1961: WW1 Veterans return to Ypres | Tonight | BBC Archive

Tonight's Alan Whicker travels with British World War One veterans on a pilgrimage to the Flanders Fields battlefields near Ypres. While there, they will meet with German veterans of the conflict.
Over 40 years have passed since they fought on these fields as enemies, how do they feel now?
Originally broadcast 10 November, 1961.
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[@32446]

It’s mad how these guys were fairly old in the 60’s, yet we only lost the last veteran in 2009. All of them are heroes.

[@garystadler5583]

Will The Champion of buses 32 how many of these world war 1 veterans had sons serve in world war 2

[@ghsvideosreviews5499]

In a probably another decade or two at most , we are losing the ww2 veterans too , if you really think about it.

[@stevonwhite8933]

It was actually 2012, his name was Florence Green. Considered the last “confirmable” soldier of the Great War to have died. With so many countries fighting, many not keeping the best regulations on the ages of soldiers, we never will know in many cases.

[@robotsnthat]

@@garystadler5583 My wife's Grandfather fought in both. His two sons in WW2. All passed now. RIP, god bless.

[@liammeech3702]

​@@stevonwhite8933Florence Green was a nurse who died in 2014

[@josiahcole3186]

Lovely seeing actual WW1 veterans singing pack up your troubles

[@jamesross1799]

Bloody hell. As a young lad in the 80s I used to ask the last of the ww1 men about there war . Its impossible to do so now. I miss those old lads.

[@jameseadie7145]

My great uncle was wounded in the face and captured by the Germans. He had surgery from a German doctor, after the war they kept in touch with each other.

[@christopheradderley45]

Fine tribute to the humblest of gentlemen. Old Tommy talking to his German adversary... "I shot at you and missed, and I'm jolly glad that I did" 🖤

[@garryleeks4848]

Bless them, true heroes, none left now 😢

[@heccsclips3319]

they finally rest..

[@sarahprice1375]

My mother was German, Dad English. I love both my families and im crying over their singing. Our countries were friends once and are now again. Long may it last❤

[@nickrobinson8339]

My grandfather was wounded by shrapnel in 1915 and shot in the leg by a German three hours before the armistice. He was my hero as a small boy and in fact that generation all stood so tall that we, a much later generation, would have to lean backwards and crane our necks upwards to look them in the face. God Bless Them All. Those of us who remember them will never forget.

[@tonysmith2721]

And just look at what we’ve got now. Sam Smith and his worthless woke ilk.

[@erikhesjedal3569]

I have always wondered if they knew it was going to be an armistice in the trenches. Did he know when he was wounded?

[@wilkinson8707]

I’m so glad the BBC put these out for all to see, it’s archives are truly a treasure and not just of British history but of so many others

[@Seminal_Ideas]

It's the dignity of these men that shines through. All passed away now, including Alan Whicker who treats these heroes with such respect.

[@jackthebassman1]

When I first visited Ypres I could shake hands with a veteran, this made it living history and I’ve been gripped by it ever since.

[@kennethmaney914]

My grandad joined up with his 4 brothers in1914, He was in three major battles and a few scirmishes, He was shot in the right leg and hospitalised, The next battle it happened again same leg..then he was sent back to the battle of the Somme and had his leg again shattered to peices by a shell .He was still in hospital when the war ended, and came home to no applause, as did all his brothers..all with damage of some kind. He had a stiff leg all his life but became a docker on Grimsby docks and worked bloody hard for poor pay. Then he finally retired and got his pension, ...then he had a letter to say the pension off the docks 18 shillings and sixpence, and the war pension of 18 shilling for which he gave service for 5 years . Well he could only have one, he cried the only time I've ever seen it, and took the extra sixpence. That left us right on the breadline...WHAT A WAY TO TREAT YOUR HERO'S ENGLAND.

