The 1920’s.

[WBA1955]

The snow shovelling old bloke from Home Alone has been dead ten years last week and Old Man Steptoe would be 110.

[The Minn Junta]

I remember talking to an elderly man who lived next door to my nan. He fought in the First World War and was involved in the Second World War. He had been hit twice and lay under the wreckage of a cart in no-man's land for two days until he could be rescued and took back behind the front. I asked him if he ever actually got to see the enemy close up. He hesitated as he looked at me then he finally said: Oh yes, many times. Then he looked down and said: ''It's not a nice feeling having a man wriggling on the end of your rifle.''Yeez, what those guys had to deal with and then when it was finally all over come home and try and be normal again.

These kind of stories have always fascinated me all of my life. The one common denominator is often ‘but he never spoke about it’.

This says it all, what they witnessed changed their minds forever, with every passing year this generation diminishes and what replaces it makes me rage. I grew up around these people, often no nonsense types but with the ability to be gentlemen. I can still see some of the beret wearing men now I once lived by and worked with as a young apprentice.

[Dubbag]

These kind of stories have always fascinated me all of my life. The one common denominator is often ‘but he never spoke about it’.

This says it all, what they witnessed changed their minds forever, with every passing year this generation diminishes and what replaces it makes me rage. I grew up around these people, often no nonsense types but with the ability to be gentlemen. I can still see some of the beret wearing men now I once lived by and worked with as a young apprentice.

Here, Here..well spoken.
Am not blaming this generation for the mess...it's just that every generation has its moment for defining.
Not sure how prepared this generation is for its defining moment presently.....time will reveal......

[Leicesterbaggie]

My sons keep telling me that us 'baby boomers' have had the best of everything, and of course they are perfectly correct! Born after the war, grew up in the fifties and t eenagers in the sixties, probably the greatest decade to be a youngster. If we wanted to go into further education we received a grant. Didn't have to get into debt like they do today. We had the excellent state grammar schools. Authority was respected. There were only two s exes. No social media. Saw the Baggies when they were one of the best sides in the country. I could carry on adinfinitum. I am certainly glad that I was born when I was.

[kettering_baggie]

My sons keep telling me that us 'baby boomers' have had the best of everything, and of course they are perfectly correct! Born after the war, grew up in the fifties and t eenagers in the sixties, probably the greatest decade to be a youngster. If we wanted to go into further education we received a grant. Didn't have to get into debt like they do today. We had the excellent state grammar schools. Authority was respected. There were only two s exes. No social media. Saw the Baggies when they were one of the best sides in the country. I could carry on adinfinitum. I am certainly glad that I was born when I was.

Excellent post, agree entirely!

[WBA1955]

My sons keep telling me that us 'baby boomers' have had the best of everything, and of course they are perfectly correct! Born after the war, grew up in the fifties and t eenagers in the sixties, probably the greatest decade to be a youngster. If we wanted to go into further education we received a grant. Didn't have to get into debt like they do today. We had the excellent state grammar schools. Authority was respected. There were only two s exes. No social media. Saw the Baggies when they were one of the best sides in the country. I could carry on adinfinitum. I am certainly glad that I was born when I was.

I think my generation born in the mid fifties had the best of it. Missed national service, schoolboy of the sixties, caught the tail end of steam and the canal boats, saw the Black Country disappear into the history books, and loved the seventies. No wars and very little to worry about.
There is still very little to worry about, but today's generation are neurotic.

[Leicesterbaggie]

I think my generation born in the mid fifties had the best of it. Missed national service, schoolboy of the sixties, caught the tail end of steam and the canal boats, saw the Black Country disappear into the history books, and loved the seventies. No wars and very little to worry about.
There is still very little to worry about, but today's generation are neurotic.

Wouldn't argue with that 55. Both generations had the best of it. I was born in '45 and I missed National Service by two or three years if my memory serves me correctly.