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"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

One hour ago, a century ago, was the end of the biggest slaughter of all times. I spare a thought for Ma's Uncle Arthur, sergent in the 42th batallion of Chasseurs à Pied, shot in Artois by a machine gun, june 16 1915. His grave lies in Notre-Dame de Lorette, in the middle of 45000 others. Travelling in the North of France sometime may be demoralizing. French military (1 million 400 000 died...) face German military cemetary, Canadian follow Australian, British beneath New zealand. Poppies for British, Cornflower this side...

This best sums up what I think of the war, the picture of a winner, from a footage made in july 1918 after a successful attack on a German position (the rat hole behind!)... Seems his knife is a cra-cra.
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Thank you JP.

A century ago today, the 11th hour, 11th day 11th month The Great War ended and with it European power. After 51 months of appalling war, which became global, the German, Austrian and Russian Empires lay in ruins. For the European 'victors' the state of affairs was hardly better, economies and empires in ruins, millions dead and yet more millions maimed physically and mentally in all combatant countries. The fact is that Germany may have asked for the Armistice (cease fire) first but France, Belgium and Britain were all on the point of implosion such was the utter stagnant horror of the Western Front. A terrible extended European Civil War that drew the US and many other countries into its vortex too. The seeds of chaos sown in revolutions and another more terrifyingly large conflict to come in a little over 20 years.

As a young man I was very fortunate to be able to talk with and interview survivors of the Great War, men from Britain, France and Germany, using interpreters where needed. All these men are long dead, their experiences were similar but I will never forget the long far distant look in their eyes when they recalled certain things. One man, a tough little Cockney who had been a gardener all his life had been a Machine Gunner on the Italian Front fighting the Austro-Hungarians. An unemotive man, but he looked at me and said " I must have killed dozens and dozens of men, young blokes just like me I suppose. At the time you couldn't really think about it, I was ordered to fire down this ravine where men were escaping, I obeyed but afterwards it sent me a bit mental." He recalled the exhilaration and terrible fear of conflict. Then he said, "every day now I think about them young blokes what I shot at, who never went on to 'ave a life. You're an educated man, what was it all for? Because I can't work it out. " I could not give him an answer, who could except armchair warriors. I just said at least you got through it. He replied "Only by f-luck I did"

There is a school of revisionist historians today, I came across some at the University of London, who claim that generalship, leadership in the Great War were not that bad after all and what else could've been done? I strongly contend this, von Moltke failed, Falkenhayn failed, ultimately Luddendorf & Hindenburg . So too Foch, Petain, Joffre, Haig, French, all were obsessed by frontal assault, war of attrition and bleeding the enemy white thus ensuring pyyric victory. Their offensives which cost millions in casualties, were never able to break the enemy's line or will, nearly but never. Hence the ending which was a relief to most people at the time. I am impressed by the BBC's black & white documentary called the Great War made 50 years after the outbreak of war it retains a great deal of analysis, emotion and attempt at objectivity, something we could all do with in the current age of belligerence. If you have time, it's 41 minutes, it's the final episode dealing with the end of the war to end all wars...




Regards, Will
 
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A brutal conflict JP :( All four of my great grandfathers fought, two were killed, one wounded, the fourth I'm not sure about. Here's the one who was wounded, my father's grandfather, he was an experienced soldier, having fought in the conflicts in Africa, before later re-enlisting to fight in WW1. Like most, he kept his stories to himself (I didn't even know he was wounded until I found a newspaper cutting recently), told my father funny tales about fighting lions and tigers in 'The German Jungle', while feeding him 'bisquacks', which he insisted was what the German's called biscuits. Most of the Sheffield Regiment died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, along with a lot of other young cutlers.

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Just dropping in to say thank you.

I am extremely thankful for all those who have served. I am thankful for things that I don’t really even understand. Im thankful for the spouse that fights their own war as they watch their loved one serve a country that may or may not notice. Im thankful for that child who tries to understand why mommy or daddy isn’t home. Or, why mommy or daddy carries the weight that they do. Im thankful for generations of those who have committed their lives for no praise at all. I am thankful that there are men and women who have freely chosen to serve this country and know the reality of sacrifice. I am thankful that there are veterans who carry the weight of what it means to fight for freedom. I am thankful for every tear, life lost, and family stressed so I may lay here in freedom to enjoy my family without fear. There are few strangers that I automatically assign respect too. The veteran has my full resect and I thankful for you and the family and friends that support you. Thank you. Thank you for my opportunity to live in the best country because of your effort to make it the best country. You deserve more praise than you receive.
 
I agree Will. Pétain was known then as the Verdun's butcher and had many soldiers shot as an exemple.
Maybe you can see this,( it is copyrighted in France).

Ma's Dad enroled at 39 in the Foreign Legion, like many Hungarians living in France he saw no reason to fight for Austria and was granted French nationality in 1919 on proposal of his officers. By chance, my other Grandfather was too young to be enlisted, afterwar with wife and my father he left Hungary then ferociously occupied by the Romanian army.
Nevertheless, there could be some romance in all that dark, we had a friend, now passed, then in the Franchet d'Esperey's Orient army, who met his wife in Macedonia after retreating from the Dardanelles.:)
Oncle Arthur
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N°12319 (post war postcard, no room left today)
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One of my knife brothers lost his home. Many have died now in that fire. I am close enough to be clouded in the smoke from it. We started some raffles and fund raising in our FB groups to help him out...been supporting that all weekend. Just horrible really.
 
waverave said:
One of my knife brothers lost his home. Many have died now in that fire. I am close enough to be clouded in the smoke from it. We started some raffles and fund raising in our FB groups to help him out...been supporting that all weekend. Just horrible really.
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Terrible news Darren :( Stay safe :thumbsup:
 
Thank you we aren't in harm's way directly but have been dealing with the smoke for several days now. Southern California is getting it bad too. This state has turned into a huge pile of kindling waiting for a spark.
 
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