Passchendaele

[oldcolner]

Watched the programme last night celebrating (if that's the word) 100 years since this battle started in Ypres. My uncle was killed there on Sep 20 1917 fighting with the East Lancs regiment and then the Machine Gun Corps.
Thought it was well done.
We have his wallet with letters to and from him in it and his medals - the letters make sad reading and bring home the realities of war. Will watch the rest over the next three months.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Both of my grandfathers fought there and died prematurely from the injuries they received during the campaign.

The history of the Accrington Pals during the First World War really does bring home the complete disregard the ruling classes had for their cannon fodder.

Heart breaking, it really is.

[Altobelli]

Wars started by men in high places wearing suits and doing the most dangerous thing which is putting pen to paper.

No war or any aggression sits well with me, not nice the both of you losing Grandfathers/Uncles in such dreadful circumstances although personal belongings even if hard to view are constant nice memories of them showing they will not be forgotten.

[oldcolner]

Wars started by men in high places wearing suits and doing the most dangerous thing which is putting pen to paper.

No war or any aggression sits well with me, not nice the both of you losing Grandfathers/Uncles in such dreadful circumstances although personal belongings even if hard to view are constant nice memories of them showing they will not be forgotten.

The British Legion are looking to remember everyone on here. 320,000 done 850,000 still to be remembered.
https://www.everyoneremembered.org

General Haig developed the Battle plan -
The Third Battle of Ypres was, like its predecessors, a costly exercise. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) incurred some 310,000 casualties, with a similar, lower, number of German casualties: 260,000.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Those numbers are a blot on the history of the British Empire. Every time this resurfaces it makes my blood boil.

I am sure that Kate Middleton was struggling to hold back the tears at one stage?

[oldcolner]

Those numbers are a blot on the history of the British Empire. Every time this resurfaces it makes my blood boil.

I am sure that Kate Middleton was struggling to hold back the tears at one stage?

Many more came back physically and or mentally damaged, there were a good number of men missing limbs in my youth and not much support for those with shell shock. A lot, some with shell shock got shot for cowardice for refusing to go into battle again.
Post traumatic stress disorder hadn't been invented.

[Altobelli]

Many more came back physically and or mentally damaged, there were a good number of men missing limbs in my youth and not much support for those with shell shock. A lot, some with shell shock got shot for cowardice for refusing to go into battle again.
Post traumatic stress disorder hadn't been invented.

Nothing much has changed Colner, Post traumatic stress disorder may be recognised nowadays, but the rest forget it, Go to War for your Country and when and if you return with arms, legs, sight missing or hearing impaired we will make a token gesture and then forget about you.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Nothing much has changed Colner, Post traumatic stress disorder may be recognised nowadays, but the rest forget it, Go to War for your Country and when and if you return with arms, legs, sight missing or hearing impaired we will make a token gesture and then forget about you.

This is how the caring, sharing austerity mad Tories reward our heroes...

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews...cid=spartandhp

[sinkov]

Haven't seen this, what channel is it on OC, I'll have a look on catch-up. My old aunty used to tell me that my grandad, her dad, had his big toe missing, he shot himself in the foot deliberately to get sent back to Blightly on sick leave. I was too young to ever ask him about this, but I've no reason to doubt it. I suppose a missing toe was a small price to pay when the shells were raining down on you on a daily basis.

[sinkov]

This is how the caring, sharing austerity mad Tories reward our heroes...

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews...cid=spartandhp

Not a problem, they just need assurance that the Scottish NHS will fund the treatment. Which of course they will, won't they ? Of course this isn't a problem of the Tories making, it's what you get when cretinous Labour politicians decide it's a good idea to devolve power to Nationalists in Scotland.