Remembrance Day - 2008 (Merged)
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Teaching todays generation
There have been a number of articles in the newspapers over the last 2 or 3 das about 'the younger generations' not knowing or understanding the significance of today. Well, my two young children have been studying Armistice as part of their primary school history project; and this in turn has led to a whole host of questions to me 'cos daddy is in the air force'.
I will be taking both of them to a local parade on sunday, as a way of preserving in them why we must never forget all those, from all conflicts, who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
I'm sure there are many other schools across the country (along with many 'service brats') that are all doing their bit as well, so lets be thankful that all is not lost.
I will be taking both of them to a local parade on sunday, as a way of preserving in them why we must never forget all those, from all conflicts, who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
I'm sure there are many other schools across the country (along with many 'service brats') that are all doing their bit as well, so lets be thankful that all is not lost.
Don Quixote Impersonator
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grusome me too, I don't suppose its ever going to change, my old school has a similarly long and glorious tradition of military service overseas right up to modern times.
As you would know EVERY Australian country town and suburb ( up to the late 60's) has as its centerpiece a War Memorial that often starts around the Boer War with additions thru the subsequent ones.
There are few if any old Australian families who did not lose sons and daughters or have wounded in the cause of Dominion and Empire.
My generation was still looking to the UK as the mother country and our politics, ethics, morals and attitudes were inextricably interwoven with theirs, my old school was then and still is run along the same strong values of service.
The Veterans Repatriation Hospital just around the corner is now nearly empty of our returned and the War Cemetary nearby is no longer expanding.
My 82 yr old father who survived Lancasters in Bomber Command still has the memories of those he served with who never returned, buried very deep. His best mate, my Godfather, had got off the Sydney in Fremantle before she was lost only to have the ship he went to have a very rough time indeed. Whilst physically fit he is still not mentally strong, paradoxically ?? one of his sons was at one time a hot favourite for Archbishop of Canterbury, but he like his Australian father are still "aliens"
It took some resolve many years ago for my father to return to the UK and the Europe he had only seen from the air.
Being sent to the "Aliens" queue on entering the UK was something that did not sit well with him and still does not with me.
The recent events in the UK and Australia are very very disappointing for this generation of men who fought so very hard alongside each other for common ideals .
One no longer needs to have the language, nor the culture or history of this country to gain citizenship, one can still take ours without relinquishing the old and keep a foot in both camps.
We need to be ever mindful of the why of why and the what for our parents and ancestors gave up their lives, so should those who now enjoy the rights and privileges so hard one.
Lest We Forget.
As you would know EVERY Australian country town and suburb ( up to the late 60's) has as its centerpiece a War Memorial that often starts around the Boer War with additions thru the subsequent ones.
There are few if any old Australian families who did not lose sons and daughters or have wounded in the cause of Dominion and Empire.
My generation was still looking to the UK as the mother country and our politics, ethics, morals and attitudes were inextricably interwoven with theirs, my old school was then and still is run along the same strong values of service.
The Veterans Repatriation Hospital just around the corner is now nearly empty of our returned and the War Cemetary nearby is no longer expanding.
My 82 yr old father who survived Lancasters in Bomber Command still has the memories of those he served with who never returned, buried very deep. His best mate, my Godfather, had got off the Sydney in Fremantle before she was lost only to have the ship he went to have a very rough time indeed. Whilst physically fit he is still not mentally strong, paradoxically ?? one of his sons was at one time a hot favourite for Archbishop of Canterbury, but he like his Australian father are still "aliens"
It took some resolve many years ago for my father to return to the UK and the Europe he had only seen from the air.
Being sent to the "Aliens" queue on entering the UK was something that did not sit well with him and still does not with me.
The recent events in the UK and Australia are very very disappointing for this generation of men who fought so very hard alongside each other for common ideals .
One no longer needs to have the language, nor the culture or history of this country to gain citizenship, one can still take ours without relinquishing the old and keep a foot in both camps.
We need to be ever mindful of the why of why and the what for our parents and ancestors gave up their lives, so should those who now enjoy the rights and privileges so hard one.
Lest We Forget.
