I am so glad I decided to watch this programme, it was informative and moving. Ian Hislop's presentation made a good programme great, it was plain to see that he was moved by some of the life stories he introduced. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
Having watched your most excellent first edition of 'The lost generation', I would like to congratulate Mr. Ian Hislop on a most professional and concise presentation he has made.
The only point I would like to make is in reference to the letter Mr. Hislop read out in regard to the mother wishing to have her son's remains returned to her for a family burial. This request is one of many that the governing board received. Where as I can empathize with the next of kin, my thought's are that should those servicemen be returned to their next of kin for a more personal burial, then many servicemen would now be buried in small local cemeteries and not in the major war graves cemeteries. This would then; to my opinion, reduce the massive impact which the first war had, and still has, on our psyche as a country.
To witness, as I have, the phenomenal amount of head stones throughout the 'cockpit of Europe' becomes the very key which opens the door of interest for many of those who simply by poor education or lack of initial interest can start to grasp the true horror of the First world war.
I firmly believe that had not the 'lads' been buried in the fashion in which they had, the memory of this cataclysmic event in our history would be lost as those who fought and died during the peninsular war, culminating at Waterloo have been lost to history.
I would welcome your comments on this thought, especially Mr. Hislop's thoughts as he is without doubt, a very well educated and articulated man, who's emotion's on this subject are evidently heart felt. A most refreshing state of affairs to have a man speak from the heart and not the wallet.
The programme made clear the direct link between the pragmatic decision not to repatriate the bodies - the 750,000 bodies - and the emotional imperative to create memorials as a focus for grieving. How different the English village would be without its memorial. (And in distinct but similar ways the Northern Irish, Welsh and Scottish village.) How different this country would be without the greatest public art project in history, driven as Ian Hislop explained, by the people - their money, their choices, their tears. So I for one concur that the momentous decision to bury the men in a corner of a foreign field has had a profound impact on the psyche of our nation.
