WW I Armistice 11/11/18
Read a story for Veteran's Day.
Originally called Armistice Day.
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Winston Churchill
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This war was originally given the name, "The Great War."
But "The Great War" got the name WWI after we had WWII. This Great War was supposed to have ended all war. That's what was said and thought back then.
So why mention this here and on this day?
.
One reason.
.
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Today on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Nov 11, 1918 is the 100th Year Anniversary of the Armistice, ending the hostilities of WWI.
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And Winchester Virginia lost quite a few men of the 29th "Blue and Gray" Division (116th Regiment from Virginia) in the Meuse Argonne Offensive, the last battle front in that war.
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Many of these men were honored by Winchester as medallions embedded in the sidewalks of Winchester. See part of that story.
.
One of those men lost?
Robert Y Conrad.
.
.
He gave a speech to celebrate the placing of the Braddock Cannon at the corner of Cork and Braddock, an intersection so named because Braddock's men boarded the ships in Cork Ireland to cross the Atlantic.
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This cannon left behind by Braddock's Expedition in Alexandria in 1755, was brought here in 1915.
.
The cannon points towards Pittsburgh, it's intended location, where the French built Fort Duquesne.
.
The Crowd?
it just got done seeing a parade to this cannon the size of Winchester's current Apple Blossom size parades.
He gave a long speech.
You can read the first part here
.
That speech detailed the horrible battle destroying Braddock's forces.
.
That speech demonstrated considerable scholarship in 1915 when sources were not so easily accessible.
.
I don't know if the Apple Blossom size crowd sitting there could hear it or stay put in its attention that day of May 29, 1915.
Three years later
that speaker of that global war became involved in a global war of his own.
.
.
And he was in a horrible battle for Marlbrouck Hill in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, similar to what he described standing over that Braddock Cannon 3 years earlier on May 29, 1915.
.
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Three years later after this speech on the corner of Cork and Braddock in Winchester VA, this speaker, Robert Y Conrad, gets shot in the head Oct 8, 1918 leading his men out of a trench in an attack on Marlbrouck Hill on the very same day the famous Alvin York captures 132 Germans single handedly.
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Winchester's Robert Y Conrad dies the next day.
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His daughter, named "Robbie" for her father, is born after her father was killed in action.
.
There's a ton of details in this link.
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A lot of detail is in here on that Braddock Cannon.
.
You've seen that "boring" cannon.
All mute. Growing mold for 103 years at that spot, as of this writing, 11/11/2018.
.
It's older than that - having been left behind by Braddock in Alexandria in 1755.
.
.
Next time you drive by, stop and get a little closer look at it.
There's Cement in its mouth.
There's a story about that too.
.
See the cement?
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This group shown here started honoring President's Day in 2017 through the eyes of a George Washington who made this town, Winchester VA, his headquarters in the French and Indian War, long before he had an inkling of a new nation he would head.
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The group in that picture?
French and Indian War re-enactor Jim Moyer (from left), Eric Cherry, re-enactor Charles Harbaugh IV (Mayor of Middletown VA - as of this blog post) and Brian Daly talk Monday outside George Washington’s Office Museum for Presidents Day — photo by Scott Mason for the Winchester Star
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And its sister cannon ?
There's another cannon also left behind by Braddock in 1755?
.
It's still in Alexandria, installed with ceremony in a little circle in the middle of an intersection the day before in 1915.
.
There's more about the Conrad Family.
.
The speaker's Dad?
Other than being the main instrumental person in realizing Handley's money into the awesome Handley Library, he was also Solicitor General (the top US lawyer who addresses the Supreme Court) and a friend of President McKinley who, with Holmes Conrad tried to get a monument for Daniel Morgan. Story about that too.
.
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A Conrad ancestor, Daniel Conrad, becomes the reason why Betty Dandridge, the daughter of President Zachary Taylor and who lived on Braddock Street in Winchester VA finds the Braddock Sash at the bottom of her trunk. Look for that story in here too.
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Read in bits and pieces at your leisure.
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Links
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French and Indian War as Global
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The 4 volumes of Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples.
Notice that Volume 1 is displayed but underneath are the other 3 volumes.
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More references to the global theatres of war and their names
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See Frontier Fort Google Maps, of forts, battles, events of the French and Indian War.
