🇬🇧93YO BRITISH SOLDIER | Americans React 🥰😀 

'These men are worth your tears: ' - Wilfred Owen

This man has a razor sharp mind and memory for 93 years of age.

BTW, This man is not from Northern Ireland, he has a Dublin accent, that is his home town.

My grandfather told me when I was very young, "the only thing a man has in this life that is truly his, is his word."

A true hero.

My Grandfather volunteered at 16 in WW1 he was injured at the Somme, he served in WW2 as many others did. In later years I asked my Mother why he served in both war's, she said well you know your Grandad when he wasn't fighting Germans he would be fighting in the 'Local Pub' these old soldiers were a 'different breed!'

The world needed men like this

I am 73 and my dad was a sergeant in WW1 and all i know is what my older brother told me as my dad told me nothing. I was told my dad was gassed but this is the first time i have heard such detail.from this man, The recorded voices of the men in WW1 are a wonderful time machine. How interesting it would have been if we could have heard the voices of those who were in the battle of Waterloo.

The world still needs these brave souls

I think the British Army are still some of the best. They are still very traditional and have never dropped their standards, unlike civilian life.

I've been watching loads of these "Americans react to...." and you're easily my favourite. I thought that before watching this but the mere fact you chose to post it, and your respectful attitude, has just cemented my view.

Real Heroes, God Bless everyone who sacrificed their lives for us.

Great vid phill what a man god bless him 👍🇬🇧

That old man is not British - he was Irish and from Dublin. The presenter, a modern Irishman, was trying to get him to complain about fighting for the United Kingdom in the war. He didn't get very far - the man had made an oath to serve and to stand by his pals. Remember Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland then and that was where his loyalty lay. Of course, we know there were cowards and deserters in the army but, the vast majority stayed firm. I have only been in action once, and that was a false alarm at Suez. I was on board ship. My action duty was in the depths of my ship and I believed that if we were torpedoed there was a strong chance of not getting out. We were not torpedoed. I felt scared, but it was something you tried not to show. That was the only time. My father was gassed in WW1 although the army denied it. but he suffered from asthma all his life and still in 1939 he offered himself as a volunteer but was turned down.. He died in 1950 aged 51. - he was 16 when he volunteered in 1915 and said he was 18. That Irish Tommy was very real to me. About the same age as my father.

Such a moving account. I have listened to many stories of his generation of their dedication to duty, truly very brave, strong people. Unfortunately all his generation have passed now and all we have left are the memories on film, of their determination, grit and bravery to get through such a devastating period of our history. Lest we forget.🌺

How life was like for the serving soldier in World War One was very well captured in "They Shall Not Grow Old" documentary and the movie "1917".

You may enjoy the youtube videos about Hannah Hauxwell, particularly," A Winter too many". She was a wonderful gentle woman who lived alone on an isolated farm in Yorkshire, without running water and electricity when the audience first met her in the video "Too Long a Winter". What a lady and tough to survive living there in those conditions.

Old soldiers never die they only fade away.

Fabulous...😊 He was sharp as pin too...😊😊

Ireland was on the brink of civil war between Unionists and Nationalists when the first world war broke out. Their differences were put on hold as both sides volunteered to fight with Britain, when Lord Kitchener called for civilians to join up. Both Nationalists and Unionists believed this would be the price to pay to achieve their perspective goals back home once the war was over. The Irish Free State became a republic in 1949 and the soldiers who had died for king and empire were airbrushed from national memory. This has been rectified somewhat in more recent years as there is now recognition for the loss suffered by Irish families in the First World War, regardless of politics or religion.

A totally different generation & the likes of which we'll never, ever see again. Moreover, the interviewer was fortunate to find a veteran who would actually talk about his experiences. Most would not.

When the sh*t goes down, we'll be ready. There's plenty of loyal subjects of HM

My Grandfather fought at the Somme! After the war he was put in a French Asylum suffering from shell shock! Fortunately, for me, my great grandmother found where he was through the military records and went and took him home in 1921!

He is from the Republic of Ireland, Ireland was part of UK at the time. WW1.

You wouldnt get the whipper snappers, doing that today!

