A Soldier Died Today

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Got this in an email today..thought I would share it

 

 

Remembrance Day

He was getting old and paunchy

And his hair was falling fast,

And he sat around the Legion,

Telling stories of the past.

 

Of a war that he once fought in

And the deeds that he had done,

In his exploits with his buddies;

They were heroes, every one.

 

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbours

His tales became a joke,

All his buddies listened quietly

For they knew whereof he spoke.

 

But we'll hear his tales no longer,

For old Bob has passed away,

And the world's a little poorer

For a Soldier died today.

 

He won't be mourned by many,

Just his children and his wife.

For he lived an ordinary,

Very quiet sort of life.

 

He held a job and raised a family,

Going quietly on his way;

And the world won't note his passing,

Tho a Soldier died today.

 

When politicians leave this earth,

Their bodies lie in state.

While thousands note their passing,

And proclaim that they were great.

 

Papers tell of their life stories

From the time that they were young.

But the passing of a Soldier

Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

 

Is the greatest contribution

To the welfare of our land,

Someone who breaks his promise

And cons his fellow man?

 

Or the ordinary fellow

Who in times of war and strife,

Goes off to serve his country

And offers up his life?

 

The politician’s stipend

And the style in which he lives,

Are often disproportionate,

To the service that he gives.

 

While the ordinary Soldier,

Who offered up his all,

Is paid off with a medal

And perhaps a pension, though small.

 

It is not the politicians

With their compromise and ploys,

Who won for us the freedom

That our country now enjoys.

 

Should you find yourself in danger,

With your enemies at hand,

Would you really want some cop-out,

With his ever waffling stand?

 

Or would you want a Soldier--

His home, his country, his kin,

Just a common Soldier,

Who would fight until the end?

 

He was just a common Soldier,

And his ranks are growing thin,

But his presence should remind us

We may need his like again.

 

For when countries are in conflict,

We find the Soldier's part,

Is to clean up all the troubles

That the politicians start.

 

If we cannot do him honour

While he's here to hear the praise,

Then at least let's give him homage

At the ending of his days.

 

Perhaps just a simple headline

In the paper that might say:

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,

A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

[+daddyairplanes 10,257]

well said

[MigBuster 2,884]

Yes all too true unfortunately

 

 

BBC have put up a 1914 to 2010 UK casualty chart

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11743727

[+Dave 2,322]

2 years ago today, SGT Jon Stiles was killed in Afghanistan. I worked with his sister SrA Natalie Hopkins at my command post here at the 445th. I was just at his parents house Thursday night. SrA Hopkins just got off activation orders in the USAFR and is on her way to join her husband 2LT Trevor Hopkins at FT Sill. Sgt Stiles also has a brother in the Army and is in Afghanistan as we speak. Needless to say the parents are very proud of their military family. It was humbling to sit and talk to his parents and look at everything they had for Jon set up in the house. They keep a count down until their youngest son comes homes from Afghanistan.