Thoughts on the EU referendum (3)

I recently saw video footage of Ted Heath with the Queen at some bash to celebrate the UK's accession to the EEC. He was wearing his medals. He was involved in the Normandy landings and was mentioned in dispatches.

Sometimes one hears the argument that go along the lines of "we didn't fight a war with Germany only to let them take over by stealth afterwards". It's a cheap and bad form of argument, in my view.

No doubt there's a sadness in thinking of someone who had in mind the green and pleasant land of their childhood as inspiration for fighting the war, only to see it built over the moment he returned home, but it's no more than that - an emotion.

Is there anything we owe those who fought and died in a way, other than gratitude, respect and, if you're that way inclined, prayers? Perhaps some people died to keep the UK a Christian country: do their efforts or sacrifice add any weight to an argument against gay marriage, for example? I rather think not.

Let's say that Ted Heath fought the war - and worked throughout the peace - to bring out a more united Europe. Even so, we owe him nothing.