buried in uniform

[ivanhowe]

He's buried somewhere, but better still, is to have your service memorialized in a public statue.I haven't seen much of this lately.Public plaques with names seem to have taken the place of the manly soldierly form. What was it about WWI that inspired such tribute to the nation's heroes? Have the real heroes been replaced with something else?

 

[butchyboy]

This is an old movie still showing 3 men who instead of being buried are being preserved.I went to the Herrnschlafticher Museum in Vienna. (the War Museum) On display are the georgeous uniforms of the French, the Austrians, and the germans. Can you just imaging the beautiful Imperial uniforms all over the world clothing the valiant soldiers who sleep undisturbed. There might be some mold on their boots, but with a little care... In one shop a pair of cavalry boots(about a size 5) were selling for $1100.View attachment 34063

Awesome photo!!! Right up Butchyboy's alley!

 

[butchyboy]

The original photo touched me. This is after the fight and the bodies are ready to be shipped home. Imagine having to tie the mouths shut. I've seen hands tied together. The senselessness of wasting such young bodies is war. Why his boots were used as a pillow remains a question. Maybe, he was the darling of the regiment and nobody wanted to desecrate him, or maybe his boots meant a lot to him. I did take a liberty with the death scene by making him hold hands with his best buddy. Men have died protecting their friends. I hope they travel beyong the great divide together.
I have a mini museum of mannequins dressed in military uniforms. 2 of them represent a ww2 Marine and his best friend. Many a story of the love between them was told to me by John, one of the two. His ashes are in the breast pocket . If you are interested, I'll post a photo. Mind you, the love I am speaking was not a physical love, but the love one soldier has for another.View attachment 40547

Priceless!! I'm sure many of us share that perspective on various levels...