Vandoo,
Back home in England as a bairn, one would see these old lads sitting on park benches in awful shape as you say,....gassed, bits missing, deaf as posts very often.
In a way, I think the "lucky" ones were the ones to be snuffed outright.
I often think of my Grandma's brother Will, (Gunner, RFA& RHA) killed in 1918.
He didn't grow old, so is remembered as he was, not a frail old chap.
We have 3 laid in France, and one still on-board HMS Hood, from round 2.
"Age shall not weary them, or the years condemn...." seems most fitting.
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