100 Years

[libero]

 

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eye, 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.

[Gunga Din]

the needless slaughter of so many.

 

Lions led by donkeys

[NeilJ]

I went to the Arras memorial two years ago.

 

Seeing the sheer number of names etched into the marble walls gives you a real jolt. A few footballers there including Walter Tull, the first black outfield player in the first division.

 

It was the first time I'd been to northern France. Cemeteries dotted all over the place, again bringing home the scale of the slaughter.

 

RIP

[Swan Red]

I went to the Irish National War Memorial Gardens on the anniversary of the Somme for their annual ceremony of remembrance. Hearing the stories is incredibly moving and only confirms my distaste at hearing calls for war from those that will never fight them.

[Billy Dane]

http://youtu.be/qB4cdRgIcB8

[New York Red]

Absolute heroes those men. They never questioned their cause at all. The carnage was a horror. RIP all of them.

[Falconhoof]

Absolute heroes those men. They never questioned their cause at all. The carnage was a horror. RIP all of them.

 

I share your admiration for the courage of those who fought, and lets not forget that many did question their cause, many objected.

"The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est

Pro patria mori"

[Earl Hafler]

Anyone read Robert Fisk in the I over the weekend or yesterday ? Utter gash.

 

My link

[Gilps]

The centenary has been siezed upon as a military propoganda opportunity, reckons Simon Jenkins. Don't entirely disagree

 

A nightly pornography of violence

[cymrococh]

The centenary has been siezed upon as a military propoganda opportunity, reckons Simon Jenkins. Don't entirely disagree

 

A nightly pornography of violence

It was interesting listening to Radio Wales yesterday, they had a phone-in asking for people's family stories about the war and about 80% of them mentioned that the relatives who had come home came home opposed to war of all kinds.

 

Cameron's triumphalist hijacking of this memorial is a disgrace. We should be talking about how horrific an event it was and the complete clusterf*ck international relations have been ever since as a consequence of the war.

[Gilps]

Cameron's triumphalist hijacking of this memorial is a disgrace. We should be talking about how horrific an event it was and the complete clusterf*ck international relations have been ever since as a consequence of the war.

 

Absolutely

[kop205]

Anyone read Robert Fisk in the I over the weekend or yesterday ? Utter gash.

 

My link

 

It is a bit of a disjointed/clunky read, but other than that what is that you object to so much?

 

I think his basic point was along the lines of what Gilps and cymrococh have just said, which sounds fair enough to me.

[cymrococh]

I couldn't get through that Fisk article, I found it very poorly written.

 

I'll excuse the shoddiness as passion on his part, as I don't recall having struggled to read him before.

[kop205]

I couldn't get through that Fisk article, I found it very poorly written.

 

Yeah, it was an effort to read like, as I say though not sure I would really disagree with the point (I think) he is trying to make.

[Earl Hafler]

It is a bit of a disjointed/clunky read, but other than that what is that you object to so much?

 

I think his basic point was along the lines of what Gilps and cymrococh have just said, which sounds fair enough to me.

 

" We didn’t always worship the corpses. "

 

Seems like he's missed the point.

[John am Rhein]

The centenary has been siezed upon as a military propoganda opportunity, reckons Simon Jenkins. Don't entirely disagree

 

A nightly pornography of violence

 

is Blair in on the act yet? Or will he be jumping out of the cake as a last minute treat for the global ruling class?

[Molby]

I went to the Anglican Cathedral last night

then the Pier Head

 

6/10- useless, inept council

 

least it was warm though