John Parr

[RodT]

It happened in 1914, but does it still count as an incident? The first British soldier to be killed in WW1 was a cyclist; John Parr, 17, a reconnaissance cyclist, shot while riding out to scout the German front line.
Mrs. May laid a wreath at his grave today.
17!

[foxyrider]

What can you say?

[Barks]

At the going down of the sun and in the morning we wil remember them. And then try to influence opinion to ensure that such pointless sacrifice is never repeated.

[pwa]

Every war is the product of its time and WW1 cannot happen again because trench warfare was only possible for a very brief period. WW2 was much more mobile, and subsequent wars even more so. Thankfully it has become very unlikely that major developed nations will take on each other because to do so would threaten their economic base too much. For example, we have a lot of trouble with Russia, but both the West and the Russians shy away from direct military conflict because that route would be disaster for both. The age of Great Wars between major developed nations is over.

Proxy wars are another matter...

As for WW1, it is sliding into History, and the personal connections are fading, as inevitably they must. My Grandad (Mother's side) carried an injury from WW1 so my memories of him are my personal connection to that era, but my own kids had no contact with anyone from that war. For them it is History.

[PT1029]

Memories do go. One of my dad's earliest memories as a young boy was hearing the Zepplin engines above London, and walking 6 miles to find some meat to buy.

[irc]

As for WW1, it is sliding into History, and the personal connections are fading, as inevitably they must. My Grandad (Mother's side) carried an injury from WW1 so my memories of him are my personal connection to that era, but my own kids had no contact with anyone from that war. For them it is History.

I guess once the last survivors are gone it's history. I knew my grandfather until I was aged 11. He was one of 5 brothers. As he was in the Seaforth Highlanders TA at the start if the war he was in France/Belgium from October 1914 until the end of the war. Two of his brothers were killed in action/died of wounds. A third was drowned in the Iolaire disaster on 1st January 1919 within sight of home. His last brother died f TB a few years after the war.

And perhaps also victims were his two sisters who never married as so many men of their generation were lost in the war.