Very good reaction and video Felipe. I think you're absolutely right, you're talking about the erosion of values in a levelling down process. It's also a good point that the movies usually reflect the times that they are made in, and not the values of the period setting.

I've heard it said,that first you fight for your mates then your regiment then your country.

What a great down to earth man.

I thoroughly enjoy someone else appreciating how we (The British) used to be my late father and mother brought my brother and I up to know about past wars, etc in fact we used to sit down as a family and, watch good films usually they were true. I grieve for what was and, am grateful to my parents for teaching us about our heritage. Totally different area now my friend and I grew up together she feels the same way.

In "They shall not grow old" there are interviews with several WW1 veterans recorded in the 1960s. Despite all the death and horror, they all said it was the best time of their lives and they'd do it all over again.

I totally agree with your assessment of modern society. The technology is improving, but the mores, the values are regressing.

What a man he was Is all school

Character that's what they had and is what's lacking so often in today's culture.

I remember the 50s well and it really was so very different lacking the modern conveniences but having a greater sense of respect and duty . I will not go into detail about how little crime there was compared to today but how i remember policemen salute and gentlemen would remove their hats when a funeral cortege would pass for some reason that is just one of those memories fixed in my mind.

Some years ago I read a history book about the Redcoat Army - I think that that the book was called Redcoat. At any given time that army was around 40% Irish and they (the Irish) were popular as they were regarded as ever hardworking and cheerful. One of the officers recorded in his diary that one day his Irish valet was late reporting for duty and had failed to arrive at 10:00 as he was supposed to. Eventually, he reported to the officer a few hours later, at 13:00. When he did so, he apologised for his lateness and explained that he had been involved in a skirmish earlier in the day, and as a result had to have his arm amputated. True story.

Enjoyed thanks 🇬🇧😢

Certainly puts todays trials and tribulations in context. Last year a super alert guy was interviewed on Radio 5 who was 16 in 1941 but said he was 17 to join up. Never saw his brother again who was killed in North Africa, and his mother only in 1945. Depth charges deafened one ear and he had one week off in that time. Remarkable lucid guy like the one here in his philosophy of life and death. Next item on the radio was a woman interviewed saying she and her family were devastated about not going on holiday to France so it would now have to be Anglesey - it was pitiful and shaming in comparison.

The interviewer had relations who fought in the British army in the Great War whose memory among thousands of others was forgotten by the Irish state but reawakened after the atrocity at the Remembrance Sunday bombing at Enniskillen. The peace park at Messine in Flanders where the 36th Ulster Division and the 16th Irish Division commemorates all Irishmen from the North and the South that fought and died in the Great War. The two divisions were ‘shoulder to shoulder’ at the Messine Ridge. The memorial was opened by the President of Ireland, H.M Queen Elizabeth and the King of the Belgiums. Not far is the grave of William Redmond brother of John the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party who was brought back mortally wounded by a soldier of the 36th Ulster Division. Ireland and the Great War and it’s consequences is complicated history filled with emotion even after one hundred years. Books by Keith Jeffery and Richard Grayson are good sources.

Very interesting. 'They Shall Not Grow Old' is a great documentary about the first world war.

We have little concept of what these men went through. men from all counties.

One word respect

Felipe, you're getting old mate. The curse of age is experience and memory and it is impossible to remove both from what we experience today. Thank you for the kind words about us Brits but don't lets not forget the many cases of young American men committing suicide when rejected from military service on medical grounds following the attack on Pearl Harbour. It was the shame of not being aloud to defend their Country.

Men of Honor fighting what they believe to be there duty to there nation and there fellow soldiers.

