Card from my paternal Grandfather

I confess I have mixed feelings about Anzac Day.

I think of my Grandfather and the nearly 3 years he spent on the Western Front in WW1. I think of him returning home damaged by what he saw, heard, smelled and possibly did, but never able to speak of it. I'm glad we know something of that now and can honour him.

But I don't honour war or nationalism, nor the borderline mawkish quality I see in the media that leaves me vaguely uneasy.

This is a card he sent his parents. "Dear Mother and Father, just a line to let you know that I am alright and hope that all at home are same...". 

By my reckoning he had served in both the Battles of the Somme and Passchendaele by the time he sent this. Behind the card is an image of a forest wasteland my Grandfather possibly saw during the Battle of the Somme.

I wonder what he would make of the world now? A digital age a world away from the the one he knew. Maybe not so different. Ironically we're off to war again 100 years later, still fighting Muslims.

Tonight I have pressed the submit button :-) What a big effort that has been. Bed for me now. Realistically tomorrow night I'll be in preparation mode for this weekend's trip