Paging the war history buffs

Bloody hell...

I was wandering through Hitchin last week, killing time waiting for Mrs
WUN, when an inscription on the war memorial caught my eye:

F.E. Young VC

Well, VC, that's got to be worth a look, hasn't it?

http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/hlcem04.htm

"For most conspicuous bravery, determination and exceptional devotion to
duty on 18th September, 1918, south-east of Havrincourt, when during an
enemy counter-attack and throughout an extremely intense enemy barrage
he visited all posts, warned the garrisons and encouraged the men. In
the early stages of the attack he rescued two of his men who had been
captured, and bombed and silenced an enemy machine gun. Although
surrounded by the enemy, 2nd Lt. Young fought his way back to the main
barricade and drove out a party of the enemy who were assembling there.
By his further exertions the battalion was able to maintain a line of
great tactical value, the loss of which would have meant serious delay
to future operations. Throughout four hours of intense hand-to-hand
Sighting 2nd Lt. Young displayed the utmost valour and devotion to duty,
and set an example to which the company gallantly responded. He was last
seen fighting hand to hand against a considerable number of the enemy."

18th September, 1918. Less than eight weeks before the Armistice. "The
battalion was able to maintain a line of great tactical value, the loss
of which would have meant serious delay to future operations".

The poor sod was 23. What a *waste*...

 

yep, that is true.

 

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 21:52:26 +0100, Wicked Uncle Nigel

snip>

The same could be said about a large number of other soldiers who've
died over the years and are still doing so in shit holes on the other
side of the World.

Bring them home.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Andy Bonwick

Oh sure, but it's only every now and again that one story gets through.
This was one such (for me).

 

Actually, much less of a waste than most people who died there.

 

That's war.

 

I've got a book called The Soldier's War and it contains letters and
interviews from soldiers (privates through to the upper ranks) who
fought in WW1. I wonder if the press at the time had been able to print
some of the accounts whether the war would have dragged on so long.

--
Richard

XJ900S
BOTAFOT #138, YTC#18, OMF#12

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