[dainbramaged]

Battle of the Somme - the day Great Britain lost a generation.
We used to visit a WWI veteran friend of the family when I was just a lad, late 1950's. He survived a dose of gas but wheezed for the rest of his life which earned him the nickname of "Weary". He used to let us play with his U.S. Army helmet and web gear.

[ABN 505]

My grandfather and His brother served in France. Gramps was gassed his brother killed. I played Army as a kid wearing a officers German Picklehaube that he brought home. Wish I still had it.

[Justa]

“He survived a dose of gas but wheezed for the rest of his life which earned him the nickname of “Weary”.”

Knew a similar elder gentleman in my youth. Tall, lanky man who always wore a brown suit. We called him “Goober” because he was always coughing and spitting into hankerchefs. We’d mostly see him when he’d walk into town to go into the bank. He’d just give a warm, bemused smile to us. He seemed to enjoy his encounter with us. One day a kid said his parents told him he’d been injured in a mustard gas attack in France during WWI. That shut us up good. From then on we waved.