[@peterwilcox1424]

Disgraceful

[@M3ow_pawzz]

This shows us that we are all human beings who could be friends if we weren't forced to kill each other 😢

[@1977seabiscuit]

Amen!!

[@Ah01]

A war fought by lions led by donkeys.

[@daskaninchen5416]

Well the funny thing is because of the war they were able to meet up and become friends tho, they probably wouldn’t likely meet eachother and became friends if it wasn’t for the war

[@borderlands6606]

My late father told me that when he began work, it was not uncommon for WW1 veterans to be lead away from their machines suffering from the after effects of mustard gas. They were relatively young men themselves but their health was broken. In many ways WW1 marked the end of an older era, and the introduction of killing on an industrial scale.

[@heccsclips3319]

"killing on an industrial scale" ooof thats hard to swallow

[@pshehan1]

My great grandfather and great uncle joined the Australian Imperial Force in WWI. My great grandfather was awarded the MM and my great uncle, a Gallipoli veteran was later gassed on the western front. He never really recovered and died in his sixties. I visited the battlefields in 2018 and there was a large crowd at the Menin Gate bugle ceremony.

[@jamesm3123]

i remember meeting some ww1 vets in the 1960s as a kid. Everyone treated them with respect and the kids were all awestruck. Back then children were raised to treat their elders with respect. Not like today.

[@chairmanlmao4482]

Young people don't respect boomers because boomers are the most worthless generation that ever existed

[@pooooornopigeon]

​@@chairmanlmao4482A puerile comment.

[@shadyboy-c3k]

My great uncle George McCarthy died at Ypres,Bless him ,his name is on the Menin gate

[@pooooornopigeon]

RIP George.

[@shadyboy-c3k]

@@pooooornopigeon thank you

[@John-c1n9t]

If they lived today they would surely weep at what has become of Britain and European countries!

[@kriss3492]

Certainly 😢

[@andylane247]

@user-jr2fm1sg6b No. They see that the EU means that we won't be fightback other again.

[@countryman5329]

​@andylane247 lovely sentiment, my friend, but war is coming. Put your nose to the air and you will smell it too. God bless 🇬🇧

[@andylane247]

@@countryman5329 If Wetherspoons is open, the war will be delayed !!!

[@andylane247]

@@countryman5329 Not if Wetherspoons is open !!!

[@andrewparrott7260]

It's good to see old veterans like this talking about how they lived and survived the war all those years ago. 1961 was a long time ago, but for these veterans it was a living nightmare having to deal with the aftermath of one's conscious of what and how they did it. As the great Douglas Macarthur once said "old soldiers never die, they just fade away into history." RIP all you soldiers and lest we forget. They shall not grow old. As we who are left grow old, age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them. Lest we forget.

[@ernestov1777]

This footage and interview is of tremendous historical value.

[@philipmilner9638]

My grandfather fought on the 'Ypres', battlefield, he had his left arm 'shreaded by schrapnel', he was in the West Yorkshire regiment...

[@choppergeeza]

When I was 8....." why does grandad walk with a limp daddy?".....he was born like it my dad said. Years later after my grandad had passed he told me the truth. My nan had told him and was also told never to mention it. It's how they were back then. RIP grandad xx

[@grahambarber2766]

Lest We Forget. Their sacrifices will not be forgotten.

[@zaftra]

2:29, no idea why but when they both turned and pointed in the same direction together, made it real.

[@philipnorris6542]

At the going down of the Sun and in the morning we will remember them.

[@SimonPJohnson]

My grandfather’s memories of Ypres haunted him throughout his life. He was an officer and an Observer in 9 Squadron RFC in 1917

[@ToxiCisty]

"I bloody missed you, and im jolly that I did".

[@hilaryepstein6013]

We can't imagine the horrors that those men went through but it's typical of that generation that comradeship was so important to them. And now there's no one left.

[@AnGhaeilge]

My great-grandmother's husband was one of the many who never returned from Ypres. Men of infinite courage.

