Killing fields are such a terrible waste (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Killing fields are such a terrible waste
1:34pm Tuesday 15th November 2011 in Margo Grimshaw column
By Margo Grimshaw, Lancashire Telegraph columnist
THE Poppy — is there more a evocative symbol?
Millions are sold every year and worn with pride.
But with this pride, there should, perhaps, also be a shadow of shame that so many young and promising lives are lost — and are still being lost, fighting battles, that will often be settled by the countries’ leaders talking round a peace conference table.
Surely, in this sophisticated, educated, age of instant, one-to-one global communication, a way could, and should, be found for disputes between countries to be solved in a more humane way, other than young men of one country killing the young men of another.
My father fought and was wounded three times in the First World War and I must say he never complained.
We once went to the areas where he had fought and he showed me the little bridge under where he had lain wounded for three whole days.
He fought for four years and was only 19½ when he was discharged having, like so many, joined up under age, taking the ‘shilling’ and not thinking of the danger, but only of the challenge and excitement.
He tried so hard, but failed, in dissuading my brother Tom from joining the Royal Marine Commandoes when he was 17.
Tom and I also visited the war graves In France and saw the vast expanse of fields covered with crosses, making us think ‘what a terrible, tragic waste’ and of the untold heart break to all their families.
It made us ask ‘why is the lesson never learnt that war is not the way’?
But, at the moment, it looks like we may actually be at that place, with Germany and France endeavouring to solve the supremacy and domination of Europe by monetary means — so we can only hope that the outcome is agreeable to all sides.
The trouble is, and I fear always will be, that the human race is extremely tribal. We don’t want to be ‘just a part of’, we want to be ‘us’ and that still remains the big barrier to world cohesion.
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (8)
11:29am Wed 16 Nov 11
Sick of rip off says...
I often wonder if those that died defending our shores could have seen what a state our once great nation would end in, would they have made such a sacrifice so willingly - I think probably not.
5:33pm Wed 16 Nov 11
Brian Todd says...
If, as you say, there could be a better way then the White Peace Poppy is a better symbol, not only remembering all the people who have lost thier lives or been affected by war but positivley trying to say War is not the way to settle things and we all should be supprting the movement for World Peace, idealistic as you column is, perhaps you could conmsider this next year instead of teh traditional red poppy?
11:19am Thu 17 Nov 11
Ken Shuffles says...
.
When People have Peace, the world will be at peace. When there is Conflict outside, it means people don't feel peace inside. People talk about peace only when there is talk of war.
11:41am Thu 17 Nov 11
Ken Shuffles says...
.
People go and look outside for their solutions.
12:48pm Thu 17 Nov 11
Joseph Yossarian says...
(clue: It's not a tomato)
3:29pm Thu 17 Nov 11
Fat Flan says...
Lest we forget. Fat Flan - former Royal Marine Commando.
11:54am Fri 18 Nov 11
Ken Shuffles says...
12:02pm Fri 18 Nov 11
Ken Shuffles says...