I grew up with both my Grandfathers having served in World War Two, my paternal Grandfather was British Infantry, with the South Notts Hussars, and early in the war my Grandad was the sergeant in charge of guarding Rudolf Hess on his madcap crash flight to Scotland, serving in many theatres my Grandad was quiet about his exploits and experiences but he did land with the first waves on D-Day at Sword beach.
My maternal grandfather was in the Royal Navy, serving as an AA-Gun Loader & Electrician on HMS Belfast (yes the on preserved in the Pool of London), on D-Day the Belfast was the first ship to open fire on German positions, and my Grandad used to tell of the sight he had of the worlds largest fleet ever assembled.
Today is a day were we the young, the survivors, the living can remember those deeds, we'll never see them, we'll hopefully never have to live through such turmoil between European countries again.
However, do all the nations of the world, do all the peoples of the world turn to the examples of supreme struggle during the two world wars and learn from them?
Let us hope, for the sake of all, these are painful lessons learned and remembered for all time.
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