Will you light a candle at 10pm?

stickywicket

As requested for the dead of the First World War. I can't call it The Great War as there was nothing great about it.

The museum at Ypres represents one of the most poignant visits of my life. As you leave, it reminds you that since this 'war to end all wars' there hasn't been one single day of peace on earth.

The Menin Gate bears the names of 54,900 British and Empire soldiers who died between 4th August 1914 and 15th August 1917. Tyne Cot cemetery, Passchendaele, bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known.

Loads of gravestones simply say 'A soldier of the Great War. Known unto God'. Most were in their early twenties.

As I remember, the youngest soldier to be shot as a 'deserter' was 15.

I shall light my candle tonight - for my Dad's beloved eldest brother who died at Gallipoli, aged 22 and for all those who joined up for a job, some clean clothes and the chance to see the world, and who never saw more than the Flanders' mud. I thought of them this afternoon as I sat out in the sunshine in 'England's green and pleasant land'.

LignumVitae

I shall. I visited Belguim and it's battle fields as a teenager. The Menin Gate and the last post played there each and every night still haunts me.

The pity of war, the pity war distills.

mig

We visited Tyne Cot this year very moving ,so quiet and in a strange way beautiful and haunting ,we also went to the Menin gate where I found family names but as my research shows not related though three of my dad's uncles lost their lives fighting elsewhere . My candle is ready to be lit. Mig

barbara12

How sad...war has never solved anything..the ordinary solders suffer so much, while the top dogs keep it going then go home in one piece..terrible that there has never been a day peace..I will light a candle to remember the very brave men...hopefully one day but I doubt it..

dreamdaisy

Ours is set up and ready to go. I shall remember my paternal Grandfather (whom I never met) who died from the effects of gas inhaled in the trenches. He left behind a widow with seven children, who received ten bob (50p) a week in a Widow's pension. My dad (the eldest) left school aged fourteen (as soon as he could I think, this was in 1934) and went to work, to support his mum and siblings. DD

Boomer13

I haven't heard of this tradition but would love to participate.

My grandfather was a stretcher bearer during the first world war and from what I have read about the battles, I consider it miraculous that he came home, lived a full life, had three children and was one of the most wonderful, genuine and humorous people I have ever known. He died a long time ago but I think of him often and keep his picture at no more than seventeen in his too-large uniform about to ship out to the war.

Grandad, you are my hero and inspire me in so many ways.

stickywicket

It's not exactly a tradition, Anna, but, as that is the UK time when war was declared 100 years ago today, we have been asked to do it tonight - one light in each household.

I, too, have a photo of my Dad in uniform. He was gassed almost immediately and invalided out. In his umiform he's just a boy, still with his puppyfat. He returned and lived to a ripe old age.

Slosh

Yes. I got my Grandfather's medals out today and posted a pic of them on facebook. The family story was that a burst appendix saved his life! He was taken ill and sent ashore. A day or two later was the battle of Jutland and his boat was one that was sunk.

I always understood it is called tbe great war because of the numbers that were killed and the number of countries involved, not in any celebratory sense of the word. One of those instances when we focus on one meaning of a word and forget others.

BluesWalk

I could not do this as I don't own my own house :P but I heard about a story that you might like to hear.


Some lady who lost 2 sons in he war met the queen after the war. The queen is supposedly meant to have said ''Thank you for your sacrifice''. to which the Lady responded, ''My sons were not given they were taken from me mam''

This like got me thinking about the 2.77 million people who got conscripted into the war and how bummed out I would have been.

I would say world war 1 was the most interesting to me and I have spent hundreds of hours reading about it and its just such a tragedy.

Boomer13

My Grandad too Sticky, he looks like such a young baby-faced teenager in his giant uniform. I'm struck by the innocence in his face and I can only imagine what he witnessed after that photo. He never let it ruin his good nature, that was his triumph. His lungs were damaged, as many were, but he had no severe physical injuries. It's just always amazed me that we were never aware of any psychological scars, even though I'm sure there were.

I'd be a terrible horse-lover too, if I didn't remember all the horses that worked so hard and died in that war. I lit a candle for them too.

stickywicket

Slosh wrote:

I always understood it is called tbe great war because of the numbers that were killed and the number of countries involved, not in any celebratory sense of the word. One of those instances when we focus on one meaning of a word and forget others.

I'm sure you're right, Slosh. Unfortunately (in this case), language evolves and now I think we usually use it to denote admiration.

Blueswalk I agree. The loss of life was horrifying.

Well, I lit my candle and we watched both services on TV. I love the concept behind the Belgium cemetery. Doesn't it just emphasise the futility of war?

applerose

I lit an oil lamp and left it in the bedroom window from 10 till 11pm. On Sunday, there was a service at the epitaph in our High Street after which there was a march to the park near where I live. They held another service there when the names of the men who were killed were all read out. There was a tent full of memorabilia and photos, including a singer singing songs of the time.