Thousands turn out for funeral of last WWI trench soldier

Thousands turn out for funeral of last WWI trench soldier

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

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.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Greatness comes to those who take it

“Greatness comes to those who take it.”- Genghis Khan

I have been hearing some good things from a movie about Genghis Khan. The movie ‘Mongol’ portrays the early years of the boy Genghis Khan (Temudgin). Based off a ‘true story’ the picture covers the conquerors birth in 1162, through his early childhood and the first battles that bring him into his destiney. The movie puts a human face on the man whose armies would conquered through fear and terror most of the known world. Historical inaccuracies aside it looks like an excellent movie.

The True Art of Defense

The true Art of Defense exactly teaching the manner how to handle weapons safely, as well offensive as defensive, with a Treatise of deceit or Falsing, And with a mean or way how a man may practice of himself to get Strength, Judgment, and Activity. – Giacomo di Grassi

It would be difficult to study the old masters of the blade and not talk about the author of The True Art of Defense. Giacomo di Grassi was a premier Elizabethan master and one of the first to write about parrying with the blade. He also recommended using a dagger for defense.

The dagger is most convenient as a companion weapon to the Rapier. The role of the dagger, by reason of its shortness, is defending the left side down to the knee.

His analysis of lines of attack is still used today in modern fencing. His work is easy to read mastering is of course another matter.

It is true that deceits can be used against a weaker opponent to effectively cause him to uncover part of his body that can then be struck. However, it is necessary in a fight to the death to assume that your enemy is as strong or stronger than you. Using a deceit presupposes contempt for your enemy – and overconfidence is a path to sure death.

Luckily the internet has enabled the average person to be able to read his book and its available on a number of sites. Highly recommended reading for those interested in historical masters or the history of the sword.

 

Dont leave your home without your pants!

“During the era of George Washington, a gentlemen would no more leave his quarters without his sword then without his pants!”  – Donald N. Moran

Hope those in the United States had a good July 4th. My wife’s parents came in and one of the things we did on Sunday is visit Mt Vernon. I recommend the visit to anyway who is in the Northern Virginia / Washington area. It is really not a place to be missed. To walk the same ground as the man in the history books brings you closer to the extraordinary man that was George Washington. One of the artifacts in the museum’s collection is the sword carried by him during the French and Indian war.  The sword was bequeathed to him by the British General Edward Braddock who fell mortally wounded during an encounter near Fort Duquesne.

Justice, intelligence and practice

If one is interested in the history of fencing there is not a lack of information on the web on the topic. Researching the different styles one will immediately come across Camillo_Agrippa. Agrippa took a different approach to fencing as his primary job was not fencing master. His “Trattato di Scienza d’Arme” is a mathematical (being an engineer and mathematician) approach very different from the other masters of his time. Reading one can come away with not just valuable insights on fencing but also on life. He begins his work stating that the science of arms comes from “justice, intelligence and practice.” This life approach gave his students a way to defend oneself but to do it in an honorable manner.