The Death of the Noblest Generation

Harry Patch, the last British survivor of the trenches of the Great War, has finally died at the age of 111.

The man from Combe Down, near Bath, fought in the horrific Battle of Passchendaele in 1917 where 70,000 of his compatriots lost their lives.

He represents the death of a forgotton era where patriotism and loyalty to one's country were not frowned upon or seen as not "cool" enough but were in fact encouraged and respected. It is such a shame to see soldiers disrespected and mistreated as they so often are nowadays. Regardless of one's feelings about a particular war or conflict that one's nation is engaged in, one must treat the soldiers, who often have little choice in the matter of their deployment, with the respect and honour that they deserve.

Gordon Brown called Harry Patch's "the noblest of all generations". On this issue I certainly agree with him as well.