Poppies at the roundabout

Today, 25 November, is 110 years since the battle of Gallipoli. A battle in which many New Zealand and Australian soldiers (the ANZACs) died. As with so many days od remembrance, the incident being remembered was not a success. 

The reason why we should reflect on such days is the futility of war, even when it is not avoidable, as in Ukraine having to defend against an unwarranted attack by Russia.

In my reading of crime novels and especially murder mysteries I frequently read the exhortation to "Follow the money". History might be interpreted rather differently if the role of money was part of that analysis.

I learned yesterday that in on one day during World War I more New Zealand soldiers were killed than died in the second world war. Those men (some mere boys of 18) were sacrificed. It is wrong to say that they made the ultimate sacrifice. Others sacrificed them.