International Conscientious Objectors Day is Today

Being celebrated in Manchester this afternoon (and all around the world) was International Conscientious Objectors Day.  The pictures and the link say it all!  I can't say what I would have done in similar circumstances, I just feel very lucky that I haven't had to make that choice.  My father fought in the second world war (Royal Navy), both of my grandfathers in the first world war (British Army).  All three survived.  My maternal grandfather was gassed in the first world war (he wasn't a soldier he was actually a rough rider/horse breaker).  Sadly he died on an operating table in a Liverpool hospital having a "routine" operation.  No one had told the anaesthetist that he only had the use of one lung!  He left a wife and 7 children - all girls.  My nanny was carrying her 7th baby at the time so couldn't be with him.  She told us that he just went off that morning, walked to the hospital (about 10-15 minutes walk) and never returned. 

She never re-married and brought up all the girls by herself - no benefits, no support from the government - eh, they were the good old days weren't they!  Ps - she lived to 96!