Passchendaele

This had been in my mind yesterday but the rainbow took the blip.

Today, however, as we are reminded of the start of one of the worst military battles in history, I decided to use it.

I liked this tie when I bought it. My wife sees squares but increasingly I see crosses.

Just over a year ago we were visiting friends in the north of France and - on a day of torrential non stop rain - went to Vimy ridge and the ring of remembrance ( my blip of 30 May 2016. https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2184092366405632893 )

The news yesterday and today brings back the mind blowing scale of death, let alone injury, whether physical or mental, that was wrought. And these were just a few of the battlegrounds.

As several commentators keep remarking we must not lose sight of these events nor should we forget what led us to the various countries going to war. Centres of power not willing to co-operate ; polarisation and intolerance of others or their different ways of thinking, believing or faith.

The seeds that led to the momentum of conflict must have been small to begin with but nurtured and fed and left unchecked or challenged became unstoppable. I wonder if we are as alive to these issues today as we remember.