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Braddock Cannon
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The Washington Office Museum with that cannon
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The Corner of Cork and Braddock where that cannon sits
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Conrad family
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Robert Y Conrad's speech
. Robt Y Conrad part 1 published on front page of Winchester Evening Star Saturday 29 May 1915.
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Robt Y Conrad part 2 published in page 6 of Winchester Evening Star Saturday 29 May 1915.
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Robt Y Conrad epilogue published on front page of Winchester Evening Star Monday 31 May 1915.
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Robt Y Conrad epilogue 2 published on 2nd page of Winchester Evening Star Monday 31 May 1915.
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Read the whole speech in one spot with notes and links?
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The Medallions honoring the men in WW1 in Winchester. Robert Y Conrad's medallion has not been found.
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5442, Sunday 845am, 11/11/2018, updated 11/10/23
WW I Armistice 11/11/1918
Read a story for Veteran's Day.
Originally called Armistice Day.
.
Winston Churchill titled a chapter on The Seven Years War as "The First World War".
.
This war was originally given the name, "The Great War."
But "The Great War" got the name WWI after we had WWII. This Great War was supposed to have ended all war. That's what was said and thought back then.
.
So why mention this here and on this day?
.
One reason..
.
Today on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Nov 11, 2023 is the 105th Year Anniversary of the Armistice, ending the hostilities of WWI.
.
And Winchester Virginia lost quite a few men of the 29th "Blue and Gray" Division (116th Regiment from Virginia) in the Meuse Argonne Offensive, the last battle front in that war.
.
Many of these men were honored by Winchester as medallions embedded in the sidewalks of Winchester. See part of that story.
.
One of those men lost?
Robert Y Conrad.
.
He gave a speech to celebrate the placing of the Braddock Cannon at the corner of Cork and Braddock, an intersection so named because Braddock's men boarded the ships in Cork Ireland to cross the Atlantic.
.
This cannon left behind by Braddock's Expedition in Alexandria in 1755, was brought here in 1915.
.
The cannon points towards Pittsburgh, it's intended location, where the French built Fort Duquesne.
.
The Crowd?
it just got done seeing a parade to this cannon the size of Winchester's current Apple Blossom size parades.
.
He gave a long speech.
You can read the first part here
.
That speech detailed the horrible battle destroying Braddock's forces.
.
That speech demonstrated considerable scholarship in 1915 when sources were not so easily accessible.
.
I don't know if the Apple Blossom size crowd sitting there could hear it or stay put in its attention that day of May 29, 1915.
.
But what follows?
Three years later that speaker of that global war became involved in a global war of his own.
.
From Meuse Argonne Offensive Wikipedia article:
.
And he was in a horrible battle for Marlbrouck Hill in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, similar to what he described standing over that Braddock Cannon 3 years earlier on May 29, 1915.
.
.
Three years after this speech on the corner of Cork and Braddock, this speaker, Robert Y Conrad, gets shot in the head Oct 8, 2018 leading his men out of a trench in an attack on Marlbrouck Hill on the very same day the famous Alvin York captures 132 Germans single handedly.
.
Winchester's Robert Y Conrad dies the next day.
.
His daughter, named "Robbie" for her father, is born after her father was killed in action.
.
There's a ton of details in this link.
.
A lot of detail is in here on that Braddock Cannon.
.
You've seen that "boring" cannon.
All mute. Growing mold for 103 years at that spot, as of this writing, 11/11/2018.
.
It's older than that - having been left behind by Braddock in Alexandria in 1755.
.
Next time you drive by, stop and get a little closer look at it.
There's Cement in its mouth.
There's a story about that too.
.
And its sister cannon ?
There's another cannon also left behind by Braddock in 1755?
.
It's still in Alexandria, installed with ceremony in a little circle in the middle of an intersection the day before in 1915.
.
.
This blog contains a lot about the Conrad Family.
.
The speaker's Dad?
Other than being the main instrumental person in realizing Handley's money into the awesome Handley Library, he was also Solicitor General (the top US lawyer who addresses the Supreme Court) and a friend of President McKinley who, with Holmes Conrad tried to get a monument for Daniel Morgan. Story about that too.
.
A Conrad ancestor, Daniel Conrad, becomes the reason why Betty Dandridge, the daughter of President Zachary Taylor and who lived on Braddock Street in Winchester VA finds the Braddock Sash at the bottom of her trunk. Look for that story in here too.
.
Read in bits and pieces at your leisure.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
