Remembering the First World War

Unless you've been living the life of a hermit for the past twelve months, you'll be aware that this year's Remembrance Day has an added poignancy as it marks the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Sadly, though, the way this significant commemoration is being observed by the nation and the media leaves me both angered and with a strong sense of dismay as I feel it has been hijacked for political reasons.

Remembrance Day should be a commemoration of all those who died in war; a chance to remember personal losses and an opportunity to reflect and learn from the mistakes of the past so that future generations don't have to go through the same suffering, wasted lives and grief. Sadly, though, Remembrance Sunday, and the whole month before it, is now a celebration of the military, of "heroes" and, increasingly, it is a justification for current and future wars. Late October and early November have been taken over by the Poppy Nazis who want the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal to be given special status above all other charities, and who sneer in disdain if anyone dare not wear what is, year after year, turning into more of a symbol of jingoism and less a symbol of remembrance.

A few months ago I went to a stunning production of Oh! What a Lovely War in Nottingham. Yes, it's an anti-war play devised in Stratford East in the 1960s - a long way, both geographically and chronologically, from the trenches of Flanders - but it gives an alternative view of the First World War far from the heroic version that so readily trips of the tongues of the military and right wing politicians and one which, during the Falklands Conflict of the early 1980s, was banned by many councils up and down the land. What were the two World Wars supposedly about? One answer, often given, is freedom of speech…. how ironic!

I know that Blackadder Goes Forth can be dismissed as "just a sitcom" but the ending of the last episode surely brings home the horrors and fears in the trenches and, whilst the characters might be cartoon-like stereotypes, they are based on a reality that gets dismissed far too quickly by those who want to promote national pride and military heroism. This final scene says so much more about war and the horrors of war than any Remembrance Day speech by David Cameron or Liz Windsor.


It is tragic that so many young men (and women, but mostly men) lost their lives in the Great War - the "War to end all wars". Many (most?) were tricked and conned and lied to to get them into uniform. They didn't really understand what the war was about (did anyone?), and they were used a worthless pawns in a game of chess by leaders detached from the conditions at the front. They were cannon fodder, pure and simple. Their lives were seen as irrelevant and meaningless by the military leaders and politicians who sent them to the Western Front and to their deaths in millions.

But, of course, the arms trade, the military, the politicians and the monarchy need a constant stream of soldiers to make them money, give them power, make them feel important and to assist with the brainwashing of a gullible population who, all too easily, fall for the nationalistic, patriotic and jingoistic. Sp, what they do is turn round the horrors of the First World War, the atrocities, the dreadful conditions (all so well reported in the poems of Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, et al) and make everyone heroes, and stir up pride in the futile battles that raged for months and made only yards of progress, whilst thousands upon thousands died.

And with that, Remembrance Day has become a day of jingoism and a celebration of war alongside, and often overshadowing, the losses of life, the suffering and the heartache.

Remembrance Day today is a day for hypocrites:

• The Christian Church who ignore their Holy Book and the specific teachings of Jesus by not simply remembering the dead but allowing "battle honours" and overtly militaristic statues into places of worship and peace.
• The Monarch who, in the UK, is also head of the Church of England which professes peace but is often seen in her military uniform as head of the Armed Forces.
• The Politicians who shed mock tears at the Cenotaph and then return to their offices and send more soldiers to their deaths.
• The Media who like to stir jingoism and xenophobia (often bordering on racism) because it panders to the lowest common denominators who will then buy their shabby red tops.
• The Military who shed crocodiles tears whilst sending more soldiers to war and attacking civilians, schools, hospitals, etc.

And people con themselves that they're remembering the dead by wearing a poppy, and they're showing support for their "ultimate sacrifice" but, sadly, while they might be doing that by buying that poppy, supporting the military, etc. they are all part of a spin machine not dis-similar to the spin machine used by Lord Kitchener when he said "Your Country Needs You" and then sent millions to unmarked graves across Europe.

This year one of the most amazing memorials has been the Tower of London poppies - a beautifully conceived temporary installation of 800,000 plus ceramic poppies. It's drawn huge crowds and generated huge amounts of publicity. But why 800,000? Because that's the British dead. Just British dead. Just British soldiers, in fact. This is a divisive display, nationalistic and leaving a nasty taste in the mouth, once the facts come out. The poppies look lovely but….

We then have all the failing celebrities getting behind the Poppy Appeal - desperately trying to prop up or re-ignite careers that have fallen by the way side. They probably haven't been invited on to I'm A Celebrity, so look round for some other way to spread their name - and this deflects from the remembrance of those who died and becomes a story about X supports the Poppy Appeal.

We now have a Poppy Appeal song (this year it's sung by Joss Stone) but, even with that, the pro-military Royal British Legion cut out two and a half verses of the anti-war song they chose to record so that it's insipid, at best, and bland and meaningless at worst (but it no longer jars with their military masters).

Then, to top it all off, Liz Windsor and he family roll along, several dressed in military uniforms (often with medals awarded for simply having been a relative of old Liz) and this is just weeks after having walked amongst the Tower of London Poppies….

And then, quietly working in the background, is the Arms Industry - fuelling the fires of war, profiteering from death, with no interest or benefit of a lasting peace. And, it seems, they even sponsor charity events for the British Legion - is that guilt?

I know there is already an International Day of Peace but maybe Remembrance Day and the International Day of Peace should be merged - so we can start to work for a better future.

I will never wear a red poppy - to me it is a symbol of support for killing on a massive scale. It may be the logo of the Royal British Legion, but it may as well be the corporate logo of the Arms Trade who continue to flog death and destruction around the world for their own personal greed. It is not about heroism. It is about dividing peoples, nations, races. It is a celebration of war and all that entails.

Instead I choose to wear a white poppy - a symbol of peace, of hope for the future and a remembrance of the atrocities of the past century. I will remember the dead, ALL the dead, from all sides in the various conflicts, including the civilians who have increasingly lost their lives in wars.

(Just before the First World War 90%+ of those who lost their lives in war were in the military. One hundred years later it has almost reversed so that approx. 90% of those who lose their lives in conflicts now are civilians - how can this be right? How can this be acceptable?).

As Harry Patch said, "War - t'isn't worth it".
 

I know it won't happen, because the military, monarchy, ministry and politicians won't let it happen, but this year, of all years, I'd like to see a Remembrance Day that's about remembering and reflecting. I'd like to see a Remembrance Day free from priests, military uniforms and medals, politicians, royalty, etc. I'd like this nation, and the entire world, to really think whether it was all worth it and then, if they have any sense, to start working out how we can avoid future wars.