Captain: When I drive through northern France and Belgium, as I often do, especially when returning to Britain in the evening, I pass by the great battle fields of 1st and 2nd World Wars. The land is flat or gently undulating and the sky is big, the sunsets glorious. I usually play classical music with grand themes - last time it was the 1812 Overture - and I never fail to remember those who fought and especially those who were wounded or died. My father fought in the Battle of the Mons and other battles nearby as did some of his brothers and they were wounded and otherwise damaged.
On old film clips, it all looks so grey, dark and dirty. So driving through I try to convert those grainy old film scenes in my mind's eye, to accommodate the rich green of the grass, and the yellow, pink and red of the sky in the evening. Our soldiers must have followed the setting sun as it fell on the western horizon over Britain and Ireland and a few hours later over the US and Australia and all the other places from which they came, and I am sure they derived comfort from it.
Those who fought in the two World Wars in Europe are loved here, the memory has not faded and even the very young are raised to be thankful.
|
