Armistice 100/ Victory 100

[langleybaston]

What are folk going to be doing on THE DAY please?
For my part, I shall be on the end of a bell rope doing the celebratory ring; the band to which I belong is performing immediately after the Church Service, approx. 1115.
Also, we are holding two exhibitions, one of which is specifically RAF 100 ........ with mandatory tea and cakes .

Above all, my take is that we should, as a nation, be celebrating a costly victory by armed forces that had perforce become overwhelmingly civilians led by senior officers who had just sufficient wit and flexibility to learn and apply the science of evolving warfare.

[Onceapilot]

A worthy Day to Remember, and that I shall do. However, after being in Flanders a couple of years ago for Great Uncles 100th anniversary demise at Thiepval, this year will be private.

RIP

[NutLoose]

I would highly recommend you spend some time listening to these for a raw brutal telling that leaves one with a remorseful reflection of what those brave people endured for us all.

"Blueprint for Armageddon"

https://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/

[NutLoose]

Forgot to add, they are free

[Wander00]

A bunch of us Brits are honoured to have been invited for the first time to take an official part in the parade and Act of Remembrance at Place Verdun in Fontenay le Comte, in the southern Vendee, where a poppy wreath and an Air Forces wreath from Yorkshire Air Museum (which has a link with French heavy bomber squadrons which flew from there) will be laid. The day before there is a centenary commemorative event in Vasles, about an hour away

[AR1]

It's personal for lots of people. For us we will attend a local war memrorial bearing the name of Wifes Grandfather having recently attended his grave in Ypres on the 100th Anniverary of his death. A late twist to our knowledge meant we were also in position of the grid reference where he was recovered in September 1919, some 200m from the start line that morning.
Using the exhumation records from the battlefield cleanup im also plotting the locations of other 120 or so who fell that morning, which i plan to include in a small booklet about that particular incident, along with trenchmaps and current pictures. Work in progress of course!

[ICM]

The personal bit I did 4 years ago when, with daughters and grand-daughters, we walked the field at Le Cateau on 26 August 2014, the centenary of the holding battle fought there during the retreat from Mons exactly 100 years before. My maternal grandfather, recalled to the colours in his last Reserve year, died in the 'confused' circumstances of 1st Gordons delayed withdrawal that night. He is one of some 3700 men from the first weeks of the war, and with no known graves, who are commemorated at the Monument in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, about 50 miles east of Paris.

But on 11 November, with probably about 80 others of at least 3 generations, I should be by a Yorkshire roadside at the entrance to the WW2 RAF Melbourne, now a working farm, where there has been a 10 Squadron Memorial since 1985. All being well, both Squadron and Association standards will be paraded for a short Remembrance Service, as in past years. And we may well once again get a Chipmunk flyover, courtesy of a chap who keeps one at another ex-WW2 airfield in the area. We then pretty much take over the pub in a nearby village for lunch!

[Martin the Martian]

Along with many of what Mrs. Martian likes to call my Plastic Pals I shall be attending IPMS(UK)' national event, ScaleModelWorld, at Telford where there will be a ceremony and two minutes' silence at the appropriate time. Both of the 100 year anniversaries are being heavily promoted throughout the weekend.

[langleybaston]

Along with many of what Mrs. Martian likes to call my Plastic Pals I shall be attending IPMS(UK)' national event, ScaleModelWorld, at Telford where there will be a ceremony and two minutes' silence at the appropriate time. Both of the 100 year anniversaries are being heavily promoted throughout the weekend.

My display is 1: 200 ................ get a lot on a standard table!

[November4]

Marching past the Cenotaph, remembering my grandmother's cousin who died in the First War and my grandfather who died in the Second War

[mole man]

I may be in Cologne working is there any Brits to remember the day with.

Mole Man

[aloominumtoob]

Good on you, Mole Man,:ok:
My partner, Rita (a Flanders Lady) and I will be in Ypres/Iepr for the day.
alt

[Alber Ratman]

Like November4, I will be marching past the Cenotaph.I will be remembering my Great Uncle whom died a month before the Amistice. I will remember Baz Barwood, fellow SNCO killed on active service in Basrah less than 800 yards from where I was laying after seeing the visiting C-17 crew to met for their out brief. I will remember the others that died in the service of this country. I will not be celebrating Victory Langley Bastion. But I have been a serviceman.

