Lest we forget.....

[Merlin]

They shall not grow 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 shall remember them.

For the Fallen - Lawrence Binyon

At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month the guns finally fell silent at the end of World War I.

This is the first Armistice Day to be held with no British survivors left from World War I. Even though they have now finally rejoined their comrades, we should not forget them.

Nor should we forget the members of the armed forces who have lost their lives in later conflicts, no matter what nationality they are.

Greater love hath no man that he lay down his life for his country.

I observed the two minutes silence today, at 11.00am; did anyone else?

 

[Kin Hell]

Yeah m8. About for about 2 hours after that. I was sleeping a very big & simply stunning "brunch" fry up off. :mrgreen:

Deb's & I had a quiet moment Sunday gone & Poppys ahoy here.

Kin

 

[SilverSurfer]

I observed it too.

In fact the entire office where I worked did so as well, which was good to see respect paid by all.

Cheers,

SilverSurfer.

 

[asm1]

I did as well.

This is the first Armistice Day to be held with no British survivors left from World War I. Even though they have now finally rejoined their comrades, we should not forget them.

I've been watching "Last Voices of World War One" on Military history . It was originally broadcast last year around the time of the 90th anniversary of the armistice. What I find particularly poignant, is that at the end, a still photograph of each "interviewee" is flashed up with their name and the duration of their life. It always made me smile when the "living" veterans were shown:

Henry Allingham 1896 - Present
Harry Patch 1898 - Present
William "Bill" Stone 1900 - Present

Bearing in mind that the series was made in 2008.

Seeing the repeats recently, the dates were (obviously) changed

Henry Allingham 1896 - 2009
Harry Patch 1898 - 2009
William "Bill" Stone 1900 - 2009

This moved me more than I can really find words to explain . Yes they were OLD men, but I guess it is to do with the fact that we have lost 4 veterans this year - two of whom saw active service The Last Tommy (Patch) and The Last Airman (Allingham). The deaths of Patch and Allingham are particularly affecting, since they occured so close together.

Now I said four Veterans - I'm not forgetting Ned Hughes, nor am I bellitling him by exclusion, I cant remember if he was in the series or not.

There is HOWEVER Claude Choules still alive, who is the last (ever) surviving British Veteran, perhaps not as well known as the other two since he now lives in Australia. He holds the distinction of having served in the Royal Navy during BOTH world wars.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae, May 1915

 

[Harrison]

I did as well. Watched the ceremony on Sky News.

 

[Merlin]

@ asm1

Nice post; you captured my sentiments exactly.

 

[davideo]

This is the first Armistice Day to be held with no British survivors left from World War I. Even though they have now finally rejoined their comrades, we should not forget them.

According to the news last night there is one survivor from WW1 who also served in WW2. He is 108!!

Although he is now an Australian citizen. (Beaten to it by asm1)

We held a 2 minute silence in our office building.

Dave G 8)

 

[asm1]

@ asm1

Nice post; you captured my sentiments exactly.

Thanks.... I surprise even myself sometimes