fell.
Very humbling places to spend some time in.

 

[buzyg]

Amazing piece of work. Finaly brings home some of what those good people did for us.

 

[ronk]

I’ve visited a few European War Cemeteries on my travels but it’s worth looking at memorials in small villages in the UK. It would often appear that the entire male of the family was lost.