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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'We should be more thankful' | 'We should be more thankful' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Jon Kay BBC News, Ypres | By Jon Kay BBC News, Ypres |
| The journey to Ypres has been emotional for all threeHow much do today's teenagers know about World War I? | |
| One man took his two grandsons on a personal journey to the Western Front, for a history lesson they are unlikely to forget. | One man took his two grandsons on a personal journey to the Western Front, for a history lesson they are unlikely to forget. |
| Before coming here from their home in Somerset, James White and his younger brother Simon weren't sure when the Great War happened. | Before coming here from their home in Somerset, James White and his younger brother Simon weren't sure when the Great War happened. |
| They didn't know what the Armistice was about - and they didn't understand why we wear poppies. | They didn't know what the Armistice was about - and they didn't understand why we wear poppies. |
| Now, their bright white trainers are caked in mud as they step gingerly through the trenches at a military museum near the Belgian city of Ypres. | Now, their bright white trainers are caked in mud as they step gingerly through the trenches at a military museum near the Belgian city of Ypres. |
| "Ugh. It's disgusting," squeals James, 17, as the chocolate-brown soup seeps through the soles of his shoes. | "Ugh. It's disgusting," squeals James, 17, as the chocolate-brown soup seeps through the soles of his shoes. |
| "My feet are freezing. I don't know how those soldiers put up with it. I couldn't." | "My feet are freezing. I don't know how those soldiers put up with it. I couldn't." |
| Robin, the boys' grandfather, laughs as he watches the teenage pair struggling in the mud. | Robin, the boys' grandfather, laughs as he watches the teenage pair struggling in the mud. |
| Robin and his grandsons in Ypres | Robin and his grandsons in Ypres |
| "That's nothing!" he teases. "The lads who fought here would have been cold and wet for weeks on end. | "That's nothing!" he teases. "The lads who fought here would have been cold and wet for weeks on end. |
| "They'd have had rats nibbling at their toes. You boys don't know how lucky you are!" | "They'd have had rats nibbling at their toes. You boys don't know how lucky you are!" |
| This is why Robin has brought the boys here - to see the reality of the trenches. | This is why Robin has brought the boys here - to see the reality of the trenches. |
| "Kids today just don't understand the First World War," says Robin. "They learn about the Second War, but the 1914 conflict just gets ignored. | "Kids today just don't understand the First World War," says Robin. "They learn about the Second War, but the 1914 conflict just gets ignored. |
| "If we're not careful, the younger generation of today will never know what happened." | "If we're not careful, the younger generation of today will never know what happened." |
| Overwhelmed | Overwhelmed |
| He's right. James and Simon don't have much understanding of World War I. | |
| "We didn't really do much on it at school," says James, who wants to become a police officer. | "We didn't really do much on it at school," says James, who wants to become a police officer. |
| "And the stuff we did learn was just from text books. You learn so much more from real, hands-on experience." | "And the stuff we did learn was just from text books. You learn so much more from real, hands-on experience." |
| The brothers were touched by by what they found out about George Thatcher | The brothers were touched by by what they found out about George Thatcher |
| Robin, 65, wants to show James and Simon the scale of the loss in the war, so we head to the Menin Gate Memorial in the centre of Ypres. | |
| It is a vast monument containing the names of 54,896 Commonwealth soldiers who died without graves. Every name is carved into the giant stones. | It is a vast monument containing the names of 54,896 Commonwealth soldiers who died without graves. Every name is carved into the giant stones. |
| The boys are clearly overwhelmed by the sheer number of names. | The boys are clearly overwhelmed by the sheer number of names. |
| "I'm amazed," says 14 year old Simon. "It's devastating to think how many there are." | "I'm amazed," says 14 year old Simon. "It's devastating to think how many there are." |
| His older brother is also standing there, open-mouthed. "I've never seen anything like this before," he gasps, "I can't even find a word to describe it. It's hard to believe." | His older brother is also standing there, open-mouthed. "I've never seen anything like this before," he gasps, "I can't even find a word to describe it. It's hard to believe." |
| Gassed | Gassed |
| Robin Wright has a very personal reason for bringing them to the Western Front. | Robin Wright has a very personal reason for bringing them to the Western Front. |
