The Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month comes round again. Tomorrow is Remembrance Sunday when we remember all those who have given their lives for their Country. Wear your REd Poppy with pride. I will not be able to attend the Remembrance Day Service at Church this year because I am not well but shall certainly make an effort to attend the Service at the WAr Memorial where 3 of my relatives in WW1 and WW2 are remembered.
We wear our poppies with pride carol.
My dad was in the royal warwickshires.I am very proud of his contribution to defending our country. :)
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa42/ElleEss_photos/RBLPoppy.jpg)
RESPECT
(http://www.lancs-fusiliers.co.uk/rememberance%20Liverpool%202006/When1.jpg)
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.
Wonderful to see the vets and associates marching down whitehall.
I feel so proud of them .
I honour them all.
Just watched it on the telly, proper hymns, proper people, proper respect.
At least this is one event that the wooly minded liberals and the pc police would not dare to have
banned, in case it upset Johnny Foreigner.
Speaking as a woolly minded liberal, internationalist and jingoism-hater (and proud of it), I am deeply moved by Remembrance Day too. The words "They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them nor the years condemn..." are incredibly powerful. Our church service on Sunday was led, very thoughtfully, by teenagers who had never experienced war and older people who had, and it was one of the best ever. We had a display of photos of war zones (Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo) by Mike Thompson, the Radio 4 Today programme reporter. On this day I particularly remember a very talented great uncle, a family man in his late 40s, who joined up in 1916 and died after being run over by a gun carriage at the battle of the Somme. A brilliant painting by him is on the wall above my desk. His wife subsequently supported the family by playing sax in Ivy Benson's band.
I think the particular woolly minded liberals ACE is referring to are the kind of people that introduce Winterfest instead of Christmas... which really annoyed my Muslim friends too.
It was very moving to watch. The cannon here went off a couple of minutes early, which was a bit odd.
I'd like to remember my uncle, died in the first, my dad, dad in law, both in the second and affected all of their lives, plus my mum in law who was in the 'land army'..thanks to them all :)
Quote from: OllieC on November 11, 2008, 12:07:31
I think the particular woolly minded liberals ACE is referring to are the kind of people that introduce Winterfest instead of Christmas... which really annoyed my Muslim friends too.
I'm with you on that!
Wasn't it wonderful to see those old gentlemen laying wreaths at the cenotaph on TV news today! The eldest 112, next eldest 110 and the youngster of 108. It bought a lump to my throat.
I am trying to find out where my Nan's brother is buried. I have established from records that he died on 21st April 1917, probably in France as there is no Death Certificate shown on the 1837 Find my Past on-line website though I found him on there under the war deaths. He was with the King's Royal Rifle Corps. Looks as though I may need to visit Kew sometime to look up his records.
My Nan always placed a poppy on his picture which was hung up in her lounge.
Pauline, do you subscribe to the National Archives Newsletter? There are links to some podcasts about diaries and documents from the First World War and information about other records held at Kew. You may be able to find what you want online:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/213.htm
I'm looking forward to reading the book just published by one of the men who took part in the ceremony - Harry Patch (110)
Quote from: OllieC on November 11, 2008, 12:07:31
I think the particular woolly minded liberals ACE is referring to are the kind of people that introduce Winterfest instead of Christmas... which really annoyed my Muslim friends too.
I think you'll find Ollie that it was the Birmingham Council that changed Christmas to winterval quite a few years ago. It was soon told that it was 'not on', and had to change back. Now they, and all their ethnic communities celebrate Christmas, as well as Diwali, and any other festivals. (any excuse for a party). ;D ;D
Salisbury is the latest idiot council, banning such expressions as 'singing from the same hymn sheet' for fear of offending atheists. Well this atheist uses that expression, and is not offended.
There must be a lot of pen pushers in council offices, staring out of the window, thinking 'what daft idea can I come up with next'. >:( >:( >:(
valmarg
Quote from: valmarg on November 11, 2008, 19:46:48
Quote from: OllieC on November 11, 2008, 12:07:31
I think the particular woolly minded liberals ACE is referring to are the kind of people that introduce Winterfest instead of Christmas... which really annoyed my Muslim friends too.
