English History Lesson

I follow several other blogs, usually on Google reader.  Today is St. Crispin's Day,  For those of you who enjoyed "Band of Brothers"  you most likely know that the original "Band of Brothers" was the forces of Henry V of England at the Battle of Agincourt .  The battle was not only historically significant from a geopolitical standpoint but was immortalized by Shakespeare in the play "Henry V."  You may not know that St. Crispin's Day is also the day of the Charge of the Light Brigade immortalized by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Tillerman, on his blog Proper Course does and excellent job of recounting the history of both of these battles at his post here: http://propercourse.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-saint-crispins-day.html.

He also points out that we missed celebrating the big one, the Battle of Trafalger on 21 October 1805,  Remember "England expects that every man will do his duty."  Why do we get stuck with "hope and change" and "mission accomplished" and the Brits get Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, First Duke of Bronte and Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill - to wit:



(...) The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength.

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France,
we shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches, 
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

I suggest you go visit "Proper Course" and read the entire posting at http://propercourse.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-saint-crispins-day.html

I am off to do something heroic and stupid! (gently wipes tears from eyes after reading Churchill's quote again)