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Harry Patch

  • Thread starter Thread starter doris
  • Start date Start date
hi all
Harry always mentioned the "enemy" the Germans, makes me think of what my old dad told me about fighting in wars. Soldiers are not interested in politics, when the actual fighting has abated, and there is no longer any danger to you or your comrades. You actually sit down and share a cigarette, and even if you cannot understand each others language you find that mostly you are from the same working class background. and tend to have three things in common 1, You don't really know why you are there. 2, You would most likely want to be at home, 3, You just want the war to be over.
paul stacey
 
With the sad loss of Harry Patch the horror of the trenches has passed from living memory and gone into the pages of history. We should never forget what he and others like him did for us. Footballers, actors and celebs are often described as heros, what rubbish, Harry Patch was a hero and we shall never see his like again. RIP
 
Please God , we never forget those men and the sacrifice they all made at that time. I have faith that none of them died in vain. They will have a rich reward.
Lynda
 
The picture of the cathedral is where Harry's funeral will be tacking place

Mossy
 
hi mossy....so glad that you made it and thanks for the pics...what a grand cathedral for harrys funeral...

Lyn..
 
Thanks for sharing the photos Mossy. Unexpectedly brought a tear to my eye.

Ann
 
Thanks for posting those photo's Mossy. Love the light shining through the window. It is the smallest city in England isn't it?. Jean.
 
I'm not sure if this has been touched on before, but whilst we are talking about things made in Birmingham, Harry Patch and the sacrifices of the Great War. Has anyone ever done any work on this site regarding the Tanks made by Metropolitan Wagon and Finance Company (later to become Metro Camel) in Birmingham from 1916-18? They were first produced by William Foster and Co Ltd in Lincoln, but Metropolitan were a much bigger company and produced hundreds of tanks during the Great War.
 
Thanks for doing that Mossy and posting the pictures for us to see.:)

Bill I am not sure so why not start a new thread.:)
 
Harry came over as such a lovely man with no bitterness even though he went through and saw a lot. How I would have loved to have met him and listened to some of his lifes history.
Lovely photos Mossy, must have been a really moving time.
Denise
 
If there were more like Harry Patch about, the world would be a far better place. He was honourable and did his duty, despite the fact that he always hated war and fighting. How many people can you say you've met during your life who were truely honourable? He had no bitterness towards those he was sent to fight and kept his faith despite the terrible things he saw in the trenches. He never boasted of his past exploits and always seemed a true gentleman. The world is a much poorer place for his passing.
 
Mossy thanks for that and thanks for the photo of the beautiful Wells Cathedral a fitting place for Harry to be remembered at:)
 
Mossy my old mate - you are a true gent. Thankyou for the photographs.

I notice that you have a bandaged left hand - what happened? Mabz
 
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8186578.stm

Funeral is today.

It's the end of an era,however good a person Harry was,it's what he stood for,as our last veteran of that hell of the trenches we mourn now,as well as himself.

Back in my youth,early 70s I used to help Sister Elsie Jones' old people's charity in Balsall Heath.Mostly women,Great war widows,or spinsters because of the slaughter wiping out a generation of our brave lads.
All the wonderful tales they told,of times past,how the world ticked,how people interacted in their own ways,in a time of Victoria on the throne,in a time of gas light,in a time of reading by candle light,in a time of sacrificing for a better tomorrow,in a more godly time,but most of all in a time that believed in hope.Hope that things would,could,should get better.

All the hopes and dreams of a generation died with Harry Patch,God Bless you Harry,and God Bless all those who you represented to us.
 
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