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| The mud and misery of the Passchendaele battlefield. Image from Library and Archives Canada |
During the first World War,
on October 26, 1917
this,
this is
the field of agony
called Passchendaele
where Private 472784,
my Great-Grandfather
died,
just five,
five days
before his 27th birthday.
Just five,
five days
after,
his son,
my Grandfather,
turned four.
Four years old.
Fatherless.
War.
War is the devil.
Remember.
10 comments:
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
My Great Uncles served, some did not return. My Brother-in-Law serves today and has done a couple of tours in Irac and Afghanistan. We always worry until he comes home.
Thanks for this.
"I was young enough, I still believed in war."
-Bright Eyes
WW1 was an incredibly sorrowful event fought for no real reason. Peace really is the only answer but no one really wishes to pose the question.
How terrible that must have been for your great-grandmother too, young and widowed with small children.
despite the reality that war is horrific.....we must remember to appreciate that it was a necessary part of our generation's present freedoms and luxuries.....and always remember to thank those who sacrificied and whose families sacrificed. Thank you.
@Alittlesprite I'm always impressed when people have a frame of reference that includes poetry. Thanks for posting The Ode of Remembrance.
@Nicole Thanks for commenting.
@paulsifer42 Just youtubed it. Beautiful song.
@LoC I agree.
@DSWS Yes. She remarried and had two more children. I have a photo of her and my mother resembles her. I wish I had known her too.
@Anonymous Well said.
Agreed. And I will remember.
As always, your writing gives pause for reflection. I didn't know that your family suffered in this way... my father and uncles and grandfather were all in wars - but all came home. Thanks for your simple eloquence - quite a reminder.
@Just SO Thanks for leaving a comment.
@Leslie Thank you for your support Leslie. Back at you.
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