deeden

This is a single post from deeden.co.uk made during the period May 2002 to April 2009. During a previous grand redesign I decided to make a break with the past and consign the old entries to history. This entry is from November 2002 and lives here forevermore.

Thousands of soldiers

When I was younger, but old enough to appreciate the experience, I went to a number of World War II cemeteries. The first few I saw were Allied cemeteries, with British and American soldiers and, I believe, a number from the Commonwealth as well. They’re very sad places, yet beautifully maintained and very peaceful. The most shocking thing about them comes when you’re standing in the middle and can look in any direction and see thousands of crosses, stars of David and the like packed together. Thousands of them just sitting there on the grass with a name on each. It brings home a sense of the numbers involved.

While I was there I also went to a German cemetery. There were a few less people at it, although still a good number from many nationalities and the crosses were a different colour. That was the only real difference. There were as many plots for the soldiers; the cemetery was as immaculately maintained as any of the Allied ones; it was just as sad. I felt sorry for all of them, and still do.