ANST - The War That Got Away

[Bob Dewart]

Your Grace,

I, as did many, knew Sir Ricardo for many years.  I was not on line when you
first sent this out.  Now, I fear I can not read it all at once.  My eyes
will not focus through the tears.

See you at the war.

Gilli
-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Ewing <keandbc at ix.netcom.com>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG <ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG>
Cc: ansteorra-chivalry at Ansteorra.ORG <ansteorra-chivalry at Ansteorra.ORG>;
ansteorra-armored-combat at Ansteorra.ORG
<ansteorra-armored-combat at Ansteorra.ORG>
Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 1:54 PM
Subject: ANST - The War That Got Away


>Hello again, Countrymen.
>
>If my words were not persuasive enough in my last post then I have some
>more words for you. In 1997 Sir Ricardo de Pisa went to Gulf War. After
>the war he wrote the following missive and asked me to post it on the
>Ansteorran mailing list. I did so at that time, so some of you may have
>seen this before.  In his last paragraph, he says that he will be there
>next year, but he passed away during Gulf War in 1988. Some say that it
>was the only way that he could leave his sickbed to fulfill his
>promise.
>
>Kein
>
>
>
>
>The War That Got Away
>by Sir Riccardo di Pisa
>
>What a great time it was! The weather was not good, but not entirely
>bad either. Just right for fighting and sleeping. It was nice to see
>old friends, sit around and talk, check up on what they'd been doing
>since last we met, throw back a beer or two
. Yes sir, it was fun. At
>least for the third of the kingdom that bothered to show up. As close
>as I can figure, it was about one third of the kingdom. Where was
>everybody else? I know some could not attend due to work, some because
>of school, some may have had family problems. I just find it hard to
>believe that two thirds of the kingdom falls into one of these three
>categories.
>
>By the way, we did not win! It was a tie again. Thank God for the
>people who competed in the static and performing arts, because they
>smoked the competition. All glory to them; for if glory was to be found
>it was with the Arts & Sciences and the light weapons fighters. THEY
>saved the kingdom from certain defeat!!
>
>Where oh where have the heavy weapons fighters gone? In all the kingdom
>there are four hundred plus heavy weapons fighters.  Where were they?
>We may have had 150 fighters. Our allies outnumbered our own fighters.
>What kind of army is it that has only one third of its' forces show up
>for a war? How can we expect our allies to continue to show up and
>fight for us when our forces won't show up?
>
>I can remember when the Ansteorran army was a fearsome thing. When that
>army went to war, the entire force attended
 all of it. No one could
>stand before us. Opposing kingdoms and their armies melted like ice
>before the roaring flame that was the sun of Ansteorra. What glory
>days! Day I'll never forget. Our fighters went to other kingdoms' wars.
>They were held in high regard and kingdoms would vie for our services,
>offering gifts of food, drink and
. trinkets.
>
>I cannot take anything away from those knights and fighters who did go
>to the war. They did their best, but with two-to-one odds (or more)
>there was not much hope of winning. Much valor was displayed by our
>fighters and much individual glory was won. Just one case in point;
>William the Bear. I'll try to tell you about it, but you had to be
>there to see for yourself. Imagine being in a big windstorm. Things
>flying all about, men shouting, some screaming in pain, some cursing,
>swords striking shields, pole arms swing in deadly arcs; it was like
>being in a mad house. The only things missing were the blood and gore
>that you would have in a real war. But if you looked hard enough, you
>found some of that too. In the middle of all this you find Sir William,
>laying about him the left and right, striking down whoever came before
>him. He was like a man possessed. I swear I could see smoke coming from
>his helm
 or maybe it was condensation of his sweat in the cool air.
>What valor, what glory he won in that battle. Ten of the enemy did he
>lay low before he was cut down!  Had we but ten more like him
>we could have won they day.  Many more deeds of honor did I observe in
>other fighters, much individual honor was won by more fighters than I
>can name here. But it was all for nothing. When the army came off the
>field after the battle, no matter the individual glory won by them, you
>could see the disappointment in their eyes, disappointment in giving
>their all and it not being enough to save the day.
>
>When we go to war, we go to have fun, do some fighting, party a little,
>but most of all, I think, to win glory for the kingdom. To show the
>Known World that we have the biggest, baddest boys and girls on the
>block. Well, not this year. Maybe next, but only if the other two
>thirds of the kingdom decide to show up. I'm sure that the ones that
>attended this year will be there next year, they always seem to be. For
>those of you who could have come and did not, shame on you. You missed
>all the fun and a chance for individual glory. And to get right down to
>it, isn't having fun the reason we do what we do? I'll be there next
>year. Think about that. Next year, plenty of time to make plans. Why
>don't all of you make plans to be there, maybe we could win next time.
>If you have missed the point of what I have been trying to say, let me
>make it clear
 where the hell were you, and why were you not there?
>
>
>
>
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