2013/10/16

Touching moment Pink Floyd star visits World War II cemetery in Italy to honour his soldier father who died in heroic final stand

By NICK PISA
PUBLISHED: 10 October 2013



Roger Waters' father Eric died in Italy in the closing stages of the war

He made an emotional journey to the battlefield where his father died

Pink Floyd star was just five months when his father was killed in action

Lt Waters' name is on a memorial at Cassino but remains were never found

Roger Waters said his father died because of foolhardy generals in songs he recorded

This is the touching moment Pink Floyd star Roger Waters visits a cemetery near where his soldier father died in the final months of World War II.
Eric Fletcher Waters was serving as a second lieutenant with the Royal Fusiliers as they advanced through Italy in 1944 when he was killed in action.
His newborn son Roger was aged just five months when he was killed on the battlefield near Cassino.
Earlier this year, the Pink Floyd musician made an emotional journey to visit the battlefield where his father was killed along with thousands of other Allied troops.
He was able to pinpoint the exact spot where he died and also visited a graveyard where his death is marked on a memorial.
The second lieutenant's remains were never found.

Graveside: Roger Waters of Pink Floyd visits a cemetery in Cassino, Italy, as he makes an emotional journey to visit the battlefield where his father was killed along with thousands of other Allied troops

A war diary belonging to Pink Floyd star Roger Waters' father has been uncovered by a fellow soldier (pictured) the Waters family while father Eric was serving in the Royal Fusiliers

Now, War Diary documents unearthed at the National Archives in Kew by former veteran Harry Shindler, paint a clear picture of the final 24 hours of Lt Waters and the brave men of Z company (coy) who were with him at Anzio in February 1944.

The first line dated February 17 records how at 11am 'intensive shelling and mortaring' took place in the area where Lt Waters, commanding officer John Oliver-Bellasis and the rest of Z company as they tried to advance on a heavily defended German position.

Later in the day, an entry timed 1745, describes colourfully how the Germans called on Lt Waters and his comrades to give up: 'Z coy reported an attack on the left forward platoon. The bosche called on them to surrender but were answered with all available SA (semi automatic) fire. Casualties were inflicted.

The diary, which documents dramatic dispatches from Mr Waters' time in service

Just over an hour later, the entry adds: 'Situation well in hand, enemy decided to withdraw. 'Prisoners from Z coy said they had recently marched from Rome and were told they would not be used in an attack. Had also been told that b'head was almost finished.'

The report goes on to record a quiet night but then in the early hours of the morning at 1.45am, the day Lt Waters was killed, describes an 'enemy concentration reported on the rt of 7th Oxf & Bucks, which is followed by an entry at 0630 of how the Oxf and Bucks troops are being attacked 'and sounds of tracked vehilces heard to their front.'

At 7.15am 'Z coy reported attack by approx 50 Bosches. Successfully dealt with.' More than two hours later at 0945am it adds: '5 enemy killed and several spandaus captured as result of above.' Then 30 minutes later the battle which will claim Lt Waters life begins.

On the offensive: This picture shows troops landing in Anzio, on the Italian coast, in 1944

It reads: 'Further attack on Z coy. This time in greater strength than previous attack. Enemy in close contact with forward positions. Unable to send assistance as Z coy having trouble on their rt.'

An hour later the Diary records: 'Z coy reported enemy all round their positions, very stiff fighting going on.' Then at 1130am the final report reads: 'Lt Waters killed and Lt Hill wounded, situation now critical. Message received over air that assistance would now be too late.'

Lt Waters was killed in the first wave of fighting as the Allies attempted to secure the beach head at Anzio, south of Rome. 

Lt Waters name is on a memorial at the nearby Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Cassino but his remains were never found.

Eric Waters' death provided the inspiration for several songs and it is commemorated in particular with When The Tigers Broke Free, which also appeared in the film The Wall.

In the song, Waters describes how he feels that his 31-year-old father died because of foolhardy generals.

The last verse has the lyrics 'It was dark all around. There was frost in the ground When the tigers broke free. And no one survived  From the Royal Fusiliers Company Z. They were all left behind, Most of them dead.

'The rest of them dying. And that's how the High Command Took my daddy from me.'
He also describes coming across a letter of condolence from George V as he tried on his father's uniform, adding how he found it disturbing that it was rubber-stamped and not actually signed.

