Never Forget The Sacrifices

At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the First World War ended. By that time, my Great Grandad Henry was dead as were nine million other soldiers and another 21 million were wounded. Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France and Great Britain each losing a million or more lives. At least five million civilians also died from disease, starvation or exposure. On the morning of the 11th November 1918, Germany, seriously lacking manpower and supplies, and faced with iminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiegne in France.

My Great Grandad Henry

I've often wondered what Henry's horse was called and indeed, 

if he rode the same one all the time

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Henry left a wife, Bertha, and four children, Jack (my Grandad, who was 10 at the time), Tom (who was killed in World War II), Albert (who was a Prisoner of War during World War II) and Annie. My Grandad worked in Munitions during the second World War and so was spared from the fighting, but not from the war effort.

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World War I was known as 'The War to end all Wars' because of the terrible destruction and slaughter it caused. However, the peace treaty that officially ended the conflict, also, unfortunately laid the groundwork for World War II, destabilizing Europe with its severe terms on Germany.

The beautiful and poignant installation of poppies at the Tower of London, November 2014

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THE LAST LAUGH

by

WILFRED OWEN

'Oh! Jesus Christ! I'm hit,' he said; and died.
Whether he vainly cursed or prayed indeed,
The Bullets chirped-In vain, vain, vain!
Machine-guns chuckled,-Tut-tut! Tut-tut!
And the Big Gun guffawed.

Another sighed,-'O Mother, -Mother, - Dad!'
Then smiled at nothing, childlike, being dead.
And the lofty Shrapnel-cloud
Leisurely gestured,-Fool!
And the splinters spat, and tittered.

'My Love!' one moaned. Love-languid seemed his mood,
Till slowly lowered, his whole faced kissed the mud.
And the Bayonets' long teeth grinned;
Rabbles of Shells hooted and groaned;
And the Gas hissed.