French snub the Queen over D-Day 65th
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Many of the accounts and books that I have read, has talked about the high level of skill and bravery of the French soldier / pilot.
It has been the French Generals and upper brass that has been pathetic and cowardly and have let France down.
Looks like their President is letting France down as well, by not honouring the massive debt it owes Britain as well as the US. It is a shame, as the French people still remember, and many are still happy to meet us Brits when we visit. I would not be surprised if many of the french people are questionning why the Queen is being snubbed as well.
It has been the French Generals and upper brass that has been pathetic and cowardly and have let France down.
Looks like their President is letting France down as well, by not honouring the massive debt it owes Britain as well as the US. It is a shame, as the French people still remember, and many are still happy to meet us Brits when we visit. I would not be surprised if many of the french people are questionning why the Queen is being snubbed as well.
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incomprehensible
Hi all Like most of the French, I am surprise that you are not invited…and I feel very sorry about it… Like most of the French I have learned about the Second World War and the sacrifice of your soldiers for our country…you can be really proud of this part of history, we cannot… We have a great respect for you, your people, and your engagement all over the world… Like most of people I think it’s a huge, incomprehensible mistake…another politic manoeuver… For this anniversary my squadron will deploy for “airspace protection” , and be sure we will have “une pensée” for your “soldats tombés au champ d’honneur”.
A French government source said: 'There were never any plans to invite members of the British Royal Family, although an invitation has been extended to Gordon Brown after he said he wanted to come.
'He will, of course, be concentrating on the British commemorations, away from the American beaches, as is appropriate. This is very much a Franco-American occasion.'
'He will, of course, be concentrating on the British commemorations, away from the American beaches, as is appropriate. This is very much a Franco-American occasion.'
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As the OP I think that was nobly said, and I thank you for taking such an adult and pragmatic view, deifpil. I leave it to my military friends to express their appreciation of what I'm sure is the majority view of your countrymen. 
You, like us, seem to be suffering from politicians too ..... 
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I'm also surprised that Obama's political savvy seems to have deserted him on this occasion..
Besides, I've no doubt that He (capital for effect - see US political thread on Jet Blast) is content with the venue as is. Two celebrities fist bumping - your PM is not 'hip' enough, I'm sure - with attractive wives. It's a photo op for the new American Idol.
Also, you were on GWB's side (really trying to avoid any comments on this thread about that) on the Iraq and Afghanistan sorties, so you are placed on the 'discard' pile along with all things Bush.
You see, for Him, allies are old hat. It's those that don't much like us that we, or at least He, will go the extra mile.
And as for the French, let us not forget that they at least did provide the playing field...
edited to add: well said, deifpil
Deifpil,
Bon chance!
Registering and making that your first post. What a top man. Happy landings mate.
My respect for the Armée de l'Air has just shot up several notches, if its squadrons include chaps like you.
Bon chance!
Registering and making that your first post. What a top man. Happy landings mate.
My respect for the Armée de l'Air has just shot up several notches, if its squadrons include chaps like you.
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French D-Day surrender: Sarkozy makes U-turn and says Queen IS welcome at 65th anniversary | Mail Online
Well, it is the Wail.
deifpi. Well said, Sir. We, as a Nation, are only too aware that Governments are not always representative of the people who elect them.
French D-Day surrender: Sarkozy makes U-turn and says Queen IS welcome at 65th anniversary
The French bowed to British anger yesterday over their failure to invite the Queen to next week's D-Day events.
After an outcry revealed in yesterday's Daily Mail, they announced that she was 'welcome' after all at the 65th anniversary.
It was a dramatic U-turn by the French, who only hours before had been insisting that they had never planned to invite any members of the Royal Family.
But with only nine days to go, it was unclear whether any of them would be able to attend.
The statement that the Queen was ' naturally welcome in her capacity as head of the British state' fell short of a formal invitation, posing a continuing problem for Buckingham Palace officials who say they cannot act without one.
In any case, they normally take up to six months to prepare for such an event abroad, with every detail of the schedule, security and official protocol worked out.
After an outcry revealed in yesterday's Daily Mail, they announced that she was 'welcome' after all at the 65th anniversary.
It was a dramatic U-turn by the French, who only hours before had been insisting that they had never planned to invite any members of the Royal Family.
But with only nine days to go, it was unclear whether any of them would be able to attend.
The statement that the Queen was ' naturally welcome in her capacity as head of the British state' fell short of a formal invitation, posing a continuing problem for Buckingham Palace officials who say they cannot act without one.
In any case, they normally take up to six months to prepare for such an event abroad, with every detail of the schedule, security and official protocol worked out.
Red On, Green On
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I knew that the father of a friend had served in the RAF in WW2 as a pilot. On the Mall with them for the 50th anniversary of D-Day I asked where he had been in the day - over the Normandy beaches in a Spitfire. I was lost for words, and when we finally spoke, he said when he saw the invasion fleet below, so was he.
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On my first(and to-date, only,) sally abroad, I visited the Limousin area of rural France.
People extremely friendly and welcoming. WW 2 memorials prominent and not just the major one in the village square....odd ones dotted about the countryside, all immaculately kept and with a posy of fresh flowers often prominent.
Mount Gargon has a tribute with the RAF roundel prominent and a description of the resupply of the Resistance, by the British.
It was not alone, I saw several other examples marking "The RAF was here"
A monument to Violette Szabo stands at a bleak road-fork in the middle of nowhere...but was decorated with a Tricolore and a Union Jack, both in excellent,clean, unworn condition, clean, shiny marble,flowers.
All this in an area about as populated as the Highlands of Jockistan.
Sod the politicians.....the French people don't forget.
People extremely friendly and welcoming. WW 2 memorials prominent and not just the major one in the village square....odd ones dotted about the countryside, all immaculately kept and with a posy of fresh flowers often prominent.
Mount Gargon has a tribute with the RAF roundel prominent and a description of the resupply of the Resistance, by the British.
It was not alone, I saw several other examples marking "The RAF was here"
A monument to Violette Szabo stands at a bleak road-fork in the middle of nowhere...but was decorated with a Tricolore and a Union Jack, both in excellent,clean, unworn condition, clean, shiny marble,flowers.
All this in an area about as populated as the Highlands of Jockistan.
Sod the politicians.....the French people don't forget.
So the Poison Dwarf strikes a blow against Anglo-French relations. Quelle Surprise.
Re Broon turning up, does anyone share my queasiness whenever he rocks up at such a high profile military event? The brass neck of the bloke, after all he has done to suck life out of our Forces.
Re Broon turning up, does anyone share my queasiness whenever he rocks up at such a high profile military event? The brass neck of the bloke, after all he has done to suck life out of our Forces.
I realy can't understand this. The Brits then the Yanks liberated France from the Germans in 1944 at great loss of life so the French can't seem to do enough now for the Germans and seem to want to forget the 1939/45 do to liberate them from the very nation that wanted to enslave them then ??? 