Harry Patch and The End of an Era

I watched part of the proceedings of the funeral of Harry Patch yesterday afternoon.

The phrase “the end of an era” tends to get wheeled out too often, not least by me.

But that is what this really was. I’m sure Harry was a charming and special man to all those who knew him. But the crowds lining the streets of the lovely City of Wells today were not there just to remember him. This was our communal twenty first century goodbye to a generation whose sacrifices we grew up knowing about and who gave so very much, often the ultimate in fact, that we may enjoy the way of life which we have today.

Our country and our world is not perfect. But it is better for the sacrifice of those represented by one solitary Somerset man today.