After visiting the cemetery at Cassino in March, Waters, 70, told a local Italian TV station: 'I'm on a journey through Europe, my grandfather was killed in 1916 and my father was killed down the road in Anzio. This is the end of my journey.

'Some of my past is in my music and so is my future. I'm making a film that won't be aired in public.'

Speaking of his father, Waters recalled in an interview his childhood and how his father's death had affected him. He said: 'When men in uniform came to collect their children, that's when I realised I didn't have a father anymore.

'I was very angry. It took me years to come to terms with it. Because he was missing in action, presumed killed, until quite recently I expected him to come home. The sacrifice of his life has been a great gift and a great burden to me.'

The film and album The Wall tells the story of how a troubled rock star called Pink, who is said to be Waters, is left psychologically scarred by the loss of his father in the war. The film opens with scenes of a solider - Eric Waters - along with his comrades, storming a beachhead.

Mr Shindler, 93, a veteran who fought in Italy during Word War Two and is in charge of the Itay Star Association which represents former soldiers, said: 'I started to dig around on the story when I saw a report of this man on the TV. 

'I was very moved that he wanted to find out more about his father's death and the circumstances of how he was killed. I don't know who Pink Floyd are, my music stops at The Beatles.

'The report describes the events leading up to his father's death and how they were surrounded and outnumbered but despite putting on a brave fight their was nothing they could do.'

Mr Shindler adds that he had been in touch with Roger Waters agent but had no direct contact with the musician who recently completed a successful tour of Europe.

On his official website Waters has posted a tribute to his father and urged fans to send in photos and stories of their 'Fallen Loved Ones'.

He writes it 'is a request, from me, reaching out to ask you to provide a photograph and personal details of a "Loved One" lost in war. Your "Loved One’s" pictures and details would be included, along with those of my father Eric, in my up coming show THE WALL, as an act of remembrance. The "Fallen Loved One" does not have to have been a soldier. Civilian deaths are equally, if not more, harrowing.

'I make this request to you in light of my belief that many of these tragic losses of life are avoidable. I feel empathy with the families of all the victims and anger at "THE POWERS THAT BE", who are responsible, in equal measure. Please join me in honouring our dead and protesting their loss.'

  



A note from Roger - October 9, 2013

On September 7, 2013, Roger was interviewed by Alon Hadar for the magazine accompanying Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.  The article can be read here. Below is an open letter to the editor from Roger. The transcription that is referred to was pulled from a video recording of the nearly 90-minute on-the-record conversation between Roger and Alon.

To the Editor

Dear Sir,

I do not read Hebrew so I have had to wait for a translation of the article your paper printed on Wednesday, 18th September, based upon an interview I did with Alon Hadar in Amsterdam the previous week.

Without wishing to fan the flames, I feel I owe it to my fans in Israel to correct the record on a number of points.

The article was a serious distortion of the actual interview I gave.

Both questions and answers were changed. I can only assume to suit an editorial agenda.

The measured, reasonable and humane conversation that Alon and I had in Amsterdam was intended as a way for me to communicate with my Israeli fans, to explain my position on Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS), to break down Walls, and shed light on possible misunderstandings and our shared predicament. It has been re-written as a combative, ill-natured, dog-fight. It appears, with all its distortions and untruths, to want to maintain the status quo, alienate me from my fans in Israel and retreat from any consideration of the position that all the peoples of the region deserve to live in peace and justice with equal rights for all under the same laws, irrespective of color, race or religion. I have today received and studied a transcript of the interview I gave. The thing that is most strikingly different between the actual interview and what you printed in your magazine is that you have rewritten all the questions. It is very shoddy journalism to hold up to be real, what is in fact, a fabrication. I attach a link to the transcript at the end of this letter, should your readers and my Israeli fans wish to know what really happened, and what was really said.

As for the article itself, the editorial content is littered with misinformation. As you know, I have an agreement with your paper that I have copy approval of my quotes. When I finally got an English translation of the article, even though there was very little time before you went to press, I sat up half the night trying to correct some of the worst errors. You largely ignored my input.

I intend no pettiness or rancor, but will mention two specific untruths.  Firstly, the article claims that I am constantly contacting other musicians trying to persuade them not to perform in Israel.  It’s simply not so. I have never written to Elton John or Rihanna. In fact, I have made no specific approach to anyone except Stevie Wonder, about an IDF fundraiser in Los Angeles, and Alicia Keys. There is one other Englishman, but my letter to him was in confidence and will remain so. That’s it. To their credit, Elvis Costello, and many others, supported BDS before me.