[@emjackson2289]

John Simpson put it amazingly profoundly, when he was Uni there were still Boer War veterans alive and every other man over 30 was a WW2 Veteran.

[@ianprocian2844]

When I was a kid in the early 60's there were 8 WW1 veterans alive,2 from the second Boer War and 11 Veterans of WW2 living in the vicinity of The Village where we lived in The UK,My Dad and Uncle being 2 of them.

[@quakerjohn44]

I've just returned from Ypres today. It's an incredibly sobering experience, and just beggers belief how those men coped and carried on. And how many stayed. God bless them all.

[@paulleach3612]

They had to cope. If you didn't then there was a good chance of being shot for cowardice...

[@quakerjohn44]

@@paulleach3612 they were obviously built of stern stuff, and they believed in the cause.

[@gm16v149]

I was eleven when this was made and can remember Alan Whicker on the TV, from memory it was a nightly show and I think Panorama with David Dimbleby was weekly, correct me if I’m wrong. My grandad and his two brothers were in the British Army at Ypres and the Somme, I’ve still got a copy of his war diary. Miraculously all three brothers survived. In the diary he made almost daily entries at the start and it seemed like one big party for the first few weeks, then the diary tailed off when the bloodletting started. I remember when I was a kid the WW1 veterans seemed like old codgers, and the WW2 veterans were just your normal adult.

[@jasonayres]

My grandmother's uncle fought at Gallipoli. I remember being told that they marvelled at the idea of travelling to far away, exotic places.. I thought about that when you mentioned that the first few weeks seemed like some kind of party. Poor fellas.

[@stephengraham5099]

David's father, Richard.

[@russthebiker]

Both of my grandfathers survived the horrors of this war,but left behind, their brother's, cousins,mates,and their chums. How they ever managed to cope with life afterwards is beyond me,but they were both great fathers and grandfathers and inspired me to always see the best in people

[@thelastdetail1]

Those wonderful men from a bygone world. Both heroic and tragic all at once. What a fantastic piece of respectful journalism.

[@barrycwell9510]

This is a fantastic piece of footage.

[@simonhattrell5321]

Amazing to see Alan Whicker again.

[@ashleybremner7474]

What dignity, humility and great singing voices!

[@bradnotbread]

I could listen to Alan Whicker all day long.

[@johnathanryan2117]

He was in Australia once, and they shouted to him, " Go home ,you pommie Basket!" He replied, " Do you mind ? Im Alan Whicker!" " Go home you Whicker Basket!" No idea why ive remembered that joke , saw Duggie Brown ( RIP) do it one time on The Comedians

[@MommaSjAsmr2222]

God rest those beautiful souls xx

[@pup1008]

If anyone can access it there is an unbelievably good series on the *BBC i-Player* where actual veterans, of both sides, talk about their experiences. Truly great piece of TV. 👍

[@151mattwilson]

Oh my word this made me cry

[@ym5180]

Man this is very emotional. Heroes😥

[@jimborsa]

My great grandfather Sapper Thomas Turner RE was killed it Ypres and is remembered on Menin Gate. He never had the chance to see his children grow up or his grandchildren. He was young when he was KIA in 1917 and quite possibly would have met me as a child. Sadly we still remember him.

[@lachlanmacarthur6123]

They were a different breed to people today , always had maximum respect for the WW1 and 2 vets of my youth always took the time to speak to you if in uniform , we were professionals , but these men were a breed apart

[@RuaTheHua]

I’m Māori. What a site to see two great peoples. Imagine the UK and Germany as allies back then ww1 or ww2 Love and respect sirs

[@cpt.jamming]

I love that former enemies who tried to kill each other in every way they could think of can come together like that many years later

[@johnmay8481]

Wonderful that this is available for us to watch. Great to hear the veterans interviewed by brilliant Alan Whicker

[@jonny5times286]

Between three and four hundred went into the attack and only 48 came out alive. Jeez. This war was brutal.

