As with almost every other family I had relatives who served in the First and Second World War, as well as those before, between and after. I gave it a lot of consideration, and attended a naval college, the service arm I was not considering, but that's a different story. I still intend to join the RAF reserves, if they will have me.
History being one of many abiding interests, it is the preventability and consequences of war that is one of my most prominent concerns. The First World War was avoidable, however some government ministers in Britain, France and Germany were intent on marching to war to obtain resolution in international power. Kaiser Wilhelm II was furious with his foreign minister when his manipulations escalated from intended German dominance to igniting war. Austria-Hungary drew Germany into war as a result of the Empire's failure to conquer Serbia. Germany then declared war on Russia, as Serbia was allied to Russia, and France due to agreements with Russia.
Instead of following the successful tactics of Bismarck, Ludendorff attempted to encircle Paris which provided enough time for Prime Minister Asquith to mobilise the British Expeditionary Force in rapid response to Belgium invoking the Treaty of London. A previous Liberal Prime Minister, Gladstone, had the approach to prevaricate until it was too late to intervene, which kept Britain out of the Franco-Prussian War. Asquith's rapid response turned what should have been a fast victory for Germany into 4 years of carnage.
Clemenceau and the French demands in the Treaty of Versailles weakened the German economy, empowered the violent German Communist Party and far right groups, up to 1923, they then receded as the Republic defeated all far left uprisings and improved economy enfeebled the far right.
That was reversed in 1930 as the Wall Street Crash spread across Europe. Democracy, the defender against extremism became the means to inflame the hard left and right, as the German government spent time holding the coalition together at the expense of stabilising the plummeting economy
- the consequences began to be fulfilled 2 years later.
For the 100th anniversary the plan was to be filming part of Measure For Measure movie at the park of my former naval college and at sunset conduct an Honour Salute with the Last Post played at sunset.
That will now be done at a later date and instead I am reciting requiem prayers at the grave of a soldier killed in the Battle of the Somme, then playing the Last Post on a First World War bugle.
The Prayers:
The Kel Maleh Rachamim (Prayer of Mercy)
Al molay rachamim, shochayn bam’romim, ham-tzay m’nucha n’chona al kanfay Hash’china, b’ma-alot k’doshim ut-horim k’zo-har haraki-a mazhirim, et nishmat (Name of the Deceased) she-halach l-olama, ba-avur shenodvu tz’dakah b’ad hazkarat nishmata. B’Gan Ayden t’hay m’nuchata; la-chayn Ba-al Harachamim yas-tire-ha b’sayter k’nafav l’olamim, v’yitz-ror bitz-ror hacha-yim et nishmatah, Ado-nay Hu na-chalatah, v’tanu-ach b’shalom al mishkavah. V’nomar: Amayn.
אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים שׁוֹכֵן בַּמְּרוֹמִים, הַמְצֵא מְנוּחָה נְכוֹנָה עַל כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה בְּמַעֲלוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים וטְהוֹרִים כְּזוֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ מַזְהִירִים (נִשְׁמַת (פלוני בן פלוני ,שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעוֹלָמוֹ בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁנָדְבוּ צְדָקָה בְּעַד הַזְכָּרַת נִשְׁמָתוֹ .בְּגַן עֵדֶן תְּהֵא מְנוּחָתוֹ לָכֵן בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים ,יַסְתִּירֵהוּ בְּסֵתֶר כְּנָפָיו לְעוֹלָמִים ,וְיִצְרֹר בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת נִשְׁמָתוֹ ה' הוּא נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְיָנוּחַ ,בְּשָׁלוֹם עַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן
Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours
Requiem aeternam dona eiss Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescaant in pace. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Ancient Christian Prayer from the Roman Catacombs
Pax, tibi,vobis,spiritui tuo, in aeternum, tibi cum angelis, cum sanctis; spiritus tuus in bono, sit,vivat, quiescat; aeterna lux tibi, in refrigerio esto; spiritum in refrigerium suscipiat dominus; deus tibi refrigeret; vivas, vivatis, in Deo, in Spirito, in sancto, in pace, im aeterno, inter sanctos, cum martyribus
Latin short requiem prayer-
Salvator mundi, salva nos, qui per crucem et resurrectionem tuam liberasti nos.
Prayer for soldiers-
All-powerful and ever-living God, when Abraham left his native land and departed from his people You kept him safe through all his journeys. Protect these soldiers.
Be their constant companion and their strength in battle, their refuge in every adversity. Guide them, O Lord, that they may return home in safety. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
1549 from the Common Book of Prayer, did not appear in subsequent editions
We commend into thy mercy all other thy servants, which are departed hence from us with the sign of faith and now do rest in the sleep of peace: grant unto them, we beseech thee, thy mercy and everlasting peace.
