AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 107 of 237 ‘For the Fallen’: Lawrence Binyon “They shall grow not old, as we that are left to grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the Sun and in the morning We shall remember them.....................” The Great War ended with tens of millions casualties and incalculable economic costs. The strategic, military and political mistakes were a shock to the British public. Political leadership had been discredited. Even as poetry of highest standard was coming out the sense of pointlessness of war was wide spread. In this depressing milieu, the famous poet William Butler Yeats was asked by a well known person to do a war poem. His response to the request was a poem which poignantly shows the mood against political leaders calling themselves as statesmen. Flawed statesmanship led to the Second World War within twenty years after the First. ‘ On being asked for a War Poem’: WB Yeats “I think it better that in times like these A poet’s mouth be silent, for in truth We have no gift to set a statesman right. He has had enough of meddling who can please A young girl in the indolence of youth, Or an old man upon a winter’s night.” There is a wealth of outstanding poetry from the First World War, which can be easily accessed. It will be an enriching experience. The author, a poetry admirer, will bring other war poems to the Veterans’ notice, in future issues of the Journal. About the Author The General was trained in the NDA (11 Course / Charlie) and commissioned in the Indian Army in the Punjab Regiment, the oldest Infantry Regiment. In his glorious career he has commanded a Division in Kargil and Siachen. He held the most prestigious operational post of the Director General Military Operations at the Army HQ. A scholar soldier who has held numerous international and national posts. Among them as a Council Member of IISS, London for 6 long years; Member International Commission on Nuclear Disarmament, Member NSAB, Member Naresh Chandra Committee on Defence Reorganisation and Member Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee for Reforms to AFSPA. He lives in Chennai .