It is certainly Right, but is it sweet? The reality of war is often horrific, bloody and final. All the more reason that we keep our sacred promise to remember them.
I agree that the good classical education of the Brother officers did not save them, they lead by example, despite the seemingly insane nature of the conflict. I have been lucky I grew up at a time when we did not have conscript armies and I suffered from asthma so badly that even the TA could not use my services. I was thinking about my sons today, would I have the strength to part with them for my nation, would I encourage them and would I support them if they in all good faith could not go, because of their beliefs? These are questions I hope never to have to face in the cold light of reality.
We are fortunate indeed to have a fine professional army, drawn from those who have a desire to serve and who have not been enlisted without their prior-consent. Lets hope that we are able to contain and eliminate our enemies, without having to resort to deployments of large armies. This is why it is so important that our troops are given the very best equipment money can buy and the full and loyal support of this nation for which they are still willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Remembrance is a sacred and continuous commitment. We will remember them.

Because Germany was challenging our Navy at sea, John: they were threatening our dominance of global trade routes.

Which is why MI6—that part of the Security Service that deals with overseas threats and which was formed shortly before the First World War—was run by Naval Command: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi6#Foundation

DK

During the 19th century nations were artificially unified by increasingly totalitarian systems of government, things like language and education were imposed.
Bismarck’s socialism unified Germany.

This is the cause of the wars of the 20th century. Centralised totalitarian systems of government capable of mass conscription.

The second world war was a war between national socialism and international socialism (communism), the communists won.

The Labour party and other members of Socialist International see the second world war as a victory for Communism as much as anything else.

In the twentieth century European political dialectic, nationalist socialism was on the right and internationalist socialism on the left.

The same systems of state building, now more total than ever, are now employed to unify those artificial nations into an artificial union of Europe.
Except we now have a Maoist on the right and some sort of greenie meanie alliance on the left

This is not good news for people living in (whats left of) Britain who would like to be left alone. One thing that can be guaranteed is that the EU (UN) will not leave people alone.
To begin with, citizenship, with its ‘rights and responsibilities’, beckons.

Remembrance Sunday disturbes me. I would like to have attended a service as John Redwood did, but I am an atheist. Do I have to believe in God to respect my nation and remember the dead? Is not the first verse of ‘O valiant hearts’ sufficient?

Why should I get on my knees and accept as truth the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles? The Gospels were not written until 30 years after the death of Chtrist and were revisionist history, designed to be consistent with the Acts of the Apostles. It would be useful to have a New Testament update, prior to the fall of Madada.

Tricky things, treaties. Especially when you’re old fashioned enough to believe that you have to observe them. As your party leader is finding out.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

As apt today as it was 2,000 years ago.

Sadly the net result was that we bankrupted ourselves and ended up conceding naval dominance to the United States, an “ally” whose one consistent foriegn policy objective (before they actually achieved it) was the destruction of British power, but at least we did not end up with hostile German naval bases on the Channel.

I think you’re rather out of touch with the modern historiography of the Great War, as one or two others have already commented.

The current majority view, I think it’s fair to say, among historians is that the dismissive view of the British Army High Command in particular held by many historians writing about forty to fifty years ago, such as AJP Taylor and Alan Clark, is wrong.

In fact, in the course of only four years Britain developed its first mass army which was not only the only Allied army still on its feet (ignoring the Americans – who hadn’t been in the war long enough to suffer war weariness) but which in the “Hundred Days” of 1918 took on and defeated the German army in the field. The Germans had been a major land power for generations – for Britain to do that was a phenomenal achievement. Of course, the existence of the fresh American army, and the continued presence of the (mainly broken) French army helped, but the war was essentially won by (a) the British naval blockade, which reduced the German economy to rubble, and (b) the British army which outfought the Germans to the end.

Obviously very many people still hold to the alternative view, as you seem to yourself – and I think this has been enormously damaging to our national sense of self-worth. Ignorant echoes of “Oh, What a Lovely War!” (which I think Joan Littlewood has said she wrote with a political agenda in mind) abound in everyday life – the most pernicious of which, I think, is cynicism over authority and the feeling that those in charge simply look after Number One. This, of course, is reaching its apogee with MPs’ expenses. I’m sure that at least subliminally the (totally false) image of the uncaring General safe behind the lines must have affected the behaviour of some of your more despicable fellow members. “If that’s how people have always behaved, why should I be any different?” is powerful self-justification.

The best evidence of contemporary opinion is the enormous number of people who attended Haig’s funeral and his lying-in-state in 1928. Very many were ex-soldiers. They would hardly have done that for someone they didn’t respect, would they?

We need to celebrate the achievements of Haig and the other generals as role models – not snipe at them.
Reply: I agree that by 1918 the British army was formidable and better equipped with great guns and tanks, permitting a more mobile war. The British navy which had performed weakly at Jutland – though sufficiently well to prevent the weaker German navy operating lethally – helped with the blockade. However, it remains true that in the 1914-16 period the army was not well equipped and the tactics poor. I remain to be convinced that this was a good war for Britain to fight.

From the many stories I have been told by both of them many years ago, they both lost comrades with whom they enlisted at the time. Rememberance Sunday was always, and still is recognised in our family as a time to remember those who were not so fortunate.

War is a very bloody business, and I am struck by how few politicians in our present time have neither experienced such horror first hand themselves, or seem to have their own offsping at risk during more recent times.

Whilst I am no raving monachist, it is good to see that the Queen, Prince Philip, and many members of their family have served.

Also interesting to hear all of the long list of Commonwealth Countries who came to our aid in our time of need. One is forced to compare their attidude then, with those currently in Europe now.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord,
Let perpetual light shine upon them,
May they rest in peace.

Our Lady Queen of Peace pray for us.

Amen.

I think that rather than just remembering the victims of war we can pray for their Souls for the sake of their Salvation. Prayer is never wasted.We should pray in thanksgiving for the courage of our troops and for their loved ones – their family & friends. We should pray for their safe return and for the salvation of the Souls of those who very very sadly have fallen in battle. A few prayers for military chaplains who do such a great spiritual task often in very harrowing & trying circumstances might not be a bad idea.

Also praying for peace so that people follow the example of Jesus and thus do not wage anymore wars in future.

Today is a sobering day as we all recall what has been done by some extremely brave people like my late Grandfather,my late Great Uncle and countless others.It is humbling that successive generations of the armed forces have put their lives on the line so that we could be free today.

So once again today is rightly a day of prayer for our brave servicemen & women and for their families and for the Souls of all who have died in war.One must hope and pray that human life is valued more in future so that warfare becomes less of a feature in future years.

Derek

The decision to go to war is taken far too easily these days and taken in a vacuum.

Did Blair realise how many young lives he was about to steal when he stitched up his cosy little deal with Bush.

If it is to be seen as any resort at all, war must be a very last.

I have no doubt at all that the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan were totally unnecessary but the lives lost are very real.

Now, the politicians will line up to be seen at the remembrance service but how many have found time to go and pay their homage at the weekly return of the coffins?

Futile would probably not be too strong a word to describe these two wars.