Sunday 2 July 2006

They shall not grow old .....

Dianna made this graphic,and called it Poppy fields ,which is very appropriate,considering July 1st marks the ninetieth aniversary of the Beginning of the war to end all wars ,well that was what it was called ! and that is what was believed ,sadly how wrong was that statement .My own Grandfather fought in what we learned to call the first world war ,I remember seeing a sepia picture  of him in his uniform ,with his peaked cap..... his puttys always puzzled me ,I could see his legs were bandaged ?in the picture,!and it made sense to me ,since he suffered with ulcers to his legs as an old man ,I simply linked the two ,in my very young mind .. Of course the first had nothing to do with the second.how I wish I had asked more questions ,I can remember my Granny saying though ,that her George had gone to war as a boy and came back a very quiet man ....

Like many of you ,I have been watching the services from northern France ,and listening to the storys ,how seven hundred,and fifty men and indeed boys ,who had grown up together ,worked together signed up together ....and in those early days of that awful war died together ,from the north .Leeds and surrounding towns and villages ,On the banks of the Somme,the river still wends its way through France into Belgium,and the poppys still bloom as a poignant reminder of the blood that was shed ....

So ,still today ,The Royal  Bitish Legion,founded by The Earl Douglas Haigh ,have the poppy as their emblem ,(as a child,the centre of the poppy was  wax ,I think ,with The Haigh fund written on each poppy)

I have been watching with interest how one hundred and ten year old Henry Altringham ,Air Mechanic first class ,and last surviving member of the founding flying corps ......He attended the service at Tiepval ,where he said, he had come to pay tribute to those who didnt get the chance to have a long life as he had done .What awful memorys has he carried with him down all those years ?

I was going to tell you all about the open day yesterday,and I was standing at the jewellery stall  when I heard the band playing 'Oh Valiant hearts ',so I thought if they could take time out from playing their jolly tunes ,I could pay my tribute to those men ,who as I say my Grandad was one, luckily he came home. But to so many today ,these storys are now history .....

A very Blessed Sunday to you all Jan xx

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

My grand father Henry William Smith, also fought in WWI.  He too survived to leave a long and interesting life.  We, who live in freedom...have so many to thank for the price they paid for the freedoms we enjoy today.  Linda in WA

Anonymous said...

Lovely entry Jan We have been to see the War graves  and I tell you it brings a lump to your throat when you see all those young mens names and ages on the gravestones
Have a nice evening
Maureen

Anonymous said...

Lovely entry for this special day I too had an Uncle who fought and was wounded in the Great War he lived on till he was well into his eighties but unfortunaly lost both of his legs from his old wounds before he died.  Love Joan.

Anonymous said...

Lovely entry Jan. My grandfather Edwin fought in both World War I and II. Sadly he died a few months before I was born but the legacy of a marvellous man lives through my Nan. I wish I'd had known him..

http://journals.aol.co.uk/edwardssoapy/LeighsWorld/

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the history, Jan.  We, as Americans, seem to forget that the British fought and still fight with our troops side by side.  xxxx Chris

Anonymous said...

A great entry Jan, Thanks .
The graphic is beautiful. Helen

Anonymous said...

My grandad was injured at the Somme, he had bad shrapnel injury to his ankle and was due to have it amputated because there was no hospital transport due to arrive..........he was lucky as he was the next one due into the tent when an ambulance turned up.........I will relay the rest of the details in my next entry!

Anonymous said...

The war did so much damage to these men mentally but if they were lucky enough to come home they had to knuckle down and get on with life. No post traumatic stress syndrome for these brave men. My dad was in World War II and would never speak about it. All I know was he was in North Africa with the Desert Rats with Montgomery and General Patton. He took all his memories to his grave. Bless 'em all! Jeannette xx  

Anonymous said...

Wonderful entry, really enjoyed the read.
Hope you have a blessed week.
Sug

Anonymous said...

A great tribute Jan, well done. B. x

Anonymous said...

A great entry Jan, and a very fitting tribute to all those courageous young men, many of whom sadly never came home.
Have a lovely week,

Anonymous said...

Alovely tribute to the men who fought and lost their lives for us, I too watched the program about Henry Altringham and Tiepval,
take care Lynne xx

Anonymous said...

Around Veteran's Day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars sell Red Poppies to raise money for Vets.  I always buy a few as a tribute to my grandfather's service in WWI, my father's in WWII and my husband's in Viet Nam.  It's interesting that the Red Poppy is your symbol too.    Kathy

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan...

that was beautifuly written...well done! have a great week...

Astra!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/astra1547/astrasjournal

Anonymous said...

It is very sad all the lives that were lost.  Thanks for remembering them...all of them no matter where they came from.  Most just boys, same as here in the U.S.  God bless, Shelly

Anonymous said...

lovely entry :)............Jules xxx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/jules19642001/Itsmylife/

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan,a very fitting tribute to the men who fought and gave their lives for us today,like you say our grandad included.Well written and a lovely graphic too........Love Jeanxx

Anonymous said...

And quite rightly so, that we should remember and pay tribute. It doesn't look like wars will ever end, unfortunately. Wow to the 110 year old gentleman, I watched him with awe, 110!! Imagine reaching that age.....and still writing our journals!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/irisclyde/LaDolceVita

Anonymous said...

Jan that was a lovely entry ~ we rightly should remember those killed in the war to end all wars ~ how wrong they got that ~ Ally

Anonymous said...

Oh that was lovely Jan, I enjoyed that, Linda xxx