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To this deeply moving thread I'd like to add the names of those whom I knew who gave their lives doing their duty:
Flt Lt John Roberts
Flt Lt Jim Downey
Flt Lt Steve Beckley
Flt Lt Rob Green
Flt Lt Dick Thomas
Sqn Ldr Bruce Cogram
Wg Cdr Keith Holland
Flt Lt Ian Dixon
Flt Lt Mike Barnard
Flt Lt John Sheen
Flt Lt Steve Wright
Flt Lt John O'Shea
Flt Lt Mike Smith
Flt Lt Al Grieve
Wg Cdr Nigel Elsdon
Gp Capt Bill Green
Wg Cdr Nick Slater
"No man is an island, entire of itself"
Flt Lt John Roberts
Flt Lt Jim Downey
Flt Lt Steve Beckley
Flt Lt Rob Green
Flt Lt Dick Thomas
Sqn Ldr Bruce Cogram
Wg Cdr Keith Holland
Flt Lt Ian Dixon
Flt Lt Mike Barnard
Flt Lt John Sheen
Flt Lt Steve Wright
Flt Lt John O'Shea
Flt Lt Mike Smith
Flt Lt Al Grieve
Wg Cdr Nigel Elsdon
Gp Capt Bill Green
Wg Cdr Nick Slater
"No man is an island, entire of itself"
Last edited by Wingswinger; 12th Nov 2005 at 21:46.
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Remembrance Day
Politicians have already come in for some stick on this thread, quite possibly rightly.
Flip side of the coin. As a very lowly local councillor somewhere in the wilds of North Britain I will today attend three remembrance day ceremonies. The congregations in each are very small, no more than 40. I will be there to lay a wreath on behalf of my authority.
The three churches are all attended to by the same minister. He and I start at 9 am and go through until 12 noon. There’s tea & biscuits after each one but we can only attend the last one as we have to rush off to the other two ceremonies. After that it’s become the custom for the minister and myself to repair to his for a dram where my wife collects me, sometimes much later. There are 67 of my councillor colleagues who will also be doing this to varying degrees elsewhere in our region tomorrow.
I’ve just finished ironing my white shirt and black tie. My suit, coat, scarf and gloves are laid out, my shoes are immaculate. The wreath I lay will be the only one these people will have. There are no forces reps, no British Legion, no scouts or guides. I want to put on a good show for them as I’m the only official recognition they’ll get tomorrow. Their gratitude is enormous. They are mostly very elderly and there are fewer each year. As the congregations dwindle even further I'm sure these churches will either merge or close soon. Until then I am privileged to be able to carry out this duty.
Flip side of the coin. As a very lowly local councillor somewhere in the wilds of North Britain I will today attend three remembrance day ceremonies. The congregations in each are very small, no more than 40. I will be there to lay a wreath on behalf of my authority.
The three churches are all attended to by the same minister. He and I start at 9 am and go through until 12 noon. There’s tea & biscuits after each one but we can only attend the last one as we have to rush off to the other two ceremonies. After that it’s become the custom for the minister and myself to repair to his for a dram where my wife collects me, sometimes much later. There are 67 of my councillor colleagues who will also be doing this to varying degrees elsewhere in our region tomorrow.
I’ve just finished ironing my white shirt and black tie. My suit, coat, scarf and gloves are laid out, my shoes are immaculate. The wreath I lay will be the only one these people will have. There are no forces reps, no British Legion, no scouts or guides. I want to put on a good show for them as I’m the only official recognition they’ll get tomorrow. Their gratitude is enormous. They are mostly very elderly and there are fewer each year. As the congregations dwindle even further I'm sure these churches will either merge or close soon. Until then I am privileged to be able to carry out this duty.
Last edited by la calda; 12th Nov 2005 at 23:43.
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la calda wrote
"I’ve just finished ironing my white shirt and black tie. "
Shame the Prime Minister didn't!!
Still wasn't as bad as Michael Foot in his duffle coat
Bletcheytugie
"I’ve just finished ironing my white shirt and black tie. "
Shame the Prime Minister didn't!!
Still wasn't as bad as Michael Foot in his duffle coat
Bletcheytugie
I'matightbastard
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I read Saggitarius Rising by Cecil Lewis and he mentions flying over the line on the morning it finished. He saw a few people raise their heads then more and then he saw people come out of the trenches, but what stays with me is that he said he could hear them cheering.
Oh to have seen that day. My Great Uncle missed it by a month.
Oh to have seen that day. My Great Uncle missed it by a month.
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Gaunty,
"We need to be ever mindful of the why and the what for our parents and ancestors gave up their lives, so should those who now enjoy the rights and privileges so hard won."
So true!
