As the fourth of five sons, the war for me and my resultant interest in it, has been occasioned by the fact that older brothers were involved directly in conflict. The eldest had left home when I was a baby so his return after the war was the first occasion I really recall seeing him clearly in the flesh and speaking to him. He was away for most of the war in North Africa and Italy and latterly Greece.
My other older brother was in an assault battalion on Sword Beach on D Day although I knew nothing of this until the 50th Anniversary. He was a regular - as were my two other brothers - and used to go to Normandy every year on the anniversary of Dday.
My own service expereince was post war National Service (the only non regular in the family).
I still uncomfortable when seeing Field grey uniforms - even in films.
As a retired clergyman I feel it important that we do not forget what happened. This is certainly not to glorify war but to recognise that there is an inevitability about it as long as we continue to live and behave as we do - all of us.
Pretending war will go away or that we can always talk a way out of it is "head in the sand" thinking. Road Rage and 'Neighbours from Hell' not forgetting the level of violence in society all are indicators of a massive and fundemental change in us is needed before we can ever get rid of war - if we indeed ever will.
None of this means we have to stop trying to minimise the risks of conflict or avoiding the need for it although we should recognise that the chances are it will always be with us unless we change. Until; then men and women will be called to do their duty and serve and sacrifice.
War is a part of the human condition.
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