| I'm definitely going to remember this. These guys were heroes James White, 17 His own grandfather - the boys' great-great-grandfather, George Thatcher, died here on November 2nd 1918, serving with the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. | I'm definitely going to remember this. These guys were heroes James White, 17 His own grandfather - the boys' great-great-grandfather, George Thatcher, died here on November 2nd 1918, serving with the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. |
| He died just a few days before the end of hostilities. Robin has researched what happened to George, and now he wants the boys to understand. | He died just a few days before the end of hostilities. Robin has researched what happened to George, and now he wants the boys to understand. |
| So, in torrential rain, we drive south across the French border. From the regimental war diaries, we've been able to pin-point the exact location where George was gassed in the trenches. | So, in torrential rain, we drive south across the French border. From the regimental war diaries, we've been able to pin-point the exact location where George was gassed in the trenches. |
| It is now a potato field on the outskirts of Beaurain village, near Cambrai. | It is now a potato field on the outskirts of Beaurain village, near Cambrai. |
| Like a military general himself, Robin leads his grandsons through the mud, right into the middle of the field. | Like a military general himself, Robin leads his grandsons through the mud, right into the middle of the field. |
| He points towards a church on a distant hill. "That's where George and his mates were heading on the night he was gassed," he tells them. | He points towards a church on a distant hill. "That's where George and his mates were heading on the night he was gassed," he tells them. |
| The boys' great-great-grandfather died just before the end of the war"The gas was a terrible way to die. You couldn't see it coming. You didn't know it was in your lungs until it was too late." | The boys' great-great-grandfather died just before the end of the war"The gas was a terrible way to die. You couldn't see it coming. You didn't know it was in your lungs until it was too late." |
| "The shells were falling all around. The horses would have been in a mad panic. You can't take it all in, can you? | "The shells were falling all around. The horses would have been in a mad panic. You can't take it all in, can you? |
| "Would you have liked to have swapped places with him?" he asks his grandsons. | "Would you have liked to have swapped places with him?" he asks his grandsons. |
| The brothers look at one another and shake their heads. | The brothers look at one another and shake their heads. |
| 'Heroes' | 'Heroes' |
| After he was gassed, George Thatcher was taken to a hospital near Calais, where he died of his injuries. The boys' final stop is the cemetery where their great-great-grandfather is buried. | After he was gassed, George Thatcher was taken to a hospital near Calais, where he died of his injuries. The boys' final stop is the cemetery where their great-great-grandfather is buried. |
| Robin, James and Simon process into the graveyard. They walk along the lines of white head-stones, looking for George's final resting place. | Robin, James and Simon process into the graveyard. They walk along the lines of white head-stones, looking for George's final resting place. |
| Just two days ago, the young brothers didn't even know George's name. Today they shout "Here he is!" as they spot 'George J. Thatcher' inscribed on his simple grave. | Just two days ago, the young brothers didn't even know George's name. Today they shout "Here he is!" as they spot 'George J. Thatcher' inscribed on his simple grave. |
| Heads-bowed, the trio lay a wreath of poppies - and stand in silence. | Heads-bowed, the trio lay a wreath of poppies - and stand in silence. |
| "It's amazing that, in two days, you can find out so much about someone," says James. | "It's amazing that, in two days, you can find out so much about someone," says James. |
| "I'm going to tell my mates that we should be more thankful," adds Simon as he looks at all the graves around him. | "I'm going to tell my mates that we should be more thankful," adds Simon as he looks at all the graves around him. |
| "These men made our lives better - but they gave their own lives." | "These men made our lives better - but they gave their own lives." |
| James agrees: "I'm definitely going to remember this." | James agrees: "I'm definitely going to remember this." |
| "These guys were heroes. We should respect them and what they did." | "These guys were heroes. We should respect them and what they did." |
| Robin has tears in his eyes as he listens to his grandsons. | Robin has tears in his eyes as he listens to his grandsons. |
| It has been quite a journey. | It has been quite a journey. |