Ave atque Vale Saturday, July 25th, 2009
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With the death of Harry Patch it seems that the last living link to the trenches has gone. Harry knew the world we are excavating and reconstructing through our work. To him the trenches were newly built, the tins weren’t rusty and all those names on the memorials were real, living, young people.
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How appropriate that the man whose passing marks this moment of shift should be one who did not want to fight but was conscripted and who held off killing for as long as possible.
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Harry Patch, plumber, fireman, gentleman and soldier.
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Filed under: Great War History by
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1 Comment »
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I was in Monkton Combe when Harry Patch’s cortege arrived at the church. I filmed it and put it on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQTRzdX8yzs
The last moments on earth of the last British man to survive the First World War. Very moving.