It is true I have recently written an open letter to my Colleagues in Rock and Roll declaring my support for BDS and asking them as a group to join the movement. We are attempting peacefully, through BDS, to encourage your government to change its colonial and apartheid policies.

There are many other distortions and untruths.  I shall mention but one more of them. Alon asked me what I would like to say to Benjamin Netanyahu. In my reply I suggested, that based on his record, it seemed unlikely he would be the one to negotiate a just peace and that he might better spend his time looking for ‘The One,’ the one who might be Israel’s ‘de Klerk.’

For anyone who may not know: F.W. de Klerk was the last white president of South Africa and is best known for brokering the end of apartheid, and supporting the transformation of South Africa into a multi-racial democracy by entering into the negotiations that resulted in all citizens, including the country's black majority, having equal rights. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, along with Nelson Mandela, for his part in ending apartheid in South Africa. To be clear, I’m suggesting that Israel, like South Africa in the past, needs a leader who is prepared to negotiate a just and lasting peace based on equal rights.

I attach a translation of this letter in Hebrew and here is a link to a transcript of the whole on-the-record conversation I had with Alon in Amsterdam.  http://rogerwaters.com/interview/

With respect,

Yours truly,

Roger Waters

From www.facebook.com/roger-waters-the-wall

2013/10/04

Roger Waters The Wall Live 2013 - Amsterdam ArenA 08.09.2013




Ça ira | Götaplatsen

Publicerad 14 augusti 2013

Gabriel Byström

OPERA
Ça ira
Götaplatsen
Roger Waters, berättare
Göteborgs Symfoniker
Rick Wentworth, dirigent
Sångsolister: Sally Matthews, Bryan Hymel, Christian van Horn och Oren Gradus och Richard Söderberg
Brunnsbo Musikklasser, barnkör
Göteborgs Symfoniska Kör

Bild: Lisa Irvall

I tisdags invigdes Göteborgs kulturkalas. På Götaplatsen framfördes Roger Waters opera Ça ira. En utmärkt inledning på ett kalas som tagit åtskilliga steg i rätt riktning, konstaterar Gabriel Byström.

Göteborgs kulturkalas har genomgått en metamorfos de senaste åren. Från att ha varit ett langosdoftande träsk utan annan kulturell ambition än att locka så många som möjligt till trakterna runt Avenyn finns här idag en bredd och åtminstone glimtvis ett djup som är värt att framhålla. I ett kulturpolitiskt perspektiv är det viktigt för konsten att finna nya gränssnitt, nya kontaktytor. Så har ambitionerna med svensk kulturpolitik sett ut sedan 1974 även om det alltför sällan gett konkreta resultat.

Så, när stadens kulturkalas väljer en konsertant version av en tämligen perifer nyskriven opera som invigningsarrangemang på Götaplatsen måste det betraktas som ett stort steg fram. Låt vara att omständigheterna rörande initiativet är något dunkla. En lätt påstruken Roger Waters skriver, påhejad av Live Nations mäktige vd Thomas Johansson, ett par rader på en bordsduk riktade direkt till Anneli Hulthén. En tid senare står över 200 personer på en jättelik scen på Götaplatsen och framför en milt nedskalad Ça ira (Waters hade kapat 35 minuter). Tisdagens konsertant bidrar givetvis till att öka intresset för lördagens konsert/föreställning av The Wall på Ullevi, vilket den drivne Thomas Johansson självklart är medveten om. Å andra sidan, för alla som inte vill lägga upp de åtskilliga hundralappar för The Wall innebar Ça ira en möjlighet att få lyssna på Roger Waters musik och dessutom se den snart 70-årige Pink Floyd-ikonen på scen (Waters agerar berättare i en bekväm läderfåtölj på scen) under närmare två timmar.

Ça ira utspelar sig vid tiden före och under franska revolutionen. Librettot skrevs ursprungligen av makarna Etienne och Nadine Roda-Gil i samband med 200-årsfirandet av franska revolutionen 1989. Via gemensamma bekanta introducerades Etienne och Nadine Roda-Gil och Roger Waters för varandra. Under 90-talet började Waters komponera musik till operan. Inte förrän 2005 kunde den emellertid höras på cd och live. Uruppförandet ägde rum i Rom, på cd finns den i en utomordentlig version med bland andra den walesiska superstjärnan Bryn Terfel i en av de ledande rollerna.

