Lest We Forget

Today we commemorated the 92nd year of Armistice Day, when the combat of World War One ceased on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Armistice represents all conflicts from the Great War onwards, even holding significance in current hostilities and modern warfare in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

For some reason, this cause always seems to strike a chord with me on a yearly basis. Aside from the intense pride, it saddens me that with every passing year, personal stories and histories are lost as we grow ever more distant from the generations who fought in both World Wars, and as fewer veterans survive. I have a specific passion for World War One, stemming from reading the literature of the era, especially from the soldiers themselves. Most people would probably recognise the words of Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and John McCrae. War literature at it's best is haunting, informative, emotive and effective.

At 11 o'clock today I sat in silence and comprehended how vastly different civilisation is because of these wars. In one respect, war damaged the landscape and population of countries irrevocably, causing economic and political turmoil within nations of this planet. On the other hand, the privileged lifestyles and freedom we have today stems from the ironic constrictions of warfare which millions of people endured for the greater good. Despite the passage of time, I sincerely hope that the past sacrifices made are never taken in vain, or mocked, or simply grow stale and become part of a systematic routine. Modern war and terrorism is in the forefront of our minds because of current conflicts which our soldiers are embroiled in, and understandably so. In a way I hope that this encourages people to remember soldiers of the past who withstood a great deal with minimal support. It is with the bonds of humanity that they fought against overwhelming odds, and it is with these bonds that we must honour them.

War appears to be a cyclical force, the taking up of arms against fellow man when words fail. The cycle must be broken. Nobody knows what the future holds, but the past should never be forgotten, and instead should be learned from.

'We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved, and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders Fields...'