I think you'll find Ollie that it was the Birmingham Council that changed Christmas to winterval quite a few years ago. It was soon told that it was 'not on', and had to change back. Now they, and all their ethnic communities celebrate Christmas, as well as Diwali, and any other festivals. (any excuse for a party). ;D ;D
Salisbury if the latest idiot council, banning such expressions as 'singing from the same hymn sheet' for fear of offending atheists. Well this atheist uses that expression, and is not offended.
There must be a lot of pen pushers in council offices, staring out of the window, thinking 'what daft idea can I come up with next'. >:( >:( >:(
valmarg
Ah yes, I remember now. It was Brum.
Someone from the Secular Society on the radio was saying much the same thing as you about hymn sheets... I prefer "Singing from the same little red book". I do hate it when people refer to something as being "the bible" when it is in fact the rulebook.
Little red book Ollie, are you a maoist?
valmarg
Someone I interviewed for a job a few years ago had been working for one of the London borough councils (Newham I think) and was desperate to get away. He had to spend much of his time thinking up politically correct alternatives to commonly used terms - e.g. a "gender neutral" alternative for "manhole cover". ::)
Hopalong, manhole cover is something you should NEVER EVER Google. ;D ;D
valmarg
Quote from: valmarg on November 11, 2008, 19:59:03
Little red book Ollie, are you a maoist?
valmarg
Only as much as you're an Evangelical Christian!
You have totally lost me Ollie.
valmarg
To get back to the more serious side of today's remembrance, tonight at 9.00p.m. Rolf Harris will tell the story of his dad and uncle during WW1. I've listened to him on BBC radio WM with Ed Doolan. It's a very moving story.
There have been quite a few times today I've 'welled up'.
When you see those acres and acres of white crosses/headstones it really brings back the futility of WW1.
valmarg
Tsk, even a thread paying respects to rememberance has to deviate onto other subjects? How difficult could it have been ......?
Quote from: SamLouise on November 12, 2008, 00:20:28
Tsk, even a thread paying respects to rememberance has to deviate onto other subjects? How difficult could it have been ......?
You should know us by now, we don't really do threads in the shed, I suppose it's more like a conversation.
Quote from: SamLouise on November 12, 2008, 00:20:28
Tsk, even a thread paying respects to rememberance has to deviate onto other subjects? How difficult could it have been ......?
Lighten up! I don't see anyone on this thread being disrespectful to the event, or even running the risk of doing so... nothing wrong with having a chat about related things.
Quote from: Paulines7 on November 11, 2008, 14:12:56
Wasn't it wonderful to see those old gentlemen laying wreaths at the cenotaph on TV news today! The eldest 112, next eldest 110 and the youngster of 108. It bought a lump to my throat.
I am trying to find out where my Nan's brother is buried. I have established from records that he died on 21st April 1917, probably in France as there is no Death Certificate shown on the 1837 Find my Past on-line website though I found him on there under the war deaths. He was with the King's Royal Rifle Corps. Looks as though I may need to visit Kew sometime to look up his records.
My Nan always placed a poppy on his picture which was hung up in her lounge.
Pauline, have you tried the commonwealth war graves commission website? They should have the records on their database. I looked up my great grandfather last year and there was lots of info, even a photo of the cemetery in France.
Sally
Just what i was going to say Sally fortunately i read all the way through before posting.
My Dad a veteran of ww2 (8th Army NZ engineers 1939-1944) asked me to never buy a poppy, I had to break this because both my boys were in beavers, cubs and scouts. His two brother's also were involved one was in the Pacific not wounded but caught TB because of the living conditions and with left with a 1/3 of one lung and I/4 of the other he was supposed to live long but died in January 1987 he was disabled and unable to work but he lived on a pittance and was given no help despite requests to the charity that benefits from the sale of poppies in NZ (i realise it may be different in this country). My father also said that to him the poppy was a symbol of the men (the enemy) that he was ordered to kill in cold blood who had surrendered and were waving white flags. "Take no prisoners tonight boys" was the order he was always distressed to hear.
My father last saw his other brother, the one he was closest to all his life in Bari, Italy. he was a medic and working at the hospital my father had been wounded at the Battle of Sangro and was waiting to be shipped home. His ship was leaving the harbour on 24th Dec 1943 when the hospital was bombed along with the port. His brother was killed trying to shift patients...soldiers and civilians to safety.
