They’re dying off, now—almost gone, in fact—the veterans of World War I. Britain just lost its last two within a week of each other last month, Henry Allingham and Harry Patch. France has none left, there’s one in Australia, and our remaining veteran is Frank Buckles, 108, of West Virginia.
Patch’s funeral in Wells Cathedral was attended by soldiers of the Western Front combatants: Britain, France, Germany & Belgium. And ordinary Brits, for whom the First World War has vastly deeper meaning than for us, came to honor him—and his comrades.
(In fact, Radiohead just released a single, “Harry Patch, In Memory Of”, honoring Patch.”)
Patch went through most of his life without mentioning his experiences. It wasn’t until a few years ago that he was persuaded to recount them. And even after all that time they still disturbed him and he wished he hadn’t dredged them back up. His repeated statement was, “It wasn’t worth it. War wasn’t worth one life.”
Really, it’s a lesson I wish we’d learn, but not bloody likely.
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