Many people say this era is too sad to write about, but I don't agree. The courage those men and women had, whether fighting and serving in the war, or those left at home to struggle on without them, is immensely satisfying to write about, to learn about.
Yes, there was death and slaughter, but from that bleak time grew the beginnings of several nations' attitudes to band together in tough times and more importantly to weather the storms of future troubles. The Great War was the first time that many countries rose as one to fight a common cause.
How can man's courage, his honour, his commitment to fight for what he believes in be a sad thing to write about? My hero is fictional, but the cause he takes part in isn't.
These are the people who are the real heroes of the world, not football and film stars and the like, who too often in the media get the label of being a hero. Why? What on earth have they done that is heroic?
While searching my family tree I learned that I had ancestors who fought and died in the Great War. One great great uncle, Arthur Ellis died on the first day of the first battle of the Somme in July 1916. He's buried at Thiepval Memorial cemetery in France. He was one of 5 brothers who fought. This information made me feel so proud that my family gave up strong men to save the world from tyranny.
Poppies growing on the Somme.
Some websites to visit and honour those who fought and sacrificed for us.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ww1.htm
http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/
http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/index.html
http://www.awm.gov.au/
1 comment:
Beautiful post. I write about war time periods too.
Faith, Hope, and Love, take front and center in a person's life during the trying times of war.
Post a Comment