[glad rag]

A bunch of us Brits are honoured to have been invited for the first time

Uhuh.

Presentation of Bleuet de France 8th May, 2007, Mas-Grenier, Tarne et Garonne Midi-Pyrénées.

Invited/hosted by Marie, no medals or any such nonsense, just smart and paying respects.

Unexpected, excellent déjeuner de midi, followed by one of those epic booze ups where the hosts will not let you go until your legless. Yam Sing!

Taxi bleu clair-back to San Sardos.So I was told.

Great times, Vive la Republic!

[langleybaston]

I will not be celebrating Victory Langley
The thought occurs that, were there no costly victories in 1918 and 1945, we might be corresponding in German.

[Alber Ratman]

I will not be celebrating Victory Langley
The thought occurs that, were there no costly victories in 1918 and 1945, we might be corresponding in German.
The Armistice was not a victory. It lead in the end to a costly victory in 1945 by the cause / effect of the peace treaty of 1921. I am remembering the people that died due to the failure of others. People like Baz. As I said, I was a serviceman. Nationlists cause wars, not Servicemen.

[Innominate]

The Mayor will be present at the war memorial at 11:00 for the two minutes' silence, but our local parade has been moved to 18:30 so that a beacon can be lit. Can't help feeling that something's not right about that...

My family was lucky: no deaths, although Uncle Frank went to France in early 1918 and was back by the summer without a leg. Other uncles served in the Second World War (one pre-war Coldstreamer, apparently at Dunkirk and El Alamein, another was in tanks) and came through apparently unscathed.

[Danny42C]

mole man (your #11),

"I may be in Cologne working..."

Do you know what happened to the Volkspark ? At the end of the war the Control Commission built an estate of posh houses for themselves on it. Later it was handed over to the RAF (and other services ?) as a village of OMQs - we had everything there to hand. Lived there a few months at end of 1960, then got a quarter at Geilenkirkchen.

Does "Grossrotterveg" or "Hitzler Strasse" help ?

Danny42C

[November4]

I'm not marching to remember any victories or anything like that. Whilst marching past the Cenotaph, I will be remembering my grandfather who I never knew (killed 13 Dec 44),my grandmother's cousin died 27 Feb 1917,my father's uncle killed in action 17 Jun 1944 and those fellow Movers who died whilst on duty as well as those no longer with us. But most of all, I will be remembering that I am still able to march and remember those those no longer with us.

[Pontius Navigator]

My family was lucky: no deaths, although Uncle Frank went to France in early 1918 and was back by the summer without a leg. Other uncles served in the Second World War (one pre-war Coldstreamer, apparently at Dunkirk and El Alamein, another was in tanks) and came through apparently unscathed.
I think it was very much the luck of the draw. On my paternal side my oldest uncle signed up but was under age. My grandfather got him out. Later he joined the RAF. Of 7 great uncles not one had a child of the right age to fight.

On the maternal side my grandfather was a regular In the Indian Army, I know his three brothers were also In the Army and all survived intact. In the 2nd I lost an uncle missing presumed killed when his night fighter disappeared - there was no action that night.

In the 2nd, only my father was in action in the merchant navy.

[strake]

I shall remember my step-uncle who died a Serjeant at 21 years old on March 21 1918. I've often reflected on how he must have thought he was going to make it after being in from the start.

[Training Risky]

I will not be celebrating Victory Langley
The thought occurs that, were there no costly victories in 1918 and 1945, we might be corresponding in German.
Fully agreed.

I for one will be at the local Memorial proudly watching my two boys marching in uniform with the Army Cadets. (I tried to steer them towards the Air Cadets like me, but kids are so stubborn...) As a family we will remember one Grandfather who as a Chief Engine Room Artificer just missed being torpedoed in Scapa Flow because he missed his train, and another who served in Portsmouth City Police during the Pompey Blitz. Both luckily survived to old age. (Looks like I'll be the only Airman in the whole family at this rate...)