[@joezephyr]

Still, a better survival rate than Russian soldiers in Ukraine today.

[@le13579]

I think it's a casualty number. 48 came out, the rest dead or wounded.

[@barryhollywood9186]

What a fantastic video. Gracious and brave men of a bygone era

[@stephenholmes1036]

All school children should see these films

[@leod-sigefast]

I don't agree about force-feeding kids history. If you are interested in it, you are interested in it and will gravitate towards it anyway. I didn't learn anything about WWI (or WWII) when I was at school in the 90s but I got fascinated myself and have studied it ever since. There is nothing worse than going to Tyne Cot Cemetery and having coach loads of bored school kids dicking about and getting in the way. You can't force a kid to 'care' about history.

[@pooooornopigeon]

​​@@leod-sigefast In the 70's and 80's it was taught in schools, it should be taught today Kids today cannot even be disciplined, this is why they misbehave in cemeteries et al..

[@Vonneumann747]

They [Young People] have exalted notions, because they have not been humbled by life or learned its necessary limitations; moreover, their hopeful disposition makes them think themselves equal to great things -- and that means having exalted notions. They would always rather do noble deeds than useful ones: Their lives are regulated more by moral feeling than by reasoning -- all their mistakes are in the direction of doing things excessively and vehemently. They overdo everything -- they love too much, hate too much, and the same with everything else. (Aristotle)​@@pooooornopigeon

[@Vonneumann747]

​@@pooooornopigeonThe world is passing through troublous times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they knew everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress." (From a sermon preached by Peter the Hermit in A.D. 1274)

[@Vonneumann747]

​@@pooooornopigeon "I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint". (Hesiod, 8th century BC)

[@NickRatnieks]

Alan Whicker wrote a book about his WW2 experiences and also made a TV series- Whicker's War- the book's name which is on YT and it makes for very interesting viewing. He was always well worth watching and the Tonight programme this was taken from was a springboard for his amazing Whicker's World programmes. It's not many TV icons who got such a memorable Monty Python skit, either!

[@DavidCarroll-t5g]

Very touching, especially when meeting their former counterparts. I have seen similar clips of the American civil war veterans, meeting and shaking hands in the late 1930s, of which my great grandfather was one. Ten million dead in the Great War - "The war to end all wars". Yeah, right...

[@handsomenumber1393]

So much to learn from these poor old souls.

[@patrickkenworthy7454]

Went to Ypres on a school trip and it was mesmerising, incredible place

[@sphughes01]

When I was a child growing up in a small, mining and textile village in Yorkshire there was a group of these men who used to meet one day a week in the centre of the village. They all wore flat caps and they just sat together talking and smoking. I only saw them oddly during the October half term holidays which of course now becomes more significant as it would be approaching Remembrance Day. They were all very dignified but seldom seemed to smile. I wish I could have interviewed every single one of them to ask them of their life experiences but at the young age I was then I had no idea of their importance and significance to history. Time seemed to stop as me and my mates used to watch them. We knew that they were important men but did not really know why.

[@gibraltarbritish6871]

Respect.

[@gordonmorrison1911]

So many brave men 😢

[@nikigba]

what a glorious mustache

[@tdoran616]

Amazing footage, Lest We Forget. Truly a bygone generation.

[@scroggins100]

Humbling!

[@Ildarioon]

Fun fact, the canadian statue commemorating the gas attacks you can see at 7:25 is an anachronism. It commemorates an event that took place in april(1915) but the soldier wears a helmet that would see service in the commonwealth many months later(September I believe).

[@Harold_WiIson]

5:13 Makes me tear up, for some reason..

[@markbeaumont3292]

Never seen this before amazing

[@seanmoran2743]

“I think a curse should rest on me - because I love this war. I know it’s smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment - and yet - I can’t help it - I enjoy every second of it.”- Winston Churchill letter to a friend

[@jasonayres]

The Great War, "The war to end all wars."

