Post by Johnny on Nov 11, 2007 6:00:04 GMT
Today we remember all those that have suffered and died, in all conflicts, and all wars.
I hope the Royal British Legion do well with their collections, and I hope that this can bring some assistance to those in need.
Over the past few years, Kitty & I have had the distinct privilege of meeting many ex-forces veterans, and we have been fascinated to hear their stories.
They are not all heroic stories, and they are not all depressing stories. Many remember funny things that happened, good times shared with their colleagues, and how (in the words of my father) "people seemed better then".
Many veterans we've talked with, look back and remember the comradeship of their fellow man. This friendship through dark hours of suffering, has created a bond between them, that remains unbroken to this day.
My own father is still in touch with a friend he met in the RAF in 1942.
Our own interest in military history, has meant that we've naturally become interested in some of our own distant relatives, who took part in various conflicts. I would like to remember two of them today.
I had always known that my Grandmother had lost a brother, who went down with his ship in WW1. As a small boy, I remember her telling me of how he received a mention for bravery, getting crushed in a door, whilst attempting to rescue a young sailor.
I also know that my father had an uncle (my great uncle), who died in the Great War. He is buried in the War Cemetery, just of Dereham Rd, Norwich.
But it was only last year, that we discovered a fact that had been hidden from the rest of the family since 1915:
Walter Warnes (3/7846), of the Norfolk Regiment, was born in Norwich. He was a married man, and joined the army long before the war.
In 1915 he was sent to Flanders, where he was severely wounded in May of that year. He was sent back to Norwich, but he died on 14th July 1915.
Last year, I managed to acquire a copy of his Army Record Card, which stated "Dead (Suicide) 14/7/15".
Now, was this something that the family probably felt ashamed of?
Why did he take his own life, two months after returning home, wounded?
We will never know.
But I think this story illustrates more than ever, the human cost of war.
It's a cost that goes on, long after the bullets have stopped firing, the bombs have stopped dropping, and life "returns to normal".
For some, living with the aftermath can cause huge psycological problems and trauma.
Lets hope this year's Poppy Day can provide some comfort.