My Grandfather and his brother in law both joined up together in the 1st World-war As a small child I used to see them both , my Grandad seamed to spend most of his time being I’ll just lying on the sofa , his brother in law used to tell us stories of what he did as a sapper bring the dead and wounded back from the front , it gave us nightmares for days A few years ago I was given a picture of my Grandad when he was in uniform , my Dad said . Do you see the 4 stripes on his sleeve and I said no looking for Corporal or Seargeant’s stripes He said look by his wrist , and there they were , he said they are for each time he was injured 1 bullet wound to his head 1 bullet wound to his arm 1 shrapnel wound to his leg Each one needing medical attention away from the front but so he could be sent back to the trench he came from and they where all from different battles The last one and the reason he was so I’ll was because he was gassed at the Somme and lost the lining to his stomach I have no idea how he copped but he came home like many others , settled back into normal life and had a family , but never spoke about what he went through Braver man than me I think , but we never know what we are capable of until we are needed , I have 2 sons , both have done Iraq one of them Afghan twice and the other the Gulf twice in the Royal Navy . Just regular guys as they say , just doing my job Not possible to be any prouder

My Great-uncle told my father of being so hungry in the trenches, that they started catching and eating the rats, and of a man that took his helmet off to scratch his head and was killed by a bullet or shrapnel to the head, the man standing next to him was so affected by this that he refused to remove his helmet for the rest of the war, when the war did end and the man finally removed his helmet, his hair remained in the helmet and he was bald as an egg.

When the chips are down, when the threat becomes menace, we still come together as a people - of course there are scoffers, but for the majority, the old instinct is still there.

Well said. my friend, it should remind you just how lucky you are in that you have a beautiful wife who trusted you, who is your equal. Even though your remarks are spot on. You excluded the fact it's not just a drop in morals of men but also women. The very fabric of society is broken. It's why I believe we are in the period of the Great fulling away. Bring up children as you both are in this modern is going to be especially difficult not so much now but more so when they start to experience an world away from the shelter life you are both providing for them.

If only more of the people of the uk 🇬🇧 were as patriotic as you 👌🏼

'Lions led by donkeys'! I really believe they were the greatest generation- times now are beyond decadent. Great video choice.

Uk military still has these men. Civy street however…

You can hear a touch of old school American accent in his accent.

Agreed oaths are sacred

Instead of these duty led people we have a Delboy character running the country,only Delboy had a heart.

He is not from Northern Ireland he is from Dublin in the irish Republic

The late late show with gay Byrne was religious viewing in Ireland.

My grandad fought in WWII, and my great-grandad in WWI. Never again. I know people from the US think similarly, but for me in the UK, it's personal.

I knew Jack Campbell he was a gentleman.

The history of WW1 was hijacked by the "artist" groups in each country. The writers, poets, filmakers etc portray everything as "senseless" and everyone who took part as having spent the rest of their lives grieving and bemoaning their fate. I grew up in Australia and remember the ANZAC Day marches through Melbourne and seeing the old guys afterwards in the pubs. There was no whining or bleeding heart remorse, they were all fiercely proud of their own courage and that of their mates. They remembered the Germans and the Turks as bloody good opponents and thought of the conflict as the defeat of forces that would not have left the World in peace had those forces been victorious. Having moved to Britain and served in the Army it was evident to me that the same spirit existed in the veterans here. History, when written by the artist, is always about their feelings not the facts.

My great grandfather Arthur Henry Fehr was in the trenches at 15. he lied obviously (about his age lol) . I knew him until 1990 when he died 92. He was born in 1898 crazy. great man. was captured and half starved in a POW camp. said he had to chew wood off the table legs he was so hungry. He strayed into enemy lines looking for a missing ration party. Not only that he was an artisan in every art form painting sculpting. carving making furniture. Bronze casting. worked for one of the movie companies like pinewood. I forget which. on the first king kong film he apparently carved the clay King kong. of mice and men he made a statue of US astronauts that was in the movie. even some buildings in london have his stone carvings lol. Amazing. His dad was the same has a statue at the tate gallery called the rescue of andromeda. and she has our toes as he modelled it on his wifes lol We have funky toes see lol

The trenches can only be described as hell on Earth. The stories are bad enough, the reality is incomprehensible.

IRISH SOLDIER. 😀

This man is Irish from Dublin

He is telling of his experiences during the First World War, not the Second World War.

There was hundreds of southern Irish who joined the British army.They were ostracized by their own government.

I don't think he said "oath" I thought he said, "loyalty to your own". British soldiers don't fight for their monarch and country they fight for their mates and Regiment.

