Harry Patch (In Memory Of)

In honor of Veteran’s Day, let us pay tribute via Radiohead’s tribute to a veteran among veterans: “Harry Patch (In Memory Of).”

Patch, who was born in 1898 and died this past July at age 111, was the last surviving British soldier from World War I. He fought in France’s Battle of Passchendaele (pictured below), where he was injured and three of his friends were killed right next to him.


For many, many years, Patch refused all requests to talk about his experiences in the Great War. Only in 1998, at age 100 did he agree, participating in a BBC One documentary called Veterans.

From that point on, Harry's voice would not be patched. In 2007, at age 109, he published an autobiography called The Last Fighting Tommy and was very active in preserving the memory and dignity of fallen WWI soldiers.

Thom Yorke of Radiohead was very moved by Patch’s thoughts on war from a 2005 BBC radio documentary. Upon hearing of Patch’s death, he and bandmate Jonnny Greenwood were moved to write this song.



With no band instrumentation, only the epic sweep of a string arrangement written by Greenwood and recorded in an abbey, “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" conjures youth, bravery, loss of innocence, senseless death, the passing of time, regret and the final curtain. Yorke’s spare lyrics for “Harry Patch” were inspired by Patch quotes from the BBC interview, and are very powerful.

I am the only one that got through
The others died wherever they fell
It was an ambush
They came up from all sides
Give your leaders each a gun and then let them fight it out themselves
I've seen devils coming up from the ground
I've seen hell upon this earth
The next will be chemical but they will never learn


Radiohead released the song in August via its website, a day before Patch was buried, and you can get it here for 1 pound at the band’s online store W.A.S.T.E. Proceeds from the song benefit The Royal British Legion, a charity for veterans of the British Armed Forces.

Rock Turtleneck salutes the unimaginable sacrifices made by soldiers and veterans everywhere. As Harry said, "We weren't heroes. We didn't want to be there. We were scared. We all were, all the time. And any man who tells you he wasn't is a damn liar."

Radiohead W.A.S.T.E.: “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)”