Few things are guaranteed to move me to tears, but anything involving veteran World War II pilots is a pretty good bet. As it proves to be when I watch the footage of ninety-nine year old William Walker, taken shortly before his recent death. Frail, but still upright, astute and articulate, and so very quiet and self-effacing about his bravery. In a culture dominated by individualism and celebrity, it's the grace of this old-fashioned humility that makes me weep. Slowly all the remaining veterans are being snuffed out, and the world is a darker place for it.
'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.' Quite.
Meanwhile, in Birmingham, three men stand accused of plotting acts of terrorism. Plans apparently included turning a monster truck into “The Ultimate Mowing Machine” by welding butcher’s knives to it and driving it into crowds. Is it just me, or does this sound like something from a Chris Morris film? Surely the whole driving-a-truck-into-people bit makes the butcher's knives rather redundant? All smacks of over-excited ten-year old boy war games. But a great deal uglier.
Few things are guaranteed to move me to tears, but anything involving veteran World War II pilots is a pretty good bet. As it proves to be when I watch the footage of ninety-nine year old William Walker, taken shortly before his recent death. Frail, but still upright, astute and articulate, and so very quiet and self-effacing about his bravery. In a culture dominated by individualism and celebrity, it's the grace of this old-fashioned humility that makes me weep. Slowly all the remaining veterans are being snuffed out, and the world is a darker place for it. 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.' Quite. 
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