Astor Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Normally I shy away from RIP threads, but I feel this is different. Story. Harry Patch, the last British Soldier of the Great War died today aged 111. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a remarkable achievement for anyone to live to that age, let alone for a man who survived the horrors of Passchendaele 92 years ago. Yet, he kept on fighting, through to the end of the war, and would serve as a Fireman during the Second World War. This of course comes only a week after Britain's Oldest Man, and RNAS and RAF veteran Henry Allingham died aged 113. And now, with Mr. Patch's death, the generation of men and women who fought for King and Country comes to an end. Rest In Peace, Harry, you've earned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediAthos Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I couldn't agree more Astor. RIP to Harry and those like him who stepped up to oppose those who would have seen the entire world crushed under their feet. Without them the world as we know it would be a much different place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 RIP to Harry and those like him who stepped up to oppose those who were merely trying to prevent themselves from being crushed in a vise between Russia and France. Fixed. I'm sorry, but the Central Powers were hardly trying to conquer the world, or even Europe for that matter. The Germans thought that their survival as a nation was at stake. Aside from nationalism there were no real bad guys in that war, which is one of the two main reasons why it was such a monumental tragedy. The other is that the disgraceful manner in which the victors treated the vanquished by imposing the ridiculously harsh terms in the treaty that ended it was the direct cause of World War II, an even bigger tragedy. So, RIP to Harry, and to everyone else who fought and died in what is perhaps the most unnecessary large-scale conflict in history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediAthos Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Do me a favor...don't attempt to put words in my mouth. I meant what I said. Had the Central Powers been winning do you really believe they would have stopped? Frankly, the direct actions of the central powers caused the war and I don't have any sympathy for them. Should Germany have shouldered the entire blame...no...they shouldn't have and did it lead to the Second World War, yes, but the start of the First World War was direct result of the declarations of war by Austria-Hungry on Serbia, and Germany on Russia. If anything it was the Russians and the French who were trying to protect their national interests as Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia and Germany mobilized its forces to support Austria Hungary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabretooth Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Harry Patch, the last British Soldier of the Great War died today aged 111. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a remarkable achievement for anyone to live to that age, let alone for a man who survived the horrors of Passchendaele 92 years ago. See my spirit on the wind across the lines beyond the hill friend and foe will meet again those who died at Paschendale RIP Patch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aash Li Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Holy ship... 111 and 113! Thats quite remarkable. Guys I dont think live to be such great ages like that, its usually the women. O.o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trench Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 RIP Patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Shake Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Everybody's dying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litofsky Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 RIP, Mr. Patch. Rest in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purifier Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Talk about your longevity. I'd say the man had extraordinary genes along with good karma. Hmmm, wonder if anybody's made it too 120 yet? Farewell Mr. Harry Patch R.I.P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 RIP Mr. Patch, and thank you for having served. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrotoy7 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Firstly, all due respect to Harry for his longevity. .. who stepped up to oppose those who would have seen the entire world crushed under their feet. There's more to History than such glib, Hollywood style comments. Not all who fought in WWI were stepping up for a noble cause against the approaching Hun Menace, though it was never entirely clear whether the Germans had the capacity to take The British Isles back then. During this heroism however, some British and their Allied forces were quite intent on doing some invading of their own. About to plunge into Civil War, Churchill(back then Lord of The Admiralty) saw it as a ripe opportunity to invade Turkey in 1915 in The Gallipoli Campaign and attempt take control of the massively important trade centre/port at Istanbul. With its current internal turmoil, Turkey was never a threat to UK, Australia, New Zealand or India, all of whom turned up with Bayonets fixed. Defending King and Country? I think not. Of course, in History The Turks themselves did their fair share of sword waving and invading. The main point I am trying to deliver is that there is no glory in inflicting death, pain and suffering, no matter what the motivation. Rememberance of the fallen can be separate and solemn without rejoicing(or lamenting) the political ramifications of all nations' conflicts. The first and foremost effect of war is Misery. Without them the world as we know it would be a much different place. Different perhaps, better or worse? Hard to say. Had WW1 ended differently, WW2 may have been entirely different, or may never have eventuated. The brutal and quite frankly greedy reparations imposed upon Germany in The 'Treaty' Of Versailles made conditions rife for Anti Semitic extremists like Hitler to be given creedence. War is always a bad business. Im not sure there is anything noble about it at any time. It looks great on the movies of course. A British Captain who was shot in The Somme during WW1 wrote in his memoirs: "Men making war are little more than mischievous apes, who should only shamefully call themselves civilised." I tend to agree War will always exist, but thinking it is anything more than sanctioned murder of man against man for profit or imposition of dominant will is a farcical. mtfbwya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamqd Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 thinking it is anything more than sanctioned murder of man against man for profit or imposition of dominant will is a farcical Harry said a very similar statement himself. Remember, these people were called to service and many hundreds of thousands of them died before even experiencing life. I'm taking a few minutes of today to think about Harry and the masses of victims of the great war... not dredging up the Political-financial motives of the defunct British empire and their "We'll be safe back here in our stately homes while the Plebeians Die, and the Ethnic's get poorer" Aristocracy. R.I.P Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrotoy7 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Harry said a very similar statement himself. not dredging up the Political-financial motives of the defunct British empire and their "We'll be safe back here in our stately homes while the Plebeians Die, and the Ethnic's get poorer" Aristocracy. Well said adamqd. French philosopher JP Sartre said something very similar: "When the rich make war it's the poor that die" ~ Jean-Paul Sartre I used to work at a Veteran's Hospital a few years ago, mostly WW2 chaps, some from Vietnam. I didnt meet one who thought positively of war. One chap summed it up perfectly in an interview he gave on Veterans(Anzac) Day. He was asked what it was like going to fight in the Pacific against the Japanese, to which his only reply was: "I think I'd prefer to have gone to the pub" mtfbwya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Reiper Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Hmmm, wonder if anybody's made it too 120 yet? Yoda made it to 999, does that count? But seriously, R.I.P Patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue15 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 R.I.P. that's quite an age... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Avlectus Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 R.I.P. Mr. Patch. Few people live that long. Have a few in my family who've made it that far or beyond, several near the 100 mark. I'd agree indeed having a positive deservance (or good karma) as well as taking care of yourself is vital to living with longevity. And his fellow at 113? I'm impressed! Glad they served. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceAlex Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Nice age. The guy has my respect for keeping his body alive for this long. Oh, and his other achievements have been noted as well. Everybody's dying. Every year, every month, every week, every day, every hour, every minute... But many are also born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Yuthura Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 That's strange to confront the reality that during my lifetime, there were WWI veterans and titanic survivors. Now all witnesses of that event and the great war are now deceased; all firsthand knowledge gone. Now it is up to us to preserve as much of that history as possible, because none now live to tell of it. Rest in peace to the men still on patrol and to those who returned to tell us of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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