The 'Last Tommy' dies saying war is pointless
From Christine Titmus, August 10th 2009:
Last week we heard of the death of Harry Patch, the final surviving British soldier of World War One. Harry consistently proclaimed the futility of war, and in interviews made plain his view that it was pointless to engage in prolonged warfare and then, finally, end up talking anyway. War was not the way to settle conflict. In fact, he felt so strongly that he left instructions that his funeral was to be 'non-militaristic' and no weapons were to be present. For most of his life he refused to discuss his experience of WW1; it was only as he realised he may be one of the last or the only one, left to tell, that he began to speak and be interviewed.
His interviews are striking, and very moving, for the way he so simply yet profoundly gets across the logic of why war must stop. I hope all those of us who share his insight will find a way to allow Harry and his message to be used to promote our vision of a world without war - a vision he certainly shared.
The theme of his funeral was Peace and Reconciliation.
For the 'Last Tommy' to leave this as his epitaph is a strong signal indeed.