Not a very happy subject.

[LaLou]

There is an amateur historian in our little town. He's writing a book now about WW II in this area.
And I volunteered to make the lay-out for this book. It's something I thouroughly enjoy doing. And I do it well too.

The thing is, there is a Commonwealth War cemetery in Mierlo. (That's where I live.)
And the chapter I am working on right now is about this cemetery. There are 664 graves of brave young Brittish war victims. Of 48 of them there is a page each with pics and info.
Yes, young, very young. And that is why I feel the urge to make this post. Some of these men are even younger than my own sons. I handle their photographs, and of their families. I read their stories.
And then I realize, I mean really realize, it really sinks in, how fortunate I am, we are, to live here, in this part of the world, where these man gave there lives, far away from home, for our freedom.
And it makes me feel humble. And gratefull.
And yes, a little bit sad too.

[UnknownSoldier]

There are no survivors of war, those that live are never and will never be the same again. I wish more people would take the time to look at the past. At the brave men and women who fought and died for what they or their country though was an honorable cause.

[Beany]

For some it was easier than others. My grandad signed up to do something on a boat, which meant he hardly ever had to actually fight.

I don't particularly feel sorry for those who died, but their families, and those who fought with them who knew that tomorrow could be their day. Seeing someone you know die is meant to be one of the worst things in the world. I watched my gerbil die and even that was bad.

[UnknownSoldier]

Seeing someone you know die is meant to be one of the worst things in the world.

Seeing, holding, and trying to comfort it was one of the worst things I have ever had to do in my entire life, having to live with those memories every day, wondering why I made it when better men did not, thats just as hard. The hardest, is watching someone who did make it back slowly wilt and die knowing that nothing you did, stopped them from ending it all.

[bella]

They are survivors because they are still alive. Alive to tell their story and those of their fallen comrades, to make people halt for a while and to remember.

If you go to cemetaries like Arlington or Omaha Beach you realize that every single white cross is a fate, a person with a name to remember.

[Beany]

The problem is that some people don't remember. Some people say that if you join the army it is a sign that you want to be violent etc etc, which is NOT true. They just assume that their country will be defended. They are the sort of people who wouldn't shift off of their butts if it involved somebody else. They think the world is theirs.

I wouldn't want to join the army though. I don't think I'd be strong enough to deal with the pressure and the pain of death. I am the sort of person that cries when somebody I didn't know dies.

[Shay]

I don't know what to say. I feel like I should say something though. But really, with this thread and the suicide thread, I want to cry. Not sure why I am so emotional these days, but I apologize that I do not have the words.

[LaLou]

You don't really have to say anything. I didn't post it to start a debate, I posted it to get it off my chest, and a bit to make people think.

The problem is that some people don't remember.

That's why we're making this book. To help people remember.

[Eff]

Good enough they had the chance to choose . Here you gott'a do it . coming back from weeks in Lebenon or Gaza or whatever border to Tel-Aviv ,after cold and 'beautiful' nights of fire works in the sky.. which were not really fire works , and see that ppl sits in pubs or go to the beach ?! Duhh life goes on .

If you'v been there you'll never forget the braves . If you haven't been there you say " waw i really appriciate them guys and gals , they gave me my freedome and bla bla bla'' ... Then you forget and you don't give a shazam! any farther .

Poor families that lost those who died and those who're dead survivels are paying the price . shazam!
It is really very nice of you Lal for doing it , It means more then you can ever think to the families .

[LaLou]

Good enough they had the chance to choose.

Not these men, at least not all of them. Some of them voluntered, but most had to fullfil there militairy service.

[Beany]

I read a book once, called 'Hitler's Daughter'. It's about a little girl called Heidi who only knows her Dad as Duffi. She isn't allowed to call him anything else. He buys her lots of pretty dolls, with blonde hair and blue eyes and pale skin, but hardly ever comes to visit her.
For her birthday one year she gets a doll with brown hair and she loves it more than the others, but cannot love it enough because it is still perfect and it is like reminding her that she isn't a perfect child, as she has a birthmark on her face.

Towards the end of the book, she gets abandoned in the shelter, because her Nanny leaves her to go and find her family. Heidi goes looking for her and finds Duffi in a meeting. She says "Hello Duffi!" to him. He doesn't say anything but gets somebody to take her away. This somebody then gets his arm blown off and dies, leaving Heidi in the outside world on her own.

This poor girl had nobody to trust anymore. Her only blood relative was Adolf Hitler, the man who she had trusted all her life, who had now dismissed her as a piece of unwanted baggage because she was not his perfect daughter.

I just felt this belonged here.

[Clovvach]

There is an amateur historian in our little town. He's writing a book now about WW II in this area.
And I volunteered to make the lay-out for this book. It's something I thouroughly enjoy doing. And I do it well too.

The thing is, there is a Commonwealth War cemetery in Mierlo. (That's where I live.)
And the chapter I am working on right now is about this cememtery. There are 664 graves of brave young Brittish war victims. Of 48 of them there is a page each with pics and info.
Yes, young, very young. And that is why I feel the urge to make this post. Some of these men are even younger than my own sons. I handle their photographs, and of their families. I read their stories.
And then I realize, I mean really realize, it really sinks in, how fortunate I am, we are, to live here, in this part of the world, where these man gave there lives, far away from home, for our freedom.
And it makes me feel humble. And gratefull.
And yes, a little bit sad too.

I feel so morbid, but this rises the question, with out war, would the world be a peacful place? or a more vulnerable one?

[Clovvach]

I read a book once, called 'Hitler's Daughter'. It's about a little girl called Heidi who only knows her Dad as Duffi. She isn't allowed to call him anything else. He buys her lots of pretty dolls, with blonde hair and blue eyes and pale skin, but hardly ever comes to visit her.
For her birthday one year she gets a doll with brown hair and she loves it more than the others, but cannot love it enough because it is still perfect and it is like reminding her that she isn't a perfect child, as she has a birthmark on her face.

Towards the end of the book, she gets abandoned in the shelter, because her Nanny leaves her to go and find her family. Heidi goes looking for her and finds Duffi in a meeting. She says "Hello Duffi!" to him. He doesn't say anything but gets somebody to take her away. This somebody then gets his arm blown off and dies, leaving Heidi in the outside world on her own.

This poor girl had nobody to trust anymore. Her only blood relative was Adolf Hitler, the man who she had trusted all her life, who had now dismissed her as a piece of unwanted baggage because she was not his perfect daughter.

I just felt this belonged here.

Awww, that's sad, but luckily I don't think this is a true story because I don't think that Hitler ever had any children (correct me if I'm wrong)

[LaLou]

No, you're right. Hitler didn't have children.
And I am going to read that book.

[Beany]

It's by Jackie French

[sizz]

I didn't really understand why the Afghanistan war was going on until my parents explained to me months ago, and I just wanted to cry.

[Beany]

Nobody ever told me. I guessed it was something to do with who was running the country, but didn't know.