My late father-in-law,'Paddy' White,was a dispatch rider in both World Wars.
On October 30th 1918,he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (awarded to non-commissioned-officers),second only to the Victoria Cross (awarded to commissioned officers)
In later years,he had a leg amputated,owing to problems caused by shrapnel still embedded in it.
The Soldier
Rupert Brooke, 1887 - 1915
If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England’s, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
Tearful poem and a great story of your father-in-law. He must be one of those heroes who gave their life for a cause. Apart from this, it is so sad to see so many young soldiers going to war and getting killed for a cause which is not their own and because the big guys decide to go into it.
I love this post, the photo, your personal story and the wonderful poem. We celebrate our Veteran’s Day today and our country takes tomorrow as a holiday. God bless the good men who fought for our countries and our freedom.
Just a hundred years ago... but given the changes to our world since, it could just as easily be a million. What struck me forcibly this morning, as I thought about the celebration we were due to attend, is that the peace that followed the 'war to end all wars' lasted barely more than 20 years before man's folly took us down the same path again.
What a wonderful man Carol. Good to know the history of our families. I was only thinking as I watched today that I knew nothing about my grandfathers war efforts but my brothe4 says our paternal grandfather had an interesting war history all to do with horses so I am waiting to hear more!
You must feel very proud of your Father in Law
Thanks for sharing your personal story and Rupert Brooke´s wonderful poem.