SALUTE OF GUNS
I have just re-read a book from my library that I have had for some time.
This is the story of a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in World War One. The book is not the best from a military history perspective in that it is very literary, the author became a reporter at the Manchester Evening Post after the war and the book is full of dreamy descriptions of sun rises etc. There is however, a lot of interesting stuff about day to day experiences but the main focus is on the authors two nervous breakdowns during the war.
I have read other autobiographies where the author has had a breakdown or suffered PTSD as a result of their experiences. I have also got books describing similar experiences where the author has apparently sailed through a war and come out it seems, almost untouched by the horrors they suffered. It makes me wonder why some are so traumatised and others not. It is impossible to be sure as , I am pleased to say, I have not had any traumatic war experiences and additionally, I am not a psychiatrist. However I think it comes down to the personality of the individual. It seems to me , from what I can gather of the personalities of the various authors, that those with a strong intellectual leaning are much more likely to suffer than those who are more matter of fact. I do believe that the greater a man's imagination, the more likely he is to suffer PTSD.
Anyone got any thoughts on this issue ?????
I tend to agree. My own father was in the Fleet Air Arm in the last war, but was incredibly lucky as right after he had finished his training and expected to be shipped off on a carrier to the Med, the RAF stepped up the bombing offensive and were short of trained ground crew - so he and a whole load of fellow FAA mechanics were seconded to the RAF - and he spent the entire war at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire so never saw any action.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the squadron he was on were used as Para planes and glider tows - so there were Paratroops and Glider pilots stationed all around them for D-Day and Arnhem. Dad got to know a number of them, including one who worked for the same company (Singer Sewing machines),albeit in Glasgow and actually flew a glider into Oosterbeek - I believe he actually escaped by swimming across the Rhine. Years after the war, Dad and I met this chap while we were on holiday and got talking to him. As far as we could tell, he was not affected in the way that so many were - but he would never talk about his experience, even to Dad
Very interesting Ian. It's not at all unusual for ex soldiers not to talk about their experiences. I think it's something to do with not wanting to remember, that seems to be their way of coping and dealing with unpleasant memories. My cousins husbands brother. ,!!! Was a lieutenant in the us army in Vietnam and saw combat. He came through and seemed just fine. He became a lawyer. Within one year of his retirement he had a nervous breakdown. It seems he was OK as long as he didn't remember due to pressure of work etc but when that stopped he started remembering and ......... Interesting topic. Thanks for the comment. Regards. Tony
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