Its a fact that in so many ways the world has changed from even 50 years ago. However, that sense of duty" does remain deep in the British psyche ! I believe that things are much worse in the united states.

Where’s Lilian?

After seeing a TV documentary telling the story from a MOTHER'S perspective - My heart breaks for the MOTHERS who received telegrams casually informing them their first born was dead within days of being shipped off - or ALL THREE sons killed in a week ... Imagine that for a moment - you carried them for 9 months, made sacrifice after sacrifice to nurture them, keep them from harm and vile illnesses, endless sleepless nights, worry and stress - then the moment they're beginning to learn about life, some genius puts the idea in their head to join the army with all their mates and GIVE UP their life for a square foot of soil - and be shot at dawn if they should suddenly realize they are too terrified to walk slowly towards German machine guns. It's a strange definition of cowardice. I've never been able to forget the description of the noises neighbours heard coming from houses where a telegram had just been delivered - everyone knew what the telegram said - and when a mother lost all her sons in one go, for a pointless war, you have to question who suffered the most. The TV documentary describing the inhuman noises of a Mother having had all her "babies" in one go, and sometimes husband too, torn from her by politicians encouraging them to sacrifice their lives and to even lie they weren't children ... that convinced me the Mothers often made the biggest sacrifice and suffered the greatest pain. It's hard to compare different kinds of pain but it's still the mothers I have most sympathy for. The way things are often portrayed in films and suchlike, doesn't always match what I've been told by the people who lived through these things ... An elderly relative who in the second world war was "batman" to RAF pilots, assured me they were often very depressed young men who dreaded having to fly, none of this "tallyho!" nonsense - so when he woke them, they were deeply relieved if he was able to say the weather conditions were bad, meaning they couldn't fly, so they could go back to sleep a little longer - and as you can imagine, he didn't get to know them for long, before they were replaced by other young men, equally afraid. I can appreciate people having a sense of duty towards their comrades or out of wanting to defend their family. I only worry when a person's sense of duty is exploited to make them do things that they would not ordinarily do in a sane state of mind. Blind obedience has a lot to answer for. It sounds almost like "permission to do insane things" - to switch my own brain off and just act as a robot for a politician. Switching your own brain off never sounds like a good idea. - It's KINDA relieving to know there was a high percentage of soldiers who DELIBERATELY missed or subconsciously aimed to miss - so i heard some time ago. (that the kill rate was quite low because most soldiers found it difficult to kill a person) The kids who were encouraged to lie they were adults, not kids, and that they were old enough to "do their duty", or that it would be a pushover... we criticize it when we see the enemy exploiting children that way - but I always get the impression we are encouraged to think "oh, well done!" when 14 year olds signed up to fight for queen and country. There are no other circumstances where we would encourage kids to lie they were adults ... "Mum, I want to get married and have this older man's babies, is it OK if I lie I'm 18?" "NO IT ISN'T! You're still a baby yourself." Most sane people would report the guy in a heartbeat.

I'm sorry but we don't know we have been born today!

The last of the Irish contemptable. The last one. They were the first ones in. Not British but fought for none the less

You swear an oath to Queen or king now and their heirs & successors many stand by that oath after leaving the force

1st World War veteran, not the 2nd.

I don't think you're entirely right about the modern generation not having a 'sense of duty'. (That said, I can only speak for my own British fellow-countrymen.) I think it's probably more diluted -- maybe more questioning -- than it once was; but then those days were simpler times and they didn't have access to the Internet, social media, et al, whereby we are more prone to question things. But, that notwithstanding, I think the same national characteristics prevail (particularly when the chips are down): a sense of 'bloody-mindedness'; a dislike of being pushed around; and a strong sense of history and the need to protect 'what is ours' -- even if that's only one's own back garden.

He’s actually Irish….he served in the British army, as many did during world war 1, many for different reasons, main one being they were promised home rule for Ireland from the British government !

Irish man from Dublin in British army not northern Ireland

Britishers.....

i served in iraq you sweare a oath to your muckers in your platoon. you dont care about anything else like the queen lol

Thumbs down he was not British he was irish we did not build a empire but suffered for it just look at northern IRELAND IRELAND AND IRELAND IS IRELAND