Roger Waters arbetar som alltid konceptuellt. Ça ira (ungefär ”det ska gå”) skildrar delar av revolutionen. Ångesten hos Ludvig XVI och Marie Antoinette när revolutionens kraft börjar bli uppenbar. Drottningens oförstående inför hungern. Påven som inte vill se mänskliga rättigheter. Operans titel är hämtad från en känd revolutionsvisa med samma namn. Waters poängterar i intervjuer frihetstemat och dess allmängiltighet. Han vill peka på möjligheten till förändring. Och den som följt honom ser och hör paralleller till åtskilligt av vad han gjort tidigare även om operagenren är delvis ny (rockoperan The Wall finner fortfarande nya lyssnare och kommer att dra bortåt 40 000 på lördag men renodlad opera är otrampad mark för Waters).

Musikaliskt rör sig Ça ira i en djupt romantisk tradition, Roger Waters har alldeles uppenbart lyssnat och inspirerats mycket av framförallt Puccini under arbetet. Mest imponerar den brittiska sopranen Sally Matthews med sin närvaro, klangliga precision och förmåga att gestalta spänningen mellan styrka och sårbarhet. Imponerar gör också den kraftfulle amerikanske tenoren Bryan Hymel. Och givetvis Symfonikerna som skickligt balanserar patetiken. Det finns snarare en nyfikenhet i tolkningen, en vilja att lyfta fram, att se grundmaterialets möjligheter. Där Waters målar med den allra bredaste penseln arbetar Symfonikerna under Rick Wentworths ledning med mer subtila medel och med den självklara auktoritet orkestern utvecklat.

Riktigt besvärande blir det bara en gång, när operan förläggs till den franska kolonien Saint-Domingue i Karibien och det allvarsamt romantiska tonspråket ersätts av något som eventuellt ska föreställa sprittande karibiska rytmer. Tenoren Richard Söderberg gör vad han kan för att väcka liv i något som knappast ens kan ha svängt på idéstadiet. Djupt obehagligt.

Annars är detta, trots bitande kyla, hotfulla moln och upprepade åskknallar, en imponerande utomhusafton. Närmare två timmar så gott som nyskriven opera med landets nationalorkester och flera solister av hög klass. Därtill påfallande många nyfikna göteborgare.

ÄMNET

Roger Waters opera Ça ira som i tisdags kväll invigde Kulturkalaset på Götaplatsen.

SKRIBENTEN

Gabriel Byström är kulturchef. Skrev senast om Bradley Manning och Edward Snowden.

  

Roger Waters servett-brev till Anneli Hulthén

Publicerad 13 augusti 2013

Daniel Olsson

På en tygservett från en finare Sydney-restaurang skrev rockikonen Roger Waters till kommunstyrelsens ordförande Anneli Hulthén:
"My Dear Mayor!"


Bild: Göteborgs stad

Det är troligen en av de märkligare allmänna handlingar som kommit in till Göteborgs stadsledningskontor. Det tar också nästan en vecka för registraturen att finna handlingen, men i morse återfanns den:

Tygservetten i vitt bomullstyg mäter 50x52 cm där rocklegenden och Pink Floyd-grundaren Roger Waters frågar Anneli Hulthén om inte han kan få arrangera kvällens egenskrivna opera Ça Ira på Götaplatsen.

"Brevet", som kom för två år sedan gick inte att skanna in så den sändes vidare till Anneli Hulthéns kontor, där den blev kvar.

Nu finns den diarieförd som "Post till politiker och kommunalråd" och under benämningen "Förslag på evenemang".

– Den fick inte plats i scannern så jag fick fota av den med min mobiltelefon, säger Maria Janås, registrator vid Göteborgs stadsledningskontor.

Hon bedömer servetten som kommande från en finare restaurang.

"My dear Mayor!" inleds "brevet", i Roger Waters karaktäristiskt spretiga handstil. Och han fortsätter med att berätta att han precis fått höra talas om Göteborgs symfoniorkester och stadens återkommande "festival".

I dagens GP säger Roger Waters i en intervju att det var under en middag med Live Nations Thomas Johansson som Göteborgs kulturkalas kom på tal.

