 | 24 September 2014 |
| |
| BBC Homepage | | |
| |||
| Contact Us | | |
South WestYou are in: Inside Out > South West > A poem for Harry  Harry Patch reads Andrew Motion's poem. A poem for HarryInside Out has commissioned the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion to compose a new work in honour of Harry Patch, the last survivor of the World War One trenches. The programme follows the poet's creation and performance of the poem.Help playing audio/video Harry PatchBorn, Henry John Patch, June 17, 1898 in Combe Down, Somerset. He was an 18-year-old apprentice plumber in Bath when he was called up for service. He served with the Duke of Cornwall's light infantry. He saw action at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. During the fighting three of his best friends were killed by an exploding shell, and he was badly wounded. In three months more than 70,000 soldiers died at Passchendaele. On a visit to the site of the battle in 2007, Mr Patch said, "Too many died. War isn't worth one life." Harry Patch, from Somerset, fought for the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. He was badly wounded when hit by shrapnel from a German shell. For the Poet Laureate, the project was an exciting challenge. Andrew Motion has long been a student of First World War poetry.  Poetry in motion - Harry and Andrew. He wanted his poem to reflect Harry’s amazing life. Harry’s childhood which began in 19th Century Somerset, the horror of losing friends on the First World War battlefields and his experiences after the war, working on the construction of the Wills Tower in Bristol. Help playing audio/video The poem, in five acts, was unveiled at a special event at the Bishop's Palace in Wells, in front of an invited audience. Remarkable manThe guests at the event were also shown a video message from HRH, The Prince of Wales in which he said: "Harry Patch is one of the last of those remarkable men who almost unimaginably endured so much; the last survivor of the unutterable hell of the trenches. "It has been a real privilege to have come to know him a little over the last few years. "He epitomizes the courage, the long sufferingness and the tenacity of his generation." Also featured - RunawaysA new scheme for teenage runaways has been set up in the South West of England to help families find out why their children went missing and to stop them running away again. If you'd like more information about this topic or require help and support, the following organisations can help: BBC Advice Help Line - 08000 566 065 Plymouth Young Runaways National Missing Persons Help Line Plymouth RunawaysThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites last updated: 17/09/2008 at 15:55 SEE ALSOYou are in: Inside Out > South West > A poem for Harry |
| | About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy |
