[General] Re: Last Tommy

[thedaffodils]

In life, he was honoured as the last survivor from the trenches during a war that cost millions of men their lives. In death, World War I veteran Harry Patch wanted the focus to be on peace.

And so the funeral of the 'Last Tommy', who died aged 111 last month, was about reconciliation rather than military display - of inclusion rather than separation.

Read more: Thousands pay their respects at funeral of World War I veteran Harry Patch | Mail Online

Hello!

I don't understand the words I highlighted in blue. Could someone please paraphrase them for me?

Many thanks!

[bhaisahab]

Originally Posted by thedaffodils

Read more: Thousands pay their respects at funeral of World War I veteran Harry Patch | Mail Online

Hello!

I don't understand the words I highlighted in blue. Could someone please paraphrase them for me?

Many thanks!

'Irrespective of the uniforms we wore, we were all victims,' said the centenarian who fought at the Battle of Passchendaele

You can see from the quote above that Harry Patch's own attitude was one of reconciliation. Soldiers from France, Belgium and Germany were at his funeral in keeping with his wishes, emphasising that this was an inclusive ceremony.

[BobK]

In fact, as a precondition to one of his public visits to war graves (maybe his first - I forget), he insisted on visiting a German military cemetery too. (It calls to mind the Communist slogan: 'A bayonet is a tool with a worker at each end'.)

b

[Copy-editor]

Originally Posted by BobK

'A bayonet is a tool with a worker at each end'.)

b

Ho ho! Too true, and succinctly put!

[thedaffodils]

Everyone, thank you!


BobK,

What does the sentence as below refer to?

A bayonet is a tool with a worker at each end.

Why is it a communist slogan?

Thanks!

[bhaisahab]

Originally Posted by thedaffodils

Everyone, thank you!


BobK,

What does the sentence as below refer to?

A bayonet is a tool with a worker at each end.

Why is it a communist slogan?

Thanks!

It means that, in war, workers kill workers.

[BobK]

Couldn't have put it so succinctly.

A bit of extra info: the Communist Party has always been on the side of the workers (of every country). The British CP was opposed to the war. They had a poster with this slogan on it. (It must be on the Internet somewhere, but I can't find it.)

b

[thedaffodils]

Thank you for your replies again.

Which party was for the war? Labor or Tory? Isn' Labour on the side of workers in the UK?

[bhaisahab]

Originally Posted by thedaffodils

Thank you for your replies again.

Which party was for the war? Labor or Tory? Isn' Labour on the side of workers in the UK?

At the time of the outbreak of WW1 there had never been a socialist/labour government in the UK, the choice was between Liberal and Tory and the political situation was very, very different. Traditionally Labour has been 'on the side of the workers' but not always.

[thedaffodils]

Originally Posted by bhaisahab

Traditionally Labour has been 'on the side of the workers' but not always.

Thank you, Bhaisahab.

Can I say the major support for te Labour is from the UK working class, while that of the Tory is from the middle or upper classes?

If the Labour is not always on the side of the workers, how can the Labour win in the election?