h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm a bit surprised at how many of these stories are to do with one war or the other.

2/3

I'm a bit surprised that humans continue to fight against each other. For a so-called advanced form of life we still persist in blowing each other up to argue our points...However, it's a large part of human history, therefore a large part of family history. On the plus side here's a little more on my grandmother on my father's side;

When she was in her early twenties she was a maid in service for the Princess Alice, the current English Queens' (Elizabeth) Great Aunt I believe. During the summer the royal family would visit and at the time young Elizabeth was a rather naughty 8 or 9 year old. One particular visit Alice had had all the wooden hall floorboards waxed and polished and she had given all her staff and explicit instructions that if ANY of the children were caught sliding on the newly polished surfaces in their socks or otherwise that they had permission to reprimand them with a stern word and a slap. It so happens that my grandmother was dusting the hall furniture when she heard a rumble of elephants, then a quiet "weeeeee" as the young princess Elizabeth slid along the hall floor. Catching her red-handed my grandmother grabbed the princess and took her over her knee scolding her and smacking her bottom quite hard. The princess ran off, tears in her eyes (to her mother one assumes) but my grandmother did not hear of anything from the Queen Mother or Princess Alice. Apparently young Elizabeth got quite a harsher tongue lashing from her mother and aunt!

I do not know the truth behind this family legend as I haven't had the time to call up Liz and ask her if she remembers...

So, a story that has nothing to do with war in any way shape or form..
Happy now?
PGHF

Thats a bit better. Although since I'm not a royalist "my granny once smacked the queen's bum" doesn't carry a lot of weight.

The 2 WWs total about 15 out of the 100 years of the last century. If you extend to include the runup and rown down to each war you'd still have less than half the century . . . so why so many war stories?

I guess I'll have to ask a few questions (of the family) and come up with some of a different variety. Unfortunately I can't remember any . . .

2/3

i don't think the prevalence of war stories here necessarily reflects on the families of h2g2'ers; or family memories in general. but there has just been a big wave of historical programs about d-day recently, and so the public consciousness is turned in that direction. if there had been a long series of documentaries about immigration, civil right, mine strikes or something else, the posts would have been different.