How times change. I seem to recall that my PPL of 1961 had "Nationality: British" upon it! Interesting, considering that I'm the sixth generation of my family in Oz. However, my father's generation still saw fit to leave home for King and Country - meaning the King and his country as well as their country.
However, it's fair to say that I'm not sure whether I left home for Queen and Country even tho' she saw fit to give me a bauble on that occasion. I think I went because I was told to!
Cheers
Gru
"We need to be ever mindful of the why and the what for our parents and ancestors gave up their lives, so should those who now enjoy the rights and privileges so hard won."
So true!
How times change. I seem to recall that my PPL of 1961 had "Nationality: British" upon it! Interesting, considering that I'm the sixth generation of my family in Oz. However, my father's generation still saw fit to leave home for King and Country - meaning the King and his country as well as their country.
However, it's fair to say that I'm not sure whether I left home for Queen and Country even tho' she saw fit to give me a bauble on that occasion. I think I went because I was told to!
Cheers
Gru
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gaunty and grusome. It's not just Australia. Many old schools face challenges from the family backgrounds of the students. Had the honour to attend the Armistice Day commemoration at my son's school where all their losses were remembered, regardless that good friends had gone on from school to serve their country, on both sides in both world wars.
Cool Mod
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I will let this one slip away now but feel free to add until it does. I will revive it next year. Thank you for all your contributions, one or two of which bought a few tears to the eyes all round, certainly to mine.
PPP
PPP
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Thanks for finding this again...the url is still haunting
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/rememb...sh/index.shtml
The names of the British servicemen who were killed on the last day of the Great War
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/rememb...sh/index.shtml
The names of the British servicemen who were killed on the last day of the Great War
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I'm a civilian, but as a Scout leader I arrange for our group to take part in the local Remembrance Sunday parade each year.
Week in week out at meetings the boys are 'challenging' to say the least but last Sunday they made me proud of them. We had a bigger turnout than for any camp and their behaviour was exemplary. On a troop night uniforms are hidden under coats on the way to the meeting for fear of ridicule, but on Sunday they were proudly worn parading through the town.
Deep down, and it is well hidden sometimes, they care - just like the rest of us.
Week in week out at meetings the boys are 'challenging' to say the least but last Sunday they made me proud of them. We had a bigger turnout than for any camp and their behaviour was exemplary. On a troop night uniforms are hidden under coats on the way to the meeting for fear of ridicule, but on Sunday they were proudly worn parading through the town.
Deep down, and it is well hidden sometimes, they care - just like the rest of us.
Cunning Artificer
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There's two sides to everything, including remembrance it seems. I was very moved when I came across this on the BBC website...
For the few veterans who remain, their private lives have become public property. Alfred Anderson - at 109 the last man alive to have witnessed the unofficial truce on Christmas Day 1914, when German and British soldiers played football and exchanged gifts - had thought the war was behind him.
"See all these years I've been trying to forget. It's all being raked up again. I thought I was going to die peaceful like."
"See all these years I've been trying to forget. It's all being raked up again. I thought I was going to die peaceful like."
Cool Mod
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I promised that this thread would appear every year so that we could remember the fallen of two world wars. Since then we have terrible losses in this current year which has been very hard on so many families and friends. So many lost in both Afghanistan and Iraq - so many more to remember.
I think it is right that I put this thread before you earlier so that the opportunity is not missed to remember a comrade in their own way.
God bless those who serve and those who are no longer with us.
PPP
I think it is right that I put this thread before you earlier so that the opportunity is not missed to remember a comrade in their own way.
God bless those who serve and those who are no longer with us.
PPP
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To keep things in one place, and not to lose the Afghan and Iraq youtube clips from the front page:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UoWTK5qKS0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfAg_QBEF_E&NR
These are only boys and I will never know
How men can see the wisdom in a war
sw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UoWTK5qKS0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfAg_QBEF_E&NR
These are only boys and I will never know
How men can see the wisdom in a war
sw
PPP Thanks for bringing this back for this year.
To whoever put the videos on youtube - Thank You. Very moving. If only we could get Broon and Blair to see them!!!
And for the person that asked on the Remembrance in Afghanistan thread the track is Run by Snow Patrol from the Final Straw album. Makes the pictures very, very poignant somehow!!
To whoever put the videos on youtube - Thank You. Very moving. If only we could get Broon and Blair to see them!!!
And for the person that asked on the Remembrance in Afghanistan thread the track is Run by Snow Patrol from the Final Straw album. Makes the pictures very, very poignant somehow!!