Year after year, the numbers get fewer...
Jul. 18th, 2009 10:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pecuniumOldest WW1 Veteran Dies
In some ways, if one is looking to wars to establish greatness, I'd have to say this was "The Greatest Generation". Henry Allington had a good run. He saw three centuries, six British monarchs,five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.
He was, as the bible says, "full of years."
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries
These, in the day when heaven was falling,
The hour when earth's foundations fled,
Followed their mercenary calling,
And took their wages, and are dead.
Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
What God abandoned, these defended,
And saved the sum of things for pay.
A.E. Housman
Godspeed, Mr. Allingham, Godspeed.
In some ways, if one is looking to wars to establish greatness, I'd have to say this was "The Greatest Generation". Henry Allington had a good run. He saw three centuries, six British monarchs,five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.
He was, as the bible says, "full of years."
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries
These, in the day when heaven was falling,
The hour when earth's foundations fled,
Followed their mercenary calling,
And took their wages, and are dead.
Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
What God abandoned, these defended,
And saved the sum of things for pay.
A.E. Housman
Godspeed, Mr. Allingham, Godspeed.
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no subject
Date: 2009-07-18 03:33 pm (UTC)Rest in peace.
Some relevant links, because I loves. I loves lots.
Date: 2009-07-19 08:36 pm (UTC)Obituary (http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/jul/18/obituary-henry-allingham).
Henry Allingham photos (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/jul/18/henry-allingham?picture=350493308). Number 7 in particular somehow makes me cry a little.
Interview with Harry Patch, who was at Passchendaele (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/nov/05/poetry-andrewmotion).
Harry Patch, back at Passchendaele (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7peTBVprtY).
The Wipers Times (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/10/first-world-war-humour-wipers-times), trench humour.
There is much that we would like to say in it, but the shadow of censorship enveloping us causes us to refer to the war, which we hear is taking place in Europe, in a cautious manner. We must apologise to our subscribers for the delay in going to press. This has been due to the fact that we have had many unwelcome visitors near our printing works during the last few days, also to the difficulty of obtaining an overdraft at the local bank.
Any shortcomings in production must be excused on the grounds of inexperience and the fact that pieces of metal of various sizes had punctured our press.