(I landed in Basra for the first time in Feb 2008, a couple of days after Baz Bazwood was sadly killed. The MT section was very subdued but cracked on with the task. Per Ardua.)

[Voutezac]

I will be at the ceremony in my village in the Corrèze. Always well attended and the schoolchildren are there to, hopefully, learn and see it never happens again. So many names on the memorial are those of people still living in the village.

The local history society has created a superb display in our village hall, which lists and honours all those who died. Over 500 went to war, 88 died. Each of the dead has a separate sheet of paper with his age, married or not, occupation and how they died. There are also many memories and relics lent by families. I was very pleased to be asked to create a small display about the history of the poppy, as I sell them locally for the RBL.

I try to give out any I have left to the children on the 11th. The French are much more conscious of the poppy since the Tower of London display. I will also be remembering my own father who was killed by terrorists in Cyprus.

[GolfSierra]

Inland of the RAF Donna Nook "air weapons range" is the Village of North Somercotes where my Great Uncle's War Grave is in the Village Cemetery. Pte Hallett died in Louth Red Cross Hospital on Armistice day. His family had been to the hospital earlier in the day and the nurses explained that he had been told the War was over and that he wouldn't have to go back. That evening, at peace, he died. His death wasn't certified until the following day as there was no doctor at the hospital overnight. As the guns fell silent and the nation was celebrating, the atmosphere in Bishopthorpe Lodge, Tetney, will have been somber.

100 years later Bertie's family will be at the North Somercotes War memorial for the village's memorial service and will then lay crosses/wreaths on Bertie's war grave. I'm sure many of you have overflown the North Somercotes Parish Cemetery (or been very close). If you use RAF Donna Nook, remember Bertie who is now At Rest

[radar101]

Just off to the Sleaford Ceremony in the Market Square. On the way back I will pop in to the small Sleaford Museum (built in a converted public toilet) to see their Armistice displays ( and eat a bit of Trench Cake!).

[BEagle]

My filthy cold and I crawled into town to buy more Lemsip, Strepsils and Kleenex, before coming home to watch the Cenotaph ceremony on TV. But the turn out in Witney was most impressive - the cadets in particular looked very smart in their 21st Century cabbage kit. Many veterans and relatives also in attendance.

From about 10.40am today there will be a parade and service at the war memorial on Church Green and a service afterwards at St Mary’s Church.

I was at RAFC Cranwell in 1968 and do not recall a major commemoration on the 50th anniversary, when many WW1 veterans would still have been alive. It seems that as the Armed Forces become ever smaller, the recognition of service from others increases?

[MPN11]

Watching on TV, for which I apologise.

Appalled to see that Corbyn person wearing his best dark anorak. :mad:

[Shack37]

I will remember two, both R.N., both survived WWII and are now Resting in Peace.
One my uncle.
The second, a neighbour who had been a POW of the Japanese and appeared when I was about 2 years old having spent some time recuperating from the treatment he suffered. Obviously it was some time before I had an idea what that may have entailed.
My thoughts will also be with those who also served in Aden and now rest in Silent Valley.

They shall grow not old.

[dook]

Appalled to see that Corbyn person wearing his best dark anorak.
:D:D:D

At first I didn't think the :mad: was wearing a poppy either.

[Chris Kebab]

:D:D:D

At first I didn't think the :mad: was wearing a poppy either.
Save it till tomorrow.

[Pontius Navigator]

:D:D:D

At first I didn't think the :mad: was wearing a poppy either.
but he was.

[DeepestSouth]

At the well-attended service at the Garden of Remembrance in Port St Mary, wearing my GSM w/c NI as I always do. I was accosted by a lady, the widow of a chap blown up in NI in 1971. He survived but never fully recovered. She was SO pleased and really touched that someone was attending wearing that medal. Not half as pleased and touched as I was by her reaction and that I was wearing it - for him and for so many others.

