Van and Mary I totally agree with you. There are so many good stories out there if we only take the time to listen. I knew some WW1 survivors and listened enthralled even then, as they peacefully lived out their last years in the sixties. That generation slipped away without my even noticing it. The survivors of the second war will all be gone in a very few years time. I am always astonished that people value this eye witness history so little.
I am sure that El Greko and Kevin McGrath will understand that I will inevitably try to turn stories like these into songs. Isn't that a bit more interesting for an audience than telling them about the last girl who broke my heart?