Anthem for Doomed Youth
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstruous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Wilfred Owen 1893-1918
And on this Armistice Day let's not forget the :
Horses, Mules and Donkeys
Eight million horses and countless mules and donkeys died in the First
World War. They were used to transport ammunition and supplies to the
front and many died, not only from the horrors of shellfire but also in
terrible weather and appalling conditions. Mules were found to have
tremendous stamina in extreme climates and over the most difficult
terrain, serving courageously in the freezing mud on the Western Front
and later at Monte Cassino in World War II. Equally they toiled
unflinchingly in the oppressive heat of Burma, Eritrea and Tunisia.
There are many inspiring and often tragic stories of the great devotion
and loyalty shown between horses, mules and donkeys and their masters
during some of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century, as can be
read in Jilly Cooper's moving book
Animals in War, published by Corgi.
Dogs
The dog's innate qualities of intelligence and devotion were valued
and used by the forces in conflicts throughout the century. Among their
many duties, these faithful animals ran messages, laid telegraph wires,
detected mines, dug out bomb victims and acted as guard or patrol dogs.
Many battled on despite horrific wounds and in terrifying circumstances
to the limit of their endurance, showing indomitable courage and supreme
loyalty to their handlers.
Pigeons
More than 100,000 pigeons served Britain in the First World War and
200,000 in World War II. They performed heroically and saved thousands
of lives by carrying vital messages, sometimes over long distances, when
other methods of communication were impossible. Flying at the rate of a
mile a minute from the front line, from behind enemy lines or from
ships or aeroplanes, these gallant birds would struggle on through all
weathers, even when severely wounded and exhausted, in order to carry
their vital messages home.
Other Animals
Elephants, camels, oxen, bullocks, cats, canaries, even glow worms — all
these creatures, great and small, contributed their strength, their
energy and their lives in times of war and conflict to the British,
Commonwealth and Allied forces during the 20th century.