– Jag måste varit lite full under tillfället, men jag skrev tydligen ett brev till borgmästaren på duken, sa Roger Waters till GP.

Fakta: Så lyder texten i sin helhet

"My Dear Mayor!

My old friend Thomas, well he´s not that old! But you know what I mean! Happened to mention that Göteborg has not only the best Symphony Orchestra in Sweden but also a great annual festival. Also that he might persuade you to consider a semi staged concert version of my opera "CA IRA" (There is Hope) for inclusion. Should that happen, I would be very happy. Thank you for your consideration!

Roger Waters


Rocklegendarens opera sparkar igång kalaset

Publicerad 12 augusti 2013

Sofia Andersson


Roger Waters sparkar igång kulturkalaset. På tisdagskvällen framför rocklegendaren, tillsammans med Göteborgs Symfoniker, sin egenskrivna opera till minne av franska revolutionen. Det unika besöket började med ett handskrivet brev till Anneli Hulthén.

Bild: Jessica Bentsen

Roger Waters är legendaren från Pink Floyd, som satte stort avtryck i musikhistorien under 70-talet. På tisdagskvällen framför han sin egenskrivna opera Ça Ira tillsammans Göteborgs Symfoniker på Götaplatsen och sparkar därmed igång Göteborgs kulturkalas.

– Jag har hört att orkestern ska vara fantastisk, jag kan knappt vänta tills jag får höra dem, säger Roger Waters, när han möter upp i Konserthuset strax innan genrepet.

Waters började 1988, tillsammans med Etienne och Nadine Roda-Gil, att utveckla idén om operan inför 200-årsjubileet av franska revolutionen. När Nadine Roda-Gil gick bort i leukemi under 1990 stannade skrivandet upp och först 15 år senare hade operan premiär i Rom. Ça Ira kretsar kring Marie Antoinettes sista år, men är också en modern berättelse om frihet.

– Franska revolutionen är ett avgörande moment i europeisk historia, då kungar för första gången blev ifrågasatta, utmanade och avrättade. Revolutionen reste tankarna om att vanligt folk har rättigheter, säger Roger Waters.

I kväll visas operan för femte gången sedan premiären. Bakgrunden till att det blev just Göteborg grundar sig i en god vänskap med Live Nations ordförande Thomas Johansson, och leder oss tillbaka till en middag i Sydney där Waters tecknade ner ett meddelande till kommunstyrelsens ordförande Anneli Hulthén.

– Thomas sa att Göteborg hade ett kulturkalas och undrade om jag inte skulle spela där. Jag kommer inte riktigt ihåg allt, jag måste varit lite full under tillfället, men jag skrev tydligen ett brev till borgmästaren på duken. Vi drog undan sakerna från bordet och jag skrev någonting i stil med ”Kära Mrs Mayor, jag vill verkligen komma och göra operan i er stad”, säger Roger Waters och ropar på Thomas Johansson för att få reda på om brevet kom fram.

Det gjorde det.

– Jag hoppas att hon kommer, säger Roger Waters.

På lördag framför rocklegendaren Pink Floyds The Wall på Ullevi. Konceptalbumet, vars övergripande tema är social isolering från omvärlden, släpptes 1979 och har sålt i över 30 miljoner exemplar. Liveturnén säljer än i dag ut arenor, 34 år efter släppet. Hur kommer det sig?

– 30 år är en minimal period, om man ser till mänsklig historia. Det handlar om exakt samma fundamentala mänskliga rättigheter som franska revolution, som vi pratade om förut. Alla frågor är fortfarande viktiga, vart du än bor, säger Roger Waters.

– Jag var 29 år gammal när jag skrev det. Jag är en ung man som känner saker. Det är inte konstruerat, det är på riktigt.

ROGER WATERS

Ålder: 69

Karriär: Mest känd för sin medverkan i rockbandet Pink Floyd mellan 1965 och 1983. Lämnade bandet 1985, efter att det drabbats av inre stridigheter, och har släppt fyra skivor under sin solokarriär. Är sedan 2010 ute på en The Wall Live-turné.

Aktuell: Framför på tisdagskvällen sin opera Ça Ira, tillsammans med Göteborgs symfoniker, och sparkar därmed igång kulturkalaset. På lördag spelar Roger Waters The Wall på Ullevi.