deleted

Wayne and I were talking about the "Strange Meeting" in 1993 yesterday. I wonder how many people will be going to Ors today? There was just the half dozen of us there that day!

Remembering them all

Michelle

deleted.

from A Terre:

"Your fifty years ahead seem none too many?
Tell me how long I've got? God! For one year
To help myself to nothing more than air!
One Spring! Is one too good to spare, too long?"


Norrette

Also remembering alongside Wilfred Owen other poets who did not make it through the Great War

Isaac Rosenberg
Edward Thomas
Julian Grenfell
Charles Sorley
Rupert Brooke
David Jones
Francis Ledwidge
Tom Kettle
Hedd Wynn

et al

'What passing bells for those who die as cattle'

A fine list, Alan, just one correction - David Jones survived the war, dying in 1974

Alan

All too many of whom are forgotten in Owen's favour. I hope I don't seem too like I'm raining on your parade, but for starters there were two VCs awarded, one posthumously, for the action at Ors alone - never mind elsewhere along the canal - that day. Yet one poet is remembered above all.

Perhaps we should be thankful that one person is remembered, rather than none?

We visited Ors last November, and I thank God that I can't imagine it that morning. It must have been close to a perfect position to defend...

Adrian

James Kirk (ex 6th & 10th Manchesters)

Adrian, that's quite an unnecessarily aggressive post. I am simply recording my own personal memorial to Owen; it seems you can't even do that here anymore. I am quite aware of the two VCs, thank you. I really do give up at times.

I agree Paul. If we reacted that way every time someone posted a 'remembering', or to the 'Remembering Today' at the top of the Forum it would be a sorry state of affairs. To take the point to an extreme, why should we pay more attention to a VC winner than to others who gave their lives or were maimed for life. Let's all keep with the spirit of remembrance please - when we remember the one we are actively remembering the many.

Don't give up on us Paul

Jim

Owen, and all those other poets and letter writers and diarists, are the ones who made sure that all who took part in that war are remembered and kept in the public eye. They gave voice and image to the people at home who could not possibly have imagined what happened over there. You don't have to agree with their view of things - I don't expect they even all agree with one another - but their part in keeping memory alive cannot be denied.
And personally, I have a soft spot for Owen's work, so I'll be remembering him on the anniversary.
M

With respect, Paul, it was never my attention to be aggressive (indeed, I commented in my initial post that I didn't want to offend). I have personal reasons for thinking of others at Ors which you will find elsewhere. I also have an occasional drinking mate whose father was killed at Arras - as close to forgotten as any battle gets even by GWF standards - and small scot and I were two-thirds of the British visitors to Ribecourt-la-Tours on the 90th anniversary of it's capture on the opening day of Cambrai, which is why I passed comment that perhaps it was better that one was remembered than none. In fact, Jim's last sentence makes that exact point!

I'm very sorry that you've seen fit to delete your posts, I was making the point that we are in danger of overlooking others - like the South Africans, far from home in the strange little cemetery out in the fields by the canal - and certainly did not intend to upset anyone's applecart.

Adrian

Not forgotten by me Adrian plus a few other die-hards (most of whom seem to be called Andy ). I will continue to champion the area - when I get a bit of time!!

Jim

Bit silly deleting posts , imho . I agree with both Paul and Ady.