Musket:

"there are still some who think war is noble."

WHO??

"I wonder how many dead young men would, if they knew, weep at the sight of the last ceramic poppy being laid at The Tower at 11.00am today?"

All if not the great majority of them.

"We put a 13 year old child in a soldier's uniform, and surrounded by soldiers, we made him stand and salute like a soldier and lay the poppy."

No WE didn't. If you asked that 13 year old you would find that he voluntarily joined the Army Cadet Corps with the express permission of his Parents, that he was proud to do so and honoured to stand as the representative of our youngest generation willing to serve, alongside representatives of all former British servicemen and those currently serving to honour and remember the British servicemen who died during the First World War – the ceramic poppies at the Tower of London are to commemorate soldiers, sailors and airmen killed in the Great War – nothing "civilian" about it so it is eminently suitable that the last poppy was placed there by a representative of our youngest generation. That is why having him "wearing a pair of jeans and a hoody" would not have been appropriate.

"Just in case we run out of cannon fodder, we glorify that which Western civilisation should be deeply ashamed of."

Pray tell what is it that "Western Civilisation" should be deeply ashamed of?

The advances in medical science introduced by us that have saved the lives of millions all over the world?

The promotion of world trade?

The abolition of slavery? – although admittedly as we have retreated back into our own part of the world slavery is again sadly on the increase

Driving Piracy from the trade routes of the world? – but once again as we have withdrawn the pirates have returned (I can remember someone predicting that years ago in the 1960s when Healey came out with the withdrawal from east of Suez)

Living up to our treaty obligations irrespective of cost, and in doing so succeeded in defeating both fascism and communism?

The humanitarian assistance that we unstintingly give time and time again, only to be castigated and abused for doing it? Where are Russia and China when it actually comes to helping out?

" typical of war mongering generals."

Care to name one.

"We will never learn whilst it is military mindset that leads the remembering."

What military mindset?? But taking that point at face value it would be a bit difficult that Musket as the vast majority of those being remembered are military – the military are the de facto majority shareholders when it comes to losing people in armed conflict and as such are better placed to undertake what is required to remember their comrades – if you doubt that Musket here are the figures for the two world wars:

First World War – UK military deaths 888,246; Civilian deaths 16,829

Second World War – UK military deaths 383,800; Civilian deaths 67,100