Comic Book Resources

If you enjoyed "Nightingale", you should check out "D-Day Dodgers", another excellent war story by Ennis.

Hell, read both volumes of War Story. They're all good.

"There is no greater love than to lay your life down for another."

And all we do is shit on them when they do. It's a disgrace. We should be collectively ashamed of ourselves as a nation for this sort of thing.

Of course, if it doesn't affect us directly, why should we care? And where's my double-decaf mocha carmel latte? I'm late for aromatherapy and I don't have time for your "problems".

It should also, be noted...The greater majority of crew members aboard the "floating coffins" (Liberty Ships) during WW2 were 16 year old kids that had dropped out of high school. They were recruited by U.S. Maritime Service officers, representatives of the United States Government!

If you enjoyed “Nightingale”, you should check out “D-Day Dodgers”, another excellent war story by Ennis.

Hell, read both volumes of War Story. They’re all good.

Oh, agreed. I've enjoyed them all. I just happened to be re-reading this one recently.

And yeah, "D-Day Dodgers" is another great example of how unfairly history treats people. "You were stationed somewhere else during D-Day? COWARD!" "You were a Merchant Mariner? You're not a veteran!"

Of course, if it doesn’t affect us directly, why should we care?

Sad, but true.

But what's even sadder is that the people this essentially DOES affect, the Senators who decide whether to make the Act a law or not, THEY manage to find reasons not to approve it.

It's one thing for Joe Public to be ignorant of the situation, it's another thing for Joe Senator to know the facts and STILL decide to ignore it!!

It should also, be noted…The greater majority of crew members aboard the “floating coffins” (Liberty Ships) during WW2 were 16 year old kids that had dropped out of high school. They were recruited by U.S. Maritime Service officers, representatives of the United States Government!

Great point.

Sadly, it's just another great point piled upon other great points that, to this point, have not managed to convince the Senate to approve of the Remembrance Act.

“There is no greater love than to lay your life down for another.”

And all we do is shit on them when they do. It’s a disgrace. We should be collectively ashamed of ourselves as a nation for this sort of thing.

What?

Who's shitting on dead soldiers?

If it makes you feel better, which it won't, France rallied troops from all over Africa, particuarly Algeria, to help liberate them from occupation.
Not only were black troops not allowed to move up in the rank, or even eat the same food as white/French troops, the government refused to pay them veterans pensions, or even acknowledge the help they gave.
This only changed a few years ago when the film Days Of Glory was released - Chriac saw it (which is amazing as the French government usually ignores, or bans, highly critical films) and changed the law immediatley, and pensions were back paid.
Unfortunately the majority that served died poor, but it is nice they finally got some recognition and compensation.

"Should the colour of your ships ensign determine whether those who died in action deserve protection...

Recent Government acknowledgement now allows veterans to stand proud alongside the other deserving veterans of HM Armed Forces. MN Veterans have now been accepted by Government and the MoD to have been a critical part of what was achieved in times of war and conflict and are entitled to the same recognition emblems and badges that are being presented to all veterans. This has resulted in a unique honour...

The UK Merchant Seafarers Veteran’s Badge. The MN Styled Veteran’s Badge is a specially modified version of the HM Forces Veteran’s badge."

I chanced upon your page, and would like to correct the view that our UK Merchant Mariners were part of the Royal Navy. They were not, and the above quotes are from the Merchant Navy Association web page: http://www.MNA.org.uk.

It took 8 years of campaigning to get the Arctic Star approved. They do not have the same benefits that those members of the RN had. They have only recently been given the right to march in the Remembrance Parade to the Cenotaph in Whitehall on 11 November.

Please also remember that the US Merchant Marine were already facing enemy action from U Boats long before the US officially entered the war. We owe them a great debt of gratitude. I recall reading that owing to breaking the Enigma codes operated by the U Boats, the British told the US Navy that there were Wolf Packs off the Eastern Seaboard, but the US Admiral, who didn't like the British after WW1 chose to ignore this, and silhouetted against the lights of the cities, were picked off as they put to sea.

I am thankfully too young to have experienced that war, but am only too aware that the freedom I have is down to those who sacrificed so much.

Corinne Simons, England.