An allegory

**John Little** · 28-Mar-10, 16:40

The French sentries peered down the street. Rain lashed into their faces from the dark November night and over the single coil of barbed wire across the road. The guns on either side fell silent and as their eyes strained into the gloom a car was heard, and headlights flashed. The French officer shone a torch and answered the flashes and a car bearing four German diplomats came slowly down the pave.

'Vos Papiers' demanded the officer as the Germans nervously handed over their credentials. 'Passe'- he said and waved them on. As they passed a sentry spat on the car - no-one said anything. The guns began again.

Three hours later, somewhere in the Forest of Compiegne, with tears running down their cheeks, the Germans signed the document handed to them. The arguing, the fighting, all dispute was now over, decided by force of arms

At 11.00am three days later, the church bells began to sound. British cavalry charged over a bridge they wanted to take just in case the fighting started again, hunting Germans like mice into the alleyways. In the air men were shot down and crashed after the bells had sounded the hour. All along the western front men stopped killing. In most places the troops sat in their dugouts staring into space; they had made it. No wild parties, no whooping or hollering, just an exhausted stare and a stunned awareness of silence.

Then a gun fired.
And another.
And another.
Telephones whirred into action. Who was disobeying the Armistice ceasefire order?

The explosions were from the American sector - were the Germans launching one last desperate sneak attack?

No.

It appeared that some American gunners wanted to be able to say that they had fired the last shot in the war of 1914-1918. Even after telephoned orders from HQ came thought they still carried on popping and officers had to go to each battery and give direct orders, threatening courts martial before the final gun sounded at 11.17am.

The threads of the Great war ended.

**John Little** · 28-Mar-10, 19:07

Anybody ever meet anyone who did not know when to stop shooting?

**Cattach** · 28-Mar-10, 20:54

Originally Posted by John Little

Anybody ever meet anyone who did not know when to stop shooting?

No but I do know someone who should stopped writing early on in his first post - never read long posts as they are usually by people indulgingthemselves rather than contibuting to the general good.

**John Little** · 28-Mar-10, 21:18

Well if you don't usually read long posts it's damned nice of you to read mine. Thankyou.

Do you think we should not indulge ourselves here then?

Every post should contribute to the general good?

**joxville** · 28-Mar-10, 21:19

Originally Posted by Cattach

No but I do know someone who should stopped writing early on in his first post - never read long posts as they are usually by people indulgingthemselves rather than contibuting to the general good.

Or read by people with the attention span of a gnat.

Just because you aren't interested in what was posted by John, there was no need for your sort of contribution. John was simply starting a thread which was different to the usual crap on here, (most of which is by me), to garner others thoughts on a terrible time in our history, so if you ain't interested, move along, there's plenty of other threads for you to read.

**Moira** · 28-Mar-10, 21:32

Originally Posted by John Little

Anybody ever meet anyone who did not know when to stop shooting?

Not personally John.

My husband gave up taking the "spoils" of his duck-shooting expeditions home when I refused to have anything to do with it but I guess that is not what you mean.

Interesting thread......

**John Little** · 28-Mar-10, 21:50

I benefitted by that last year. There's a woman I know whose husband went out duck shooting and sent them to some company that removes the shot and vacuum packed them - and he put them in the freezer. She would not touch them, gave them to me and would not speak to him for 3 days.
Nor would his kids.

But the ducks were nice - he didn't go shooting again though.

**Moira** · 28-Mar-10, 22:06

Similar story here. Hubby's friend hung them, plucked them & froze them. I still refused to cook them. Anyhow, I didn't mean to take your thread off-topic so I'll bow out now.

**John Little** · 28-Mar-10, 22:10

Oh you are not off topic - it is an allegory after all. People may take those however they wish.

I love shooting myself - not killing things. I did that when I was 12 and did not like it. Just the buzz of aiming at a target and taking out the bull.

But once the target is destroyed, the point of firing more eludes me.

**bekisman** · 28-Mar-10, 23:11

Originally Posted by John Little

Anybody ever meet anyone who did not know when to stop shooting?

I think I know one

**Moira** · 28-Mar-10, 23:21

Originally Posted by John Little

Oh you are not off topic - it is an allegory after all. People may take those however they wish.

I love shooting myself - not killing things. I did that when I was 12 and did not like it. Just the buzz of aiming at a target and taking out the bull.

But once the target is destroyed, the point of firing more eludes me.

Yes I agree. I find adopting one blind eye and one deaf ear helps.

**Anfield** · 28-Mar-10, 23:37

Originally Posted by Cattach

No but I do know someone who should stopped writing early on in his first post - never read long posts as they are usually by people indulgingthemselves rather than contibuting to the general good.

You mean like this:

Originally Posted by Cattach

Where are the Thurso Councillors?

As someone who has lived and work in both Wick and Thurso I have no interest in getting involved in inter-town rivalry but one has to ask what are our Thurso councillors and CASE doing due alleviate the run down in work on the west side of the county.

The councillors have done nothing and indeed their impact has been thoroughly negative at the time of the Asda application and since then silence and in activity.

CASE have succeeded in going as long way to finance a move by Ashley Ann from Thurso to Wick. Inner investment to an established company rather than a new business. And from what I heard little chance of new employment locally. Indeed it is very likely it will make the unemployment situation worse as I know that quite a number of the Ashley ann employees from Thurso are going to be unable to travel for the long term.

CASE should be encouraged new business both locally and from outside and not financing a private individual with a sound business though monetary and premises incentives.

Nothing against Wick developments – far from it - great to see. Just a pity the West Side councillors are not proactive and that CASE is proactive in the wrong business direction.

**Moira** · 28-Mar-10, 23:46

Anfield, having made your point about Cattach, what's your take on John Little's thread?

**ducati** · 29-Mar-10, 08:27

Originally Posted by John Little

I love shooting myself

I too love shooting myself, but the constant visits to A & E became tedious and coursed concern

**John Little** · 29-Mar-10, 09:27

LMAO!!!!

**horseman** · 29-Mar-10, 16:26

At last I have a post I can read.What the hell was it?

**Cattach** · 29-Mar-10, 22:05

Originally Posted by John Little

Well if you don't usually read long posts it's damned nice of you to read mine. Thankyou.

Do you think we should not indulge ourselves here then?

Every post should contribute to the general good?

I didn't read it.