Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn, but they certainly take their toll!

[Legbreaker]

I'm laying in hospital after work reconstructing my ankle after a motorcycle accident four years ago, and got to thinking about how our bodies in normal, everyday life tend to wear out.
Soldiers, especially infantry and to a lesser extent armour crew, artillery and the other direct combat troops, pick up injuries on an almost weekly basis. In my old units, if you were still injury free (as in nothing lasting) at 30, you were either extremely lucky, or hadn't been working hard enough.

Old soldiers often suffer pretty badly after they discharge too as many of us here know personally. I myself picked up a pair of dodgy knees and (fortunately temporary) deep depression which almost led to suicide. There are many worse off them me though with permanent mental illnesses, lost limbs, spinal injuries, etc.

The more you think about it, the more you realise your own mortality...

Anyway, with Anzac day here in Australia only about a month away, I thought I'd like to share my thoughts, and pay a little homage to those who fought, died and suffered before us.