Ba'hai prayer for the dead by Abdu’l-Bahá
O my God! O Thou forgiver of sins, bestower of gifts, dispeller of afflictions!
Verily, I beseech thee to forgive the sins of such as have abandoned the physical garment and have ascended to the spiritual world.
O my Lord! Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness into light. Cause them to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse them with the most pure water, and grant them to behold Thy splendors on the loftiest mount.
Orthodox Prayer in English
O God of spirits and all flesh,
who have trampled down death,
made the devil powerless,
and given life to your world,
give rest, Lord, to the soul
of your servant (name) who has fallen asleep,
in a place of light,
in a place of green pasture,
in a place of refreshment,
from where pain, sorrow and sighing have fled.
As a good and loving God,
forgive every sin committed by him/her
in word, deed or thought;
for there is no one who lives and does not sin;
you alone are without sin,
your righteousness endures for ever,
and your law is truth.
For you are the resurrection, the life and the
repose
of your servant who has fallen asleep,
Christ our God,
and to you we offer glory,
with your eternal Father
and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit,
now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom - Requiem Prayers
Помилуй нас, Боже,
по велицей милости Твоей,
молим ти ся, услыши и
помилуй.
Господи, помилуй
Have mercy on us, O
God, according to thy great
Mercy, we pray Thee,
hearken and have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Еще молимся о упокоении
душ усопших рабов
божиих, и о еже
проститися им всякому
прегрешению, вольному
же и невольному.
Господи, помилуй.
Again we pray for the repose
of the souls of the departed
servants of God and that
they may be forgiven every
transgression, both
voluntary and involuntary.
Lord, have mercy.
Яко да Господь Бог учинит
душы их, идеже праведнии
упокояются.
Господи, помилуй.
That the Lord God will
commit their souls to where
the righteous repose.
Lord, have mercy
Милости Божия, царства
небеснаго, и оставления
грехов их, у Христа
Безсертнаго Царя и Бога
нашего Просим.
Подай, Господи
The mercy of God, the
kingdom of heaven, and the
remission of their sins, let us
ask of Christ the Immortal
King and our God.
Grant this O Lord
Russian Kontakion of the Departed
Ancient Kiev chant
Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy saints:
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing but life everlasting.
Thou only art immortal, the creator and maker of man:
and we are mortal formed from the dust of the earth,
and unto earth shall we return:
for so thou didst ordain,
when thou created me saying:
"Dust thou art und unto dust shalt thou return."
All we go down to the dust;
and weeping o'er the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
KONDAK 7/ KONTAKION 7
Веруем, яко недолга будет разлука наша. Мы хороним тебя, яко на ниве зерно, ты имаши произрасти в иной стране. Да погибнут в могиле плевелы грехов твоих, а дела добрая там просияют, идеже семена добра приносят нетленныя плоды, идеже души святии поют: Аллилуиа.
In the world, for a short time will be our separation. We bury you, as if in the field of grain, you grow your potatoes in another country. May the tares of your sins perish in the grave, and there the good will shine there, the seeds of good will bear imperishable fruit, the souls of the holy people sing: Alleluia.
Salat-e-Janaza or Namaze Janaza
الله أكبر
سُبْحَانَكَ اَّللُهَّم َوِبحَمْدِكَ وَ تَبَاْرَكَ اسْمُكَ َوتَعَالَئ جَدُّكَ وَجَلَّ َثَناءٌكَ وَلَااِلَه غَيْرُكَSubhana kalla humma ,wabe hamdeka ,wata baara kasmoka ,wata aalaa jaddoka, wa jalla sanaoka,wala ilaha gairoka
اَلَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى ُمحَمَّدِ ُّوعَلَى اَلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى اِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلَى
اَلِ اَِبْرَاهِيْمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدُ مَجِيِدْ
Allah humma salle ala Mohammadiun wa ala aale Mohammadin kama sallaita ala Ibrahima wa ala aale Ibrahima innaka Hamidum Majeed.
اَلَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمّدِ ٌوعَلَى اَلِ مُحَمّدٍ
كَمَابَارَكْتَ عَلَى اِبْرََاهِيْمَ وَعَلَى اَلِ اِبْرَاهِيْمَم اِنَّكَ حَمِيُد مَّجِيدْ
Allah humma Barik ala Mohammadiun wa ala aale Mohammadin kama baarakta ala Ibrahima wa ala aale Ibrahima innaka Hamidum Majeed.
Av Harachamim
The Father of mercy who dwells on high
in His great mercy
will remember with compassion
the pious, upright and blameless
the holy communities, who laid down their lives
for the sanctification of His name.
