Remembrance Day

[chas]

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we will remember them.

Before you all rush to fit BIG poppy’s to your grills I’d like to tell you a true story of what the word ‘remembrance’ means to me.

In the village I live in there were 2x 12yr old boys, bestest of best mates & totally inseparable. They thought it would be a good laugh to slightly alter the names carved into the Granite of my village’s war memorial, using their black felt tip pens while waiting for the school bus to arrive.

Just about everyone in that tight knit village saw them, Sam the Postie, Jessie on the milk float & Jocelyn at the newsagents to name a few . . .

At 10am they were called to the headmasters office, it was the early 70’s so there wouldn’t have been any problems when the local Sergeant of Police whisked them off to the station.

2x stupid, prepubescent ■■■■■■ sat giggling in the local copshop because they didn’t quite understand the depth of emotions that surround the names carved into that stupid Granite plinth.

When my father walked in, I literally ■■■■■■■ ■■■■ myself. My father had never ever raised his hand to me, but by Christ I knew he was angry that day. He walked into that Police station & instantly I knew I was in serious trouble.

He disappeared into a backroom with the Sargeant leaving my uncle in the waiting room with us, I distinctly remember taking my first breath for 5mins & staring at the floor when my uncle winked at me.

My dad walked straight past me, never even gave me a second glance, my uncle motioned for me to foillow them out to our Landy parked outside, I jumped in the back & thought that this couldn’t get much worse.

My uncle prompted me to stand not 10’ away from the memorial, me dad appeared seemingly from nowhere carrying a bucket & brush & promptly set about scrubbing my felt tip pen from the memorial.

There are 36 names on that memorial, it was made very clear to me that I should not move a muscle until I had memorised each & every one of them.

[drummerkev]

The question is do you still remember them?!

[zebadee]

Quite a poingnant story and comes to summerise just what a Cenitaph means to the people of this Country on Rememberence Day.

Their name liveth forever more

Long Live The Dead

[zebadee]

drummerkev:
The question is do you still remember them?!

Oh I’d like to bet he does!

[zebadee]

& I WILL be stopping, at a warehouse, on a motorway or in the yard, I Will stop for two minutes WHEREVER I am on Sunday 11th at 11 o clock!

(if I’m not at Church & our local Service)

[animal]

Nicked this from Guner till I die

Modern Day Parody of “Tommy Atkins” — Author unknown

They flew me ‘ome from Helmand with a bullet in me chest.
Cos they’ve closed the army ‘ospitals, I’m in the NHS.
The nurse, she ain’t no Britisher an’ so she ain’t impressed.

It’s like I’m some street corner thug who’s come off second best.
Yes, it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “You’re not welcome ‘ere”.
But when the terrorists were collar’d, they was quick enough to cheer.

They’re proud when Tommy Atkins ‘olds the thin red line out there,
But now he’s wounded back at ‘ome, he has to wait for care.
Some stranger in the next bed sez, “Don’t you feel no shame?
You kill my Muslim brothers!” So it’s me not ‘im to blame!
An’ then the cleaner ups an’ sez “Who are you fightin’ for?
It ain’t for Queen and country ‘cos it’s Bush’s bloody war!”
It’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, what’s that smell?”
But it’s “God go with you, Tommy,” when they fly us out to ‘ell.

O then we’re just like ‘eroes from the army’s glorious past.
Yes, it’s “God go with you, Tommy,” when the trip might be your last.
They pays us skivvy wages, never mind we’re sitting ducks,
When clerks what’s pushing pens at ‘ome don’t know their flippin’ luck.
“Ah, yes” sez they “but think of all the travel in the sand.”
Pull the other one. Does Cooks do ‘olidays in Helmand?
It’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, know your place,”
But it’s “Tommy, take the front seat,” when there’s terrorists to chase.

An’ the town is full of maniacs who’d like you dead toot sweet.
Yes, it’s “Thank you, Mr Atkins,” when they find you in the street.
There’s s’pposed to be a covynant to treat us fair an’ square
But I ‘ad to buy me army boots, an’ me combats is threadbare.
An’ ‘alf the bloody ‘elicopters can’t get into the air,
An’ me pistol jammed when snipers fired. That’s why I’m laid up ‘ere.
Yes, it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, “We ‘ave to watch the pence”;
Bold as brass the P.M. sez, “We spare them no expense.”

“But I’ll tell you when they do us proud an’ pull out all the stops,
It’s when Tommy lands at Lyneham in a bloomin’ wooden box…

[limeyphil]

if don’t think i’ll be in a place to stop by 11am, then i’ll go out of my way to do so.
if i happen to be in a town near a cenotaph, then the engine will be switched off by 10.45, and won’t be started until everyone has had time to pay their respects.
people don’t start remembering them at 11am, it starts at whatever time they get there.
i don’t know how people in cars and lorries can drive past a cenotaph when everyone is gathered there. totally disrespectful.

