Last surviving Tommy from WWI goes back to Passchendaele

[JWW]

Just happened to find this on another forum tonight. Story about last surviving British WWI infantryman visiting the old battlefield at Passchendaele.
Includes some rare color photos from the war. Very long story. Brief excerpt below and link.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=471468&in_page_id=1770

After the war Harry went back to plumbing in Somerset and outlived two wives and two sons.

He said: "I went 80 years and never mentioned the war, not even to my family. The memories were too vivid. I bottled it all up for so long. I never even watched a war film.

"But the war is something I can now talk about. In 2004 I went back to Flanders for a memorial service and met a German, Charles Kuentz, who had fought against us.

"We shook hands and agreed on so much about that awful war. A nice old chap, he was. Why he should have been my enemy, I don't know.

"He told me, 'I fought you because I was told to, and you did the same.' It's sad but true.

"What the hell we fought for, I now don't know."

[06 Maestro]

Thanks JW. The article gives a little food for thought.

[sol_invictus]

Very interesting read.

[oi_you_nutter]

great story, and hes a west country lad as well

heres a scanned photo of my late grandad, he was at "Wipers" as well