Charles Causley poem - what war was this?

[kazza55]

I really like a poem by Charles Causley, it's called a ballad for Katherine of Aragon. Can anybody out there tell me if this poem is about a particular war? Or is it just war in general.
In this poem it mentions the Spanish port of Algeciras, but there is another line that reads "in the dirty Italian snow". I am confused!

[JK2]

I didn't know the poem but looked it up and it is about his friend Jumper who has been killed in the 2nd World War in Italy I think.
He'd seen the tomb of Katherine of Aragon in Peterborough Cathedral and talks about farmers boots walking over her tomb. I think he's just comparing the deaths really of his friend (Iguess his mention of the education act means that the dates it set out left him too young to go to war but not his friend) and the Spanish princess who became Queen of England.

[kazza55]

Thanks for your reply which was most helpful, I was having trouble interpreting things.