Rememberance day

[s.a.f]

No threads on this topic, you ungrateful bastards!! :nono:
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Is it only us in the UK that recognise this with a 3 minute silence?

 

[s.a.f]

They shall not grow old as we who 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.


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[The Gardener]

It's "Veterans' Day" here in the states....

 

[HughJass]

Is it only us in the UK that recognize this with a 3 minute silence?

We usually have a silent period at schools, work, pub. I often wonder when we'll stop remembering it. I guess eventually we will.

^^^^That's the annual ceremony they have here at the park overlooking the most isolated city in the world



Then there's the quasi religious ceremony that is ANZAC day :roll:

 

[ali777]

No threads on this topic, you ungrateful bastards!! :nono:

Is it only us in the UK that recognise this with a 3 minute silence?

The Remembrance Day-Veterans Day is a British-American thing, also commemorated in English speaking Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada.

I was in town at 11am, and I did observe the 2 mins silence in respect to the war victims.

My grandfather's uncle is assumed to have died in the war.

 

[pratc]

Even though I'm in the UK, I often look at other newspapers. Yesterday, I found the following in the NY Times which explains why there is a difference in the way it is commemorated in the USA and Europe.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/o..._r=1&scp=3&sq=veterans day&st=cse&oref=slogin

 

[HughJass]

anyone have relatives they knew of that fought during WWI? ever tried to trace their history?


I had a great grandfather who fought at the Somme, I was able to get his records online from British Archives....didn't tell me much though.

 

[ali777]

anyone have relatives they knew of that fought during WWI? ever tried to trace their history?

I never tried to trace my family history... But my grandmother used to tell us that my grandfather's uncle never came home after the war (WWI). They presume he died in action. My great grandfather was in the army at the time as well, but he came back safely.

My grandparents used to tell me some WWII stories as well, but as far as I know I don't have any family members that lost their lives in that war. Well, my other grandmother died during the war, most probably something to do with poverty rather than battle.

 

[Starseed]

My uncle was killed in North Africa before I was born. He was part of Montgomery's "Desert Rats" who fought and defeated Rommel, one of the Germans' most respected (by us) generals.

I always wear the poppy.

 

[Old Baldy]

Aussie: My grandfather fought for the Czar during WWI and left for the USA when the commies won. He went back to Russia many times though years later and never had any problems. Died in 1980 at around 90 years old.

He lost most of his relatives during the War and in the Commie Revolution. But a few were still around and he went back and visited them. My parents lost touch with them years ago.

I had many relatives along with my father, who all fought in WWII.

 

[JayBear]

 

[squeegee]

I was on the parade yesterday. unk: Always remember.

 

[HughJass]

anyone have relatives they knew of that fought during WWI? ever tried to trace their history?

I never tried to trace my family history... But my grandmother used to tell us that my grandfather's uncle never came home after the war (WWI). They presume he died in action. My great grandfather was in the army at the time as well, but he came back safely.

My grandparents used to tell me some WWII stories as well, but as far as I know I don't have any family members that lost their lives in that war. Well, my other grandmother died during the war, most probably something to do with poverty rather than battle.

My uncle was killed in North Africa before I was born. He was part of Montgomery's "Desert Rats" who fought and defeated Rommel, one of the Germans' most respected (by us) generals.

I always wear the poppy.

Aussie: My grandfather fought for the Czar during WWI and left for the USA when the commies won. He went back to Russia many times though years later and never had any problems. Died in 1980 at around 90 years old.

He lost most of his relatives during the War and in the Commie Revolution. But a few were still around and he went back and visited them. My parents lost touch with them years ago.

I had many relatives along with my father, who all fought in WWII.

thanks for sharing your stories chaps

 

[The Gardener]

Men who had balls that clanked:

 

[s.a.f]

'Over the top' at the Somme 1917

20,000 Brits killed on the 1st day !!!! A further 40,000 seriously wounded.

'Lions led by donkeys'

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[Slartibartfast]

I'm reminded of the story of how French soldiers, demoralised by the carnage of the Nivelle Offensive and the earlier losses at Verdun, had advanced into battle baa-ing like sheep to the slaughter.


Anthem For Doomed Youth

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918)

 

[dimitar_berbagod]

My grandad fought in WW1 and was at the battle of the Somme. He lost his best friend who was hit by part of a shell which exploded near him.

I don't remember him (he died in 1979) but he always said he never got angry over anything after his experiences in the trenches. I still have some of his medals and many magazines from around the time.

 

[Starseed]

I also should mention the fact that I have three near neighbours who fought in WW2 (and lived!). They're all old boys in their 80s, and I always talk to them whenever I see them.

One sold me his car when he could no longer drive, and now runs round on an electric buggy. He's actually one of lucky ones; he fought at the Battle of Monte Cassino in the invasion of Italy ( a real bloodbath, fighting up a mountainside against dug in enemy machine guns ), and got shot in the leg. So unlike many others, he got back home. Takes a huge amount of medication, scarcely can walk, but always has a smile, is the nicest guy around here. I try and help him with his garden, and other things. Feel it's a privilege to know such venerable old men.

 

[BobbyChalfont]

It's quite sad to think that in another 20 or 30 years, they'll be no one left alive who fought in WW1 and/or WW2.

I was in a supermarket at 11am on the 11th this month and an announcement came over the tannoy, "The time is now 11 o'clock and we will be observing a two minutes' silence." Everyone stopped, all the checkout staff stopped scanning and stood up and you could hear a pin drop. Then some lout standing a few feet away from me turned to his friend and shouted, "What the f*ck happened at 11 o'clock?"

We take way too much for granted in modern society and the sacrificies made yesterday so that we could live in freedom today should never be forgetten, regardless of how long ago it happened.

 

[Slartibartfast]

In such circumstance I believe it's permitted to beat the ignorant little prat to a bloody pulp using whatever you can lay your hands on: frozen leg of lamb, tin of pineapple chunks, bottle of Moet, anything good and solid.

That aside... can you imagine the World Wars being commemorated so actively in, say, two hundred years time? If England even exists by then.