[@johnnysherriff]

Have been to visit battlefields and cemeteries very moving just standing in the places where these brave men fought we should never forget

[@baybeegalkk]

Reminds us how many different ages signed up. Not just the young fought. For many, this was a time when they eventually felt ready to talk about things. My granddad for instance, it took a few years until he spoke about being held captive.

[@andypandywalters]

Fascinating and very moving. Both my grandfathers served in WW1 and both survived.....

[@682terence]

Hence your ability to write this message . Lucky for them, lucky for you!

[@hildaelson4203]

I have a tremendous respect for these men, on all sides, for their spirit and courage to deal with the aftermath. But I’m jolly glad my generation, being currently one of the youngest, do not see wars and conflicts like this anymore. We see them as what they truly are: a great waste of life. We condemn the violence and the conflicts forged by power-hungry politicians, who send young men (and women) to die. And our generation shall never again participate in more bloodshed en masse.

[@Thomas-px2lh]

Very moving

[@matt63200]

These are the men that gave everything for us, not necessarily willingly but they had to. They fought to protect family, friends and country. Today we are handing over the country to foreigners that have no business here. it's not ours to give away. Heartbreaking.

[@kaomicruce1982]

Lord this did my heart good. ❤️🙏🏻

[@dennisvanoord3278]

Beautiful singing!

[@tennysonfordblackbird2087]

Fantastic film and glad these gents have been remembered.❤

[@andrewmclean6721]

Excellent and very moving. The human beings come shining through across the gulf of a lifetime. Pack up yer troubles......

[@tennysonfordblackbird2087]

Remarkable relic of the past.

[@Volker_GR]

I am still ashamed today that the country where fate placed my birth started both world wars. I am so grateful to the peoples who were opponents of the Germans at the time that they were able to forgive at all. That was neither to be expected nor demanded. I will never forget that, even though I was born 21 years after the end of World War II.

[@UWfalcin]

Germany didn’t start WW1, or why would you think so?

[@Volker_GR]

@@UWfalcin Well, I think indirectly it did, because Kaiser Wilhelm might have prevented it if he hadn't given Count Hoyos the so-called blank check for a war against Serbia. In any case, Germany had a greater share in the outbreak of the war than the Allies. Can we agree on that?

[@stevenkarras3490]

you're a nice guy! glad we were born when we were

[@Volker_GR]

@@stevenkarras3490 Thank you Steven! Appreciate that.

[@jimjam5239]

I'm British and there should be no shame. The wars and their consequences were nothing to do with you. I personally think that WW1 was a collective mistake. Did Germany make mistakes? Yes. Were they alone in doing so? No. The French had the biggest military in Europe, they were gagging for a fight. Which is to say nothing of the mistakes made by the British. We had no obligation to protect Belgium, who were hardly entirely innocent themselves. Which is to say nothing of the Balkans and Russia. It was all a collective mistake. Blame for the second world war can be laid at the door of Germany, the treaty of Versailles was perhaps unfair but compared to what was metered out to Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, it wasn't. Yes, we can blame Germany for it. But the Germany of then couldn't have less in common with the Germany today. What's important is we all learn the lessons of the horrors and brutality of war. If only the Russians had.

[@vermilliongecko]

My great uncle was machine gunned in the stomach during WW1, and is buried in Ypres. These men could have been serving alongside him. I found out relatively recently that my paternal grandfather was an ambulance driver. He never, ever told his children - my late father only found out a few years ago after decades of meticulous family history research. It explains my paternal grandfather's alcoholism; he probably saw some terrible things. These days, he'd probably have had a diagnosis of PTSD.

[@tonybaird7832]

I'm 67 now and worked with a WW1 veteran (yes it's possible, I did the maths!) He was at Ypres and as a 15 year old in 1972 I wasn't interested in his experiences. Oh how I regret that now, my advise to young people of today is speak to the older generation, they all have stories to tell.

