Great War lessons still to be learned

■ One hundred years after the final gun fell silent in the First World War, we all paused to remember – from the heart of our nation, to the fields of Flanders and beyond.

Yet a century on, we have kids walking the streets with knives, ignorant of the heavy price that must be paid for violence.

This must be a lesson learned and an opportunity grabbed. While fresh in our minds, schools must show Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old televised on Sunday night.

Its colourised original footage of the conflict set to stories told by the soldiers who fought in it should be shown in schools as part of the curriculum.

Ashley Smith, March, Cambs

■ It brought tears to my eyes watching the remembrance service at the Cenotaph and seeing all the wonderful tributes around the country to the fallen of the First World War.

I thought the faces of the heroes etched into the sand on British beaches was the most moving of all – such an apt tribute to those young men whose lives cut short by this most futile of wars. We must never forget their sacrifice.

Alison Kenworthy Stoke-on-Trent

■ In 1919, PM Lloyd George boasted that as a result of the First World War Britain got Mesopotamia, Palestine and the German colonies in South Africa, plus the islands in the Pacific – adding that Mesopotamia, now Iraq, contained some of the richest oil fields in the world.

Some things never change. This was what the War was all about as far as the politicians were concerned. We should never forget the dead, but we should also never forgive those responsible for the conflict. John Newsinger, Brighton

■ Of course all the troops killed fighting this cruel war should be remembered, but spare a thought for the soldiers shot at dawn for cowardice when they couldn’t face another second and ran away in horror. And also remember the conscientious objectors imprisoned and shunned by society.

The First World War was a disaster caused by nationalists, who sucked in Britain and Germany, resulting in 20 million lives being lost. Two words can be used to sum up this nightmare – what for? Bill Cook, Teignmouth, Devon

As we commemorate our heroes of the First World War, it is very sad we are not upholding the support and care of all our war veterans, especially those with undiagnosed or unrecognised Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is why there are so much many health problems amongst our heroes.

Hilary Milne, Wirral, Merseyside

■ As the Great War centenary passes, we might perhaps take a moment to thank the Dutch who, to their lasting credit, refused to hand over the Kaiser for us to hang. They spared us the ignominy of excelling ourselves in hypocrisy and selfrighteousness.

John Riseley, Harrogate

■ The First World War was supposed to be the war to end all wars. How little we have learned as conflicts continue to rage around the globe.

John Gibbons, Doncaster