wovlad Posted November 16, 2005 Posted November 16, 2005 For those who didn't see "The last tommies" on BBC1 last night. You missed a cracking documentary. Harry Patch is one of only 3 remaining English survivors of the Battle of the Somme during the First World War. He was part of a Lewis Gun Battery that took part in that offensive. Blown up by a mortar that killed 3 of his friends, who's bodies were never identified. Harry having recovered from his wounds was getting ready to be sent back to the front. The armistices ensured he an many others didn't return to the front. He never forgave the Germans for killing his friends, never wanted to go back to the ridge were it happend. Last year he did, firstly shaking hands with a Frenchman conscripted into the German army who had fired mortars during the battle. They shook hands as they looked across the battlefield and later shared a pastis ( drink ) together. " Enemies no more, friends now". Harry finally put the ghosts to rest when he returned to the ridge and a paid his respects to his fallen comrades at a nearby war memorial Harry Patch really is the man.
Casino Posted November 16, 2005 Posted November 16, 2005 in a departure from his normal style, james h reeve told a serious tale on sunday night was about his uncle i think served in some regiment or otehr in the first quite an account, but the most chilling point was this his regiment/batallion whatever was split into two to allow for some rotation in the trenches ie one day it was one group, the next it was the other anyway, in battle one day, one of the groups was completely wiped out in about half an hour his uncle was resting that day otherwise he'd have died in the war and not lived to be married, have kids and die in 1983
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