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Posted on 11/21/2005 8:49:17 AM PST by SmoothTalker
...reading.
"I wonder what their opinion of eachother was in 1913?"
--- According to some letters from the time that I've read, many of the commoners weren't sure if they were supporting France or invading France. After all, France is the traditional enemy and the German ruling family were cousins of the English king.
Is that a misprint? Surely they mean holiday truce.
I guess neither of them were in the trenches in 1914.
I guess neither of them were in the trenches in 1914.
Most inspirational article. I'm feeling all teary and emotional. RIP, brave soldier.
ping for your consideration.
In the early days of the war, Richtofen's (Red Baron)Mentor was killed in battle. As the German's held a memorial, a lone French airplane flew into view, circled the crowd and dropped a wreath to honor a fallen foe.
Jeff Shaara has a recent book titled "To The Last Man" that details the rich history of the war to end all wars. Great book.
I have a hunch that we won't be reading about any of this where Jihadists are concerned.
When I was a kid (early 1970's) one of my neighbors, an old man by the name of John told me he was a WWI vet. I really wish I had the brains then to really get to know this hero and learn some of his history, but I was only about 10 or 12 so I had an excuse.
Pickelhauben.
Nice shot.
I have to get that book, thanks.
Richthofen's mentor was Oswald Boelcke who was killed, I believe, in a crash with another German fighterplane.
Boelcke wrote his "dicta" on the proper way to conduct oneself in aircombat as a fighter pilot. Richthofen enlarged on it and the rules are still used by modern pilots.
Richtohfen was killed whne he ignored one of those rules. He was too concerned with getting a kill that he ignored his own safety and was either shot down by a pursuing British pilot or an Australian infantryman - the battle still goes on over that one. But at that stage of the war, Richthofen, like many other young pilots was probably burnt out and may have been in pain from an earlier injury. He had also become rather depressed about all the killing and the loss of his comrades.
by John McCutcheon
My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here I fought for King and country I love dear.
'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung,
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung
Our families back in England were toasting us that day Their brave and glorious lads so far away.
I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear.
"He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me Soon, one by one, each German voice joined in harmony
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more As Christmas brought us respite from the war
As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent
"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht." "Tis 'Silent Night'," says I
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky
"There's someone coming toward us!" the front line sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one long figure trudging from their side
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shown on that plain so bright
As he, bravely, strode unarmed into the night
Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's Land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well
And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell
We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men
Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each prepared to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wonderous night
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"
'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost, so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had been crumbled and were gone forevermore
My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War I, I've learned its lessons well
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same
Here's an interesting thing:
Last Living Veterans of America's Wars
American Revolution (1775–1783)
Last veteran, Daniel F. Bakeman, died 4/5/1869, age 109
Last widow, Catherine S. Damon, died 11/11/1906, age 92
Last dependent, Phoebe M. Palmeter, died 4/25/1911, age 90
War of 1812 (1812–1815)
Last veteran, Hiram Cronk, died 5/13/1905, age 105
Last widow, Carolina King, died 6/28/1936, age unknown
Last dependent, Esther A. H. Morgan, died 3/12/1946, age 89
Indian Wars (c. 1861–1898)
Last veteran, Fredrak Fraske, died 6/18/1973, age 101
Mexican War (1846–1848)
Last veteran, Owen Thomas Edgar, died 9/3/1929, age 98
Last widow, Lena James Theobald, died 6/20/1963, age 89
Last dependent, Jesse G. Bivens, died 11/1/1962, age 94
Civil War (1861–1865)
Last Union veteran, Albert Woolson, died 8/2/1956, age 109
Last Confederate veteran, John Salling*, died 3/16/1958, age 112
Spanish-American War (1898)
Last veteran, Nathan E. Cook, died 9/10/1992, age 106
It's amazing to think that our entire history as a nation can spanned in three lifetimes.
I suggested to both the Discovery Channel and the History Channel that they interview the surviving World War 2 fighter pilots and ask them about their breatest air combats, then recreate them in CGI. They ignored me.
I recall how incredible it was to see actual color photos of that war and how much more real it felt to me.
And thanks ErnBatavia for posting your find on the Christmas Truce. These days the enemy would cut off your head.
The last veteran of the American Revolution died on April 5, 1869. When I was a kid, I knew an old lady who was born on February 8, 1869, so 8 weeks old when the last veteran of the Revolution died.
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