Armistice Day

[Vaughan]

This morning, for the first time in 2 years, we will be attending a small parade and service at the war memorial in our village.

How nice to be able to pay our respects again in the normal manner, without being told to keep away and stay at home.  I often wonder what my parents' generation, who fought the last World War, would have thought of social distancing, and face-masks?

I shall be there, with my shoes "bulled up", my regimental tie and my medal.  Yes, only one - in the 70s there were no medals for the Cold War.  Or the Cod War, for that matter!  I still have plenty of fallen friends and comrades to remember all the same, in Cyprus, Oman, the Yemen and of course, in those dreadful dark times of The Troubles.

Armistice Day is not just about the veterans of D-Day : younger generations have plenty of reason to remember those who are still losing their lives today, in defence of freedom and peace.

[andyg]

Roger that Vaughan, I have really missed meeting up with old comrades. Last year a few of us met on the beach in Southend for a quick simple ceremony and popped opened few cans. This year is back to normal, 9am breakfast in our local weatherspoons and all on parade for 10. Regimental ties,blazers and shoes all cleaned and pressed.last we forget. Like you,I lost comrades. My first deployment to northern Ireland as a 19 year old turned out to be the most traumatic spell of my life. I found new brothers during that deployment, that have been there for me the last 40 years, a bond that will never be broken. Respect to all military personal and there families both past and present. 

[TheQ]

At work today, but on Sunday I shall be at the Sailing club to lower the flags at 11:00..

[vanessan]

Not sure if this will work but here goes anyway.

Many years ago I visited a ww1 museum in France, Peronne I think it was. There was a video screen playing a short scene over and over again. I stood completely mesmerised by it as it seemed to typify ww1 and its futility in the loss of life. The clip is 13 seconds in to this video, up to 21 seconds. 

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/british-tommies

Imagine the scene, repeated non stop, and the men who just disappeared never to be seen again. 
Lest we forget. 

 

[Bikertov]

On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, the guns fell silent.

Lest we forget ...

In memory of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and those still paying the price, for our peace and freedom today. Men, women and children in all conflicts, up to the present day and beyond.

 

[FairTmiddlin]

Most hear but one verse of the following, but the whole thing is so poignant to this day

 

For the Fallen  By Laurence Binyon

 

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

[vanessan]

We went for our booster jabs this morning, booked for 11.05am. We got there about 10.50 intending to be checked in and then able to respect the two minutes silence at 11.00. I was pleased that the whole Health Centre came to a full stop at 11.00 and we all stood quietly and respectfully. I know there are more than a few people now who think we should move on and do away with these remembrance events but I hope we never do. 

[FairTmiddlin]

2 hours ago, vanessan said:

We went for our booster jabs this morning, booked for 11.05am. We got there about 10.50 intending to be checked in and then able to respect the two minutes silence at 11.00. I was pleased that the whole Health Centre came to a full stop at 11.00 and we all stood quietly and respectfully. I know there are more than a few people now who think we should move on and do away with these remembrance events but I hope we never do. 

I think the media is a lot to blame. As soon as remembrance is mentioned, pictures of WW1  get flashed upon the screen. 

Young people need to be reminded that, there are still men and women who put their lives on the line everyday. And that not all come home in one piece, be that physically or mentally.

[ExSurveyor]

Beautifully played by a talented young musician.

[SwanR]

A very poignant read this morning. 

[Vaughan]

I remember, when I was about 10 years old, coming home one morning on the 79 bus, a double-decker out of Norwich, to Thorpe.

All of a sudden, just outside Thorpe Old Hall, the bus stopped in the road; the driver turned off the engine, climbed out of the cab and stood to attention in the road beside his bus. All the other traffic took this "signal" and stopped also, while nothing moved for two minutes. The driver then got back in his cab, started the engine and drove off.

Quite commonplace in the 50s - everybody did it. But then everyone, like that bus driver, had "been through it".

[vanessan]

Can you imagine what would happen today if a bus driver did that?……..

[Smoggy]

26 minutes ago, vanessan said:

Can you imagine what would happen today if a bus driver did that?……..

In fairness most hermes and amazon drivers seem to do that at every delivery.

[addicted]

When I was a child my nan used to take me to Wesminster Abbey each remembrance Sunday to  "plant" a cross for my grandad who died in 1928 as a result of wounds received in France during WW1. Both his brothers also lost their lives.

 

Carole

[HEM]

In 1966/67 together with my parents & brother I spent a year in Munich.  The war ended only 21 years before.

In 1977 I made my first visit to Hamburg as part of a High Energy Physics collaboration.  The war had ended 32 years before.

In 1982 I moved out to the Hamburg area "for one year".  The war had ended 37 years before.
There was a weekly TV program "Vor 40 Jahren" (40 years ago).  You can imagine the content.

In 1988 I married my German girl friend.

Yesterday we had our 33rd wedding anniversiary.  The war had ended 76 years before.

Thankful for peace.

[pastboating]

I received this today, clearly one young person understands.

[Coryton]

On 12/11/2021 at 10:39, vanessan said:

Can you imagine what would happen today if a bus driver did that?……..

From my local bus company (admittedly last year):

Quote

Where safe to do so, buses will pull over at 11am on Wednesday 11th November so that drivers can observe the national 2 minute’s silence to remember those who lost their lives fighting for their country.

 

[Bluebell]

On 12/11/2021 at 07:29, Vaughan said:

I remember, when I was about 10 years old, coming home one morning on the 79 bus, a double-decker out of Norwich, to Thorpe.

All of a sudden, just outside Thorpe Old Hall, the bus stopped in the road; the driver turned off the engine, climbed out of the cab and stood to attention in the road beside his bus. All the other traffic took this "signal" and stopped also, while nothing moved for two minutes. The driver then got back in his cab, started the engine and drove off.

Quite commonplace in the 50s - everybody did it. But then everyone, like that bus driver, had "been through it".

I used to catch the 79 in the 50’s

[Bikertov]

Just back from our local Cenotaph.

A very decent turnout, from a mixture of faiths and backgrounds, with good show of uniforms and medals.

The Last Post and Reveille was played very well by a young cadet from a school CCF (RAF section)

[YnysMon]

Today we had a shortened church service at Willen Church and then a rememberance service outside the tiny war memorial that is located on the green of the old Willen village. Before being swallowed up by Milton Keynes, Willen was a tiny village, just a handful of houses, but even so they had their losses from the village and surrounding rural area.

[Helian]

We had over a 1000 at a "scaled back" village parade and service. Very moving as always.

[TheQ]

I lowered the flags at Horning for Snowflake Sailing Club, immediately the buzzer went the noisy hoard of juniors shut up,  facing the flags as everyone fell silent and bowed their heads.

A broads hire cruiser, I think Herbert Woods Emerald light 2 stopped mid river, as did a small two man fishing dory. People on the Swan green and the Swan frontage also stopped and stood till the last post had finished...

[annv]

Hi Vannesas Cory just spoke to my son who's a bus driver, they were told they can stop in a safe place on both days, on Thursday when he stopped and got of the bus the passenger's started to chatter until a oldish lady sitting at the rear shouted out for them to be silent which they all did, thankfully no one on Thursday or to day complained when he stopped, it is nice to see not all of our standards have left. John