[@savethebeesplantherbs8809]

They are all gone now there pain and suffering goes with them what they leave behind should inspire you there loyally and love for our flag made them go over the top not because its a brave thing to do but its the right thing to do when Britain means everything to you feel there pride feel there passion feel the same yourself to you albert and Edward just two young lads like many who never came home from that war

[@ECPBigD]

My Granddad was in K11 (11th bn of Kitchener's volunteers/Essex Regt) throughout ww1 and stepped up again in 'Dads Army' (home guard/Royal Surrey's) in ww2. When he died in 1992 at the age of 94 he was still able to communicate with me (then a serving soldier) via morse code by tapping his finger on the headboard as he slippped away; a skill they had taught him from day one when he was just 16... RIP William Albert Gale, Pompadors.

[@andrewmccormack5884]

This is truly amazing

[@binalongberrico4808]

Great video. Thanks for posting

[@tutts999]

Fantastic watch. We'll never know the horrors they witnessed.

[@michaeloldfield5491]

It's amazing to see it old soldiers..

[@dp-sr1fd]

They went through such horrors, then just 20 years later we had to do it all again. I wonder what these old soldiers felt about that.

[@vjab1108]

I wonder what they would think of England now in 2023?

[@liamkatt6434]

Private James Kenny, 2nd Batt. York and Lancaster Regiment, wounded by gunshot February 1915, killed in action 4th June 1915.We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.

[@johnlynch3759]

I’ll bet after ten pints of Stella, they started fighting again. Old soldiers never die!! Ireland 🇮🇪 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 🇫🇷

[@jamiejudd8018]

Unbelievable bravery These men had endured quadruple Hell on this very Earth for they had truly seen into the abyss least we forget least we forget😐

[@rallefreifahrt]

Great to see both parties like this! ❤

[@davidpayne3938]

A war to end wars it was sadly not to be but I certainly wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for our brave young soldiers, many of them not to return to see the freedom they gave to us, our country and the world 🇬🇧

[@paulp5775]

Need men of this caliber more than ever today ! Wonder what they would think of Europe, UK and the rest of the western world today ?

[@leod-sigefast]

They were fighting for a British Empire. Remember that. Billions of people of all colours and creeds, painted pink on the map. That brought in the modern age of multiculturalism and globalisation. Sorry, you can't live in a Medieval village anymore. Modern world. You can't have it both ways: enjoy the fruits of empire yet bemoan the consequences of empire.

[@tahmagicz]

@@leod-sigefastwell said

[@ThomasHaberkorn]

OMG that's really a gem

[@PaulewingStHelens]

The saying "they don't make em like that any more" has never been so apt

[@aureliusvictor4285]

Between 1955 and 1957, 65 (in the Ypres Salient alone) German military cemeteries were decommissioned and the graves concentrated in two German war cemeteries. An irreparable historical loss !

[@danielmoran9902]

And look what we've allowed to happen to that world they fought and died for.

[@juliam.mallen9019]

Very intense footage.. war begats war May there finally be peace upon the Earth I pray.. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall inherit the earth.🙏💕

[@TheGlassman14]

All fought and died for nothing with the state of the country today

[@Seminal_Ideas]

Totally agree. Both wars with Germany were suicidal for us in the long run. Britain, now swamped with foreign barbarians is entering it's death throws.

[@andylane247]

They weren't fighting for us. It is a far better society now than then.

[@danielainger]

If you knew how WW1 actually started you wouldn’t say that, WW1 was a complete waste of life.

[@LIJXFVKINBVY]

Yeah. The public is still treated as subjects instead of civilians. The country voted to leave the EU, and we have the tory party in charge, protesters not able to protest with a king in charge and get sent to prison. Going back to the ways before WW1.

[@skelo9033]

But for what did they fight? Why? Most men went over thinking it’d be fun.

[@markbenjamin1703]

2:34 guy on the far right still has great posture

[@austro-prussianempire7056]

I shed a tear when he said "The Kaiser's soldiers"