[short_walk]

Yes lions led by donkeys, been like it since Cromwell’s day I’m afraid.Todays 'donkeys’wear the uniform of the Palace of Westminster, the top brass must be on the verge of a military coup! However that doesn’t take away the bravery and dedication of those at the sharp end of the current fiasco. I for one will be pausing at 11h on the 11th, a sunday this year, as an ex squaddie its a given, always have always will and hope all other members follow suit. We will remember them.

[quinny]

‘We will remember them.’

Ken.

[robroy]

I once went to one of the nightly parades at The Menin Gate Ypres where the Belgian Army play The Last Post, very moving.

[animal]

THE ELEVENTH by
Derrick lees

On the eleventh we stand in a crowd
Silently remembering with our heads bowed
Memories of friends sadly now gone
Memories of others in conflicts long gone
Battlefields like the Somme & El Alamein
Names now full of sorrow & pain
Warrenpoint,South Georgia & even Goose Green
Incidents seen on a tv screen
Wireless ridge & mount Tumbledown
A more apt name for a battlefield has yet to be found
Names from history like the hook in Korea
Mentioned now in memory only once a year
Pictures on tv of a terrorist blast
Now are a memory of our rrecent past
But we need to recall throughout the year
Each one of these names have caused relatives tears

Each year at the cenotaph unit columns march past
Some growing longer others down to their last
On the eleventh when you pin that flower to your chest
Youre remembering the loss of a generations best
Cos while theres a place where the Red Poppys grow
Thats somewhere a soldier has had to go

So as you stand on the 11th on that cold winters day
Remember what they gave for you to have your TODAY
They paid the price which many have done
Bought with the cost of using a gun
So on the 11th when you se tears fall to the floor
In the years to come there will be plenty more
So wear that Red Poppy , wear it with pride
Remember & give honour to the many who died
Then remember those who returned wounded & lame
The many whose lives would never be the same

So on the 11th remember these men
Cos never will you see there like again
Mowed down in rows mowed down in ranks
As they charged the machine guns and charged the tanks
These men of the Pals , these men of the guards
Who gained grouns in inches & sometimes in yards
On the 11th remember those
Who went of to die
And now in aome foreign field sadly they lie

[cav551]

I shall be making sure I honour the moment. Last year I was working, doing a rail replacement bus job, and was most impressed that all drivers received a text message during the morning asking us to pull over at 11 am. This year I know that I shall not be working so it will be the TV to watch the Cenotaph procession. Every time that I see the news recently, I think of my Grandfather hoping that his 1918 grave in Damascus war cemetery will not be destroyed by the fighting and that one day I shall be able to visit.

I lost a cousin too in the Northern Ireland Troubles, which seems equally long ago somehow.

At least I know where they are, it is the families who only know that someone is still ‘missing’ who have my greatest sympathy.

[muckaway]

My paternal grandfathers’ eyesight wasn’t good enough for him to enter military service, so he continued his regular job driving a Bedford O Type for a local coal/straw merchant and haulier, Bernard T.Frost. He joined the Hailey village Home Guard and late one November night in 1940 was woken by a loud bang; Looking out the bedroom window was a large glow in the distance. Getting dressed he went to the village police house where a few yards away was an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber that had flattened a line of trees, ploughed into a field and exploded. The fire had practically burned itself out by the time the fire brigade had arrived and gramp had to guard the burnt out wreck until the RAF came to remove it. Whilst helping, it’s been said gramp came across the pilots’ foot…According to his eldest son that sight never left him for the rest of his life. After much searching, I traced the aircraft, N1526 which had taken off from nearby RAF Abingdon and a late family friend (ex Royal Observer corps) believed the pilot mistook he small airstrip at RAF Akeman Street near Leafield, for the large bomber airfield at Enstone.
Six men died that November night, the pilot not living long enough to receive his DFM…

[muckaway]

Taken flying over Blenheim Palace Estate, it “dived into ground near RAF Akeman Street”…a few days later…

[muckles]

Whilst we must remember the sacrifice of the dead, we must also remember the living. Not just those who’s injuries are obvious, but those who’s injuries might not show. It’s a sad fact that many more service personal have died from psychiatric problems after conflict than died in the conflict they fought in.

[smoggie89]

Quinny:
‘We will remember them.’

Ken.

+1

[bazdub]

Always go to a parade on the Sunday too. Pleased the 11th is a Sunday be even better to be at a parade at 11.

Heroes one and all, alive and passed.

We will remember them.

Barry.

[skids]

I will be remebering them, always do. Will be at our local parade on the Sunday as well.

This guy was one of the best I ever had the pleasure to serve with. RIP Chris

mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Defen … isMuir.htm

[jimbo47]

aye its a statuary holiday over here and i recon most folk out in the sticks(well round here anyway) go down tae the local memorial for the ceremony.
Was told up until recently the local hotel/bar gave the ex ww2 a free meal /drink as way of thanks.( dont think any still living ex ww2 that is up our way).
we will remember them.
jimmy

[wheel_nut]

Flight Lieutenant William Walker, one of the remaining few. Sadly didn’t make it to this Sunday

The oldest surviving pilot from the Battle of Britain, who was shot down in his Spitfire and wounded in 1940, has died aged 99.