[ricardian]

Played the organ for the morning service at the kirk (preceded by service & 2 minute silence at the war memorial).
The kirk had a magnificent poppy display
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1932x1449/kirkpoppy_ef6db5267976f38e3cf50e9fb8e6aa6cb122eacd.jpg

and other relevant items
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1932x1449/kirkother_abe3abd006bd77a00e4f3deb3b5e15c95fb37141.jpg

[Wingless Walrus]

Appalled to see that Corbyn person wearing his best dark anorak. :mad:

... I wondered who the 'train spotter' was! In fairness, he probably genuinely thought he was smart, even with the big puffy hood on the back. It was nearly black and at least he didn't wear his best pumps and had finished with his Starrbucks coffee cup. Someone could have advised him better? Shops are open Sundays.

I find every ceremony a very dignified way to reflect on the sacrifice of those who have served and suffered and for people today to remember that freedom does not come freely. There are still many threats today, in one form or another; we should not be complacent about what we have and what we were given by those that lived and died in the two world wars and others.

My mother was in the army at 17 an anti-aircraft gun aimer in WWII. Some Nazi bombers never did it again thanks to my mum and one V-1 never found its target. Her youngest brother was killed by a U-Boat; he was a merchant seaman. He had a heart problem and paid a quack doctor to pass him as healthy; a tragic story among millions of tragic stories of war.

My mum hated the Nazis with a passion but at the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic, she happily shared a table with the German Naval attache and both enjoyed the day in each others company, which is how it should be. She has a lot of compassion for all suffering having seen so much of it herself.

WWII was essentially about regime change and should be a lesson remembered by everyone today; when you look at some powerful countries today the parallels are frightening. What happened in Germany in 1930's could happen anywhere today. I lived in Germany and they were a lesson in how to remember that war in particular; with sombre clarity, respect and understanding; they grieved so much for other countries but their personal grief is held in private. The civilian devastation was phenomenal.

I was glad to see the German prime minister today. I personally hope that Germans will be allowed to grieve with us and us with them; it would be a fitting ultimate act of bringing back together countries that the Nazi's sought to keep apart.

[Union Jack]

Observed the two minutes' silence at Harry Patch's grave in St Michael's churchyard in Monkton Combe in Somerset, with the exact timing and Last Post provided discreetly from Radio 4 on my mobile, and subsequently proud to lay a floral tribute on his simple yet dignified grave, which could perhaps be called the Tomb of the Known Warrior.

Jack

[langleybaston]

Little Baston church in very south Lincs seats 200 at a pinch. Thus 350+ was a trifle cosy. Medals on many right breasts, a MBE BEM LSG group caught my eye, a Single bell tolled before service [me], all six ringing joyfully afterwards, a childrens' choir, Last Post , " I vow to thee my country" .............. and a good display to commemorate 100 years of the RAF in the mix.
A fabulous day, and equally fabulous to be a tiny part of a massive commemoration.

[Alber Ratman]

Possibly the most humbling Remembrance Sunday I will ever attend anywhere in my lifetime. Horse Guards was full for the form up, I got to meet many members of the association I am now a member of, including the oldest surviving WWII drivers, the aircrew and engineers from that time to now and swap stories. I saw many old friends from other tours and places. Marching out onto Whitehall gave an idea what I was going to see and hear. The acts of remembrance, the hearing of many people that would not normally sing do so on the tops of their voices. The march past, cheering the Pensioners, applauding the other associations as they marched off, Marching off and the Eyes left salute. The thousands applauding you from the side. The return to Horse Guards. The most humbling events of the day. Waiting in the Foyer of the RAF Club before going to Horse Guards, seeing another Granby veteran. We say hello and ask where we were. I mention what I was and the what I did as an engineer, his reply was alas he didn’t know much first hand as he had been shot down and not treated very nicely. Robbie Stewart. The other happened to myself and another ex Sqn engineer that had served out in Iraq with them 14 years before I was born. We were walking back to the RAF club via the Mall and the peoples march was waiting to march off. We were the only veterans around on that stretch for some reason and sections of the march were applauding us. Very humbling. I replied back by applauding them, I was in awe of them. None of us were there to celebrate Victory.