We will remember...
 

I remember the events related to me by veterans of several services during the wars. I was told of a Fiesler Storch landing "right here" on a beach in Selsy. A Mosquito staggering home damaged, and hitting that clump of trees on the "hill there". Two older ladies telling me of a bomb falling near then as they ran near Ilfracomb, but the bomb not detonating. My friend who lead a charge off a landing craft onto a beach in France on D-Day, and the fear in the eyes of the jeep driver as he drove down the ramp....

When I flew through Europe last summer, with incredible freedom, I thought of a time when the very airspace in which I have flown would have made me a target. I imagine how fearful it could be alone in a small plane, worried about the enemy hiding behind a cloud, or in the sun, or my ammunition being low - how scary.

I don't worry about these things when I fly. I don't worry about my freedom when I live. I remember those who gave up everything so I could enjoy such a nice life.

Thank you veterans.

Thank you for that thoughtful post.

They came from far and wide. Memorial - ABCC - Argentine British Community Council

Well put DAR. I remember the first time I flew across the channel in a light aircraft being amazed at how short the crossing was. It's about ten minutes in the average spammie from Dover to Cap Gris Nez. I've always known the actual mileage as we were taught it at school but I think the average Brit has a psychological distance from mainland Europe far greater than the 22 miles or so. I couldn't help but think that it's about 3 minutes in a Spit...and that's all that seperated us from the jackboot.

The few remaining veterans are our last, increasingly tenuous, link to a time when the things that worry us today were utterly trivial compared to what they and their contemporaries faced then.

If it hadn't been for what they did............

Living in what was known as Hellfire Corner I am fortunate to be able to fly this coast frequently. Today's sortie included more than the cursory wing wag over the Battle of Britain Memorial.

The Few and the Many are becoming fewer. I was surprised the other day, when standing with poppies in the high street, to find myself chatting & listening to a gentleman who was born in 1920 and spent his RAF service at Lampedusa & beyond. Apart from using a walking frame, he blended into the populace as he carried on his way.

He and many, many more, could never blend in, in my opinion.

And yet they do. Perhaps one of their greatest achievements?:ok:

Lest we forget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo

To put things in perspective: it would be nice to see this thread generate as much passion as the recently locked thread about Ms Curtis-Taylor's claimed exploits.

IMHO there is not a single WW2 aircrew veteran, no matter how few missions they flew nor how "easy" were those missions, who was not better qualified for an award from the "Honourable" Company of Air Pilots than was she.

Salute. Those who flew and fought came from all the corners of the world. Argentineans and Mexicans were two among many that surprised me. And not forgetting all those who served in other forces and in different capacities.

I'm having some work done at my place at the moment.
The young tradesmen couldn't quite grasp just exactly why I requested two minutes' silence, come eleven o'clock.
I really didn't have the time to sit them down and explain it all to them in any detail, unfortunately.

Hopefully, they won't have to find out the hard way.

I did my small part to today by taking part in a 6 ship formation flyby of the local cenotaphs. Unlike so many Military aircrew in so many conflicts we made a safe and uneventful return to our base after we were done.

I hope as we flew over the cenotaphs at a least a few understood that we represented those many, many aircrew that never got to return to base and hoist a pint to celebrate another mission done........

I was lucky enough to participate in BPF's formation as a passenger. A very exciting but also very moving experience. We flew over seven Remembrance Day ceremonies.

A very professional * formation sortie, flown by a bunch of very nice private owners, who do this every year, at their own expense.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psmkawysqs.jpg

* The formation leader was slightly miffed that he was six seconds late for the primary flyover, ETA 11:02:30

Given the FIFA-inspired nonsense about poppies, I thought that there was a delicious irony in the fact that we were flying Chinese military trainers.

Shall we at last be united in glory
only remembered for what we have done

(Coope, Boynes, Simpson)

Myself have no need to be remembered: a fair part of my family has been interred where and when the poppies grew; some that managed to survive were most close - like my godfather, who worked as a gardener/housekeeper at famous Tyne Cot cemetary.

And it is not for nothing that I took my nickname from a WW1 ace - proud to be a Belgian! All the more honouring those who came from far to die for our freedom.