My Grandmother's little brother was killed aged 19 in the battle of the Somme.....no grave. Her Aunt was a nurse at a field hospital she was awarded two Royal red crosses.
There are others but I don't know their details yet.
last night seeing Rolf Harris visit that school in France that was kind of dedicated to Australia and Australians was quite something
Found one of my uncle's stones actually built into the bridge at Ypres. Still got a G'father and two other uncles to find. I was scanning the bridge with a video cam and suddenly his name showed up. Very hair-raising.
The Last Post is still played every night under the bridge.
Thank you to everyone that has given me help either on this thread or via a personal message, regarding finding out details of my great uncle.
Thanks to your help I now know where he was killed and where he was buried. I will visit his grave in September when we hope to be passing through Picardy.
Valmarg, Salisbury is my local council and I haven't heard any reference to "singing from the same hymnbook".
Quote from: Paulines7 on November 12, 2008, 17:49:40
Valmarg, Salisbury is my local council and I haven't heard any reference to "singing from the same hymnbook".
Well, I was only quoting the national press that 'singing from the same hymnsheet' could offend atheists.
In these days of PC gone mad, its difficult to know what to believe and what not to believe.
valmarg
Quote from: valmarg on November 12, 2008, 19:38:31
Quote from: Paulines7 on November 12, 2008, 17:49:40
Valmarg, Salisbury is my local council and I haven't heard any reference to "singing from the same hymnbook".
Well, I was only quoting the national press that 'singing from the same hymnsheet' could offend atheists.
In these days of PC gone mad, its difficult to know what to believe and what not to believe.
valmarg
I don't believe you!
Quote from: OllieC on November 12, 2008, 19:50:55
Quote from: valmarg on November 12, 2008, 19:38:31
Quote from: Paulines7 on November 12, 2008, 17:49:40
Valmarg, Salisbury is my local council and I haven't heard any reference to "singing from the same hymnbook".
Well, I was only quoting the national press that 'singing from the same hymnsheet' could offend atheists.
In these days of PC gone mad, its difficult to know what to believe and what not to believe.
valmarg
I don't believe you!
Well ducky, or to use the local expression, shug, I'm not overly bothered. What's not to believe? I've never been nasty to you, but I'll give it my best shot now. Is your latest avatar the old CND logo,' Y fronts prevent fallout.' ;D ;D ;D
valmarg
You can't hurt me, because you only hurt yourself in doing so...
It's a banksy that avatar, worth a fortune dontchaknow!
I don't know but this thread was started by me about Remembrance Day. That day is now passed and we will all continue to remember them that lsot their lives in all the wars.
I am getting sick and tired of all the nastiness going on in A4A. Snipe here, snipe there and so on. I have been with this site for a good few years now 5 I think and I am now thinking of giving up altogether. I gave up posting photographs, I gave up in the Chat Room. So, like Jeannine I think I will be bowing out soon. It is a shame, in the early days A4A was a great site but there is too much snide comments and one upmanship etc. I shant be missed I am sure so don't know why I have bothered to type this but just to let you know that I want you all to Shut up on this thread and leave it the way it was started REMEMBRANCE DAY.
Quote from: Carol on November 12, 2008, 20:30:05
I don't know but this thread was started by me about Remembrance Day. That day is now passed and we will all continue to remember them that lsot their lives in all the wars.
I am getting sick and tired of all the nastiness going on in A4A. Snipe here, snipe there and so on. I have been with this site for a good few years now 5 I think and I am now thinking of giving up altogether. I gave up posting photographs, I gave up in the Chat Room. So, like Jeannine I think I will be bowing out soon. It is a shame, in the early days A4A was a great site but there is too much snide comments and one upmanship etc. I shant be missed I am sure so don't know why I have bothered to type this but just to let you know that I want you all to Shut up on this thread and leave it the way it was started REMEMBRANCE DAY.
No sniping with me & val, Carol - sorry if any offense is caused but we're friends having a conversation. Absolutely nothing on here has been disrespectful to any of the commemorations or to you. So, no offence intended & sorry if it's been caused...
Edited to clarify what the odd cretin can't understand!
Why don't you ^^ quit telling people to chill out when they express a view which disagrees with your own? Carol is right, this thread was started for rememberance respects and whilst people do sometimes wander off topic, it wouldn't have