John Robson: On Nov. 11 We Shall Remember All Who Gave Their Tomorrows for Our Today, in Small Wars and Big
Commentary
From Vimy Ridge to Mons Badonis, Kandahar to Juno Beach, we shall remember them. Even if we have no idea who they were.
We often do not. Even in the two world wars a staggering number of the dead have no known grave, though we usually know who they are, just not where, especially if they fought for the Western Allies. But the long struggle for freedom and decency is marked not only by unknown graves, or none, but also by unknown battles, unmarked causes, and desecrated bodies left for the wolves and crows.
Years ago in Britain, filming my Constitutional trilogy, I encountered several hills whose natural defensive features made them strongpoints from the Bronze Age and earlier. And I saw dim visions of generations fighting and dying in small battles, not just long forgotten but never known except by them. And such places exist around the world because petty tribal quarrels as well as clashes of massive armies have plagued mankind from the start….