They were loved and pleasant in their lives
and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles and stronger than lions
to carry out the will of their Maker,
and the desire of their steadfast God.
May our Lord remember them for good
together with the other righteous of the world
and may He redress the spilled blood of His servants
as it is written in the Torah of Moses the man of God:
"O nations, make His people rejoice
for He will redress the blood of His servants
He will retaliate against His enemies
and appease His land and His people".
And through Your servants, the prophets it is written:
"Though I forgive, their bloodshed I shall not forgive
When God dwells in Zion"
And in the Holy Writings it says:
"Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'"
Let it be known among the nations in our sight
that You avenge the spilled blood of Your servants.
And it says: "For He who exacts retribution for spilled blood
remembers them
He does not forget the cry of the humble".
And it says:
"He will execute judgement among the corpse-filled nations
crushing the rulers of the mighty land;
from the brook by the wayside he will drink
then he will hold his head high
אָב הָרַחֲמִים שׁוכֵן מְרומִים. בְּרַחֲמָיו הָעֲצוּמִים הוּא יִפְקוד בְּרַחֲמִים הַחֲסִידִים וְהַיְשָׁרִים וְהַתְּמִימִים. קְהִלּות הַקּדֶשׁ שֶׁמָּסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם עַל קְדֻשַּׁת הַשֵּׁם. הַנֶּאֱהָבִים וְהַנְּעִימִים בְּחַיֵּיהֶם וּבְמותָם לא נִפְרָדוּ. מִנְּשָׁרִים קַלּוּ וּמֵאֲרָיות גָּבֵרוּ לַעֲשׂות רְצון קונָם וְחֵפֶץ צוּרָם.
יִזְכְּרֵם אֱלהֵינוּ לְטובָה עִם שְׁאָר צַדִּיקֵי עולָם. וְיִנְקום לְעֵינֵינוּ נִקְמַת דַּם עֲבָדָיו הַשָּׁפוּךְ. כַּכָּתוּב בְּתורַת משֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלהִים. הַרְנִינוּ גויִם עַמּו כִּי דַם עֲבָדָיו יִקּום וְנָקָם יָשִׁיב לְצָרָיו וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתו עַמּו:
וְעַל יְדֵי עֲבָדֶיךָ הַנְּבִיאִים כָּתוּב לֵאמר. וְנִקֵּיתִי דָּמָם לא נִקֵּיתִי וַיהוָה שׁכֵן בְּצִיּון:
וּבְכִתְבֵי הַקּדֶשׁ נֶאֱמַר לָמָּה יאמְרוּ הַגּויִם אַיֵּה אֱלהֵיהֶם. יִוָּדַע בַּגּויִם לְעֵינֵינוּ נִקְמַת דַּם עֲבָדֶיךָ הַשָּׁפוּךְ: וְאומֵר, כִּי דורֵשׁ דָּמִים אותָם זָכָר לא שָׁכַח צַעֲקַת עֲנָוִים: וְאומֵר, יָדִין בַּגּויִם מָלֵא גְוִיּות מָחַץ ראשׁ עַל אֶרֶץ רַבָּה. מִנַּחַל בַּדֶּרֶךְ יִשְׁתֶּה עַל כֵּן יָרִים ראשׁ:
Av harachameem shochein m'romeem, b'rachamav ha-atzumeem hu yeefkod b'rachamim. Hachaseedeem v'ha-y'shareem v'ha-t'meemeem, k'heelot hakodesh shemas'ru nafsham al kdushat Hasheim, hane-eh-haveem v'ha-n'eemeem b'chayeihem, uvmotam lo neefradu. Meen'shareem kalu umeiarayot gaveiru laasot r'tzon konam v'cheifetz tzuram. Yeezk'reim Eloheinu l'tova eem sh'ar tzadeekei olam v'yeenkom l'eineinu neekmat dam avadav hashafuch kakatuv b'torat moshe eesh haEloheem: harneenu goyeem amo kee dam avadav yeekom v'nakam yasheev l'tzarav v'cheeper admato amo. V'al y'dei avadecha haN'vee-eem katuv leimor: V'neekeitee damam lo neekeitee vAdonoy Shochein b'tzeeyon. Uvcheetvei hakodesh ne-eh-mar: lama yom'ru hagoyeem ayei ehloheihem yeevada bagoyeem l'eineinu neekmat dam avadecha hashafuch. V'omeir: kee doreish dameem otam zachar lo shachach tza-ah-kat anaveem. V'omeir: yadeen bagoyeem malei g'veeyot machatz rosh al eretz raba. Meenachal baderech yeeshte al kein yareem rosh.
