What did they die for?

I watched a show on the winners of the Victoria Cross during the first world war, a couple of days ago on Five. It is incredible what some people are willing to do under stress. I’ve read research that most people who “go over the top” during war time do so in support of their comrades in arms rather than for the mother country. In that sense, they are not dying for their country. Equally, it must in part be true that people signed up, knowing the dangers, because of what they saw as the greater good, and the benefit of their country, in this case England. It was a sobering show. Would I react in that way? Once, I hoped I would. I watched the show with a sense of pride for what these people were willing to sacrifice, but I couldn’t help but look around me today and wonder if their sacrifice was worth it. The England those people fought and died for only survived another few years anyway. Not thinking about the empire etc, which was already on it’s last legs, England as it exists today (and of course we are hardly allowed to even think of calling it England anymore – the political correctness brigade think that England is racist!), seems to be predominantly populated by louts, hooligans, hoodies, benefit loafers and young mums. It’s a sad sad thought, but the England that I think of doesn’t seem to exist for the vast majority of the population any more. Thank god for villages and the preservation of a corner of this green and pleasant land remaining English, green and pleasant. Maybe they did die for something after all, but I don’t think that the hoodies and lazy bast*rd benefit people deserve my sacrifice. What a sad state of affairs.