Daniel,
A very touching story to be cherished by your family. My grandfather was
in
every major battle in France in WWI and was mustard gassed at one point. His
throat was so burned from it. I never understood a word he said as a child. He
died before I was a teen.
My father was in WW2 in the Navy on destroyers and was sunk twice. I was in the
Air Force as a flight engineer on C-141 cargo jets from 1970 to 1996. I was 4
years active and the rest in the Air Force Reserve. I was involved in
everything
from Viet Nam to the Gulf War. I have a deep appreciation for the sacrifices of
those that went before me and with me. I hope the military lineage does not
extend to my son or at least he only serves in peace time. I hope that is what
3
generations in my family went to serve for.
Mike MacLean-60 Sprite
Daniel1312@aol.com wrote:
> Here in England we have a Remembrance day (same as your Veterans day) and at
> work we observed the 2 minutes silence at the 11th hour of the 11day of the
> 11th month.
>
> I am not a pacifist but sometimes the whole concept of war seems to be one of
> decent people killing decent people for no apparent reason. I know this is
> simplistic but I have served in the Royal Air Force so do understand military
> life - though my service fell between the Falklands Conflict and the Gulf war.
>
> Anyway, here is true account of the First World War dated 25 September 1918
>
> ........has been in the field since the end of 1914 has related to me while
> he was on leave with us that on 7th May 1917 in the neighbourhood of Monchy
> he lay in a shell hole to observe the movements of the enemy. About 30 yards
> removed from him worked similarly in shell holes another party and from
> between the two of us an English soldier crawled on hands and feet towards
> him. Hofrichter saw that the English solider was very badly wounded and
> brought him, under great danger to himself, into the German lines where
> someone gave him a drink from a brandy flask and, under the circumstances,
> did the best they could to bind up his wounds. He died soon afterwards but
> before he died he handed over to Hofrichter (who is today still living [this
> would be in 1918]), with words of gratitude for the help that the Germans and
> especially Hofrichter had given, a card - on the one side a photograph
> showing a mother with two children and on the opposite side the following
> message was written:- "If found please return to my wife ............For
> owners sake"
>
> This card has been passed on by Hofrichter and is at the moment in my hands.
> The soldier was buried at a place in the neighbourhood of Monchy. Hofrichter
> placed a wooden board on the grave on which he wrote the inscription "Here
> lies an Englishman".
>
> >>>>
>
> And the identity of the English soldier? My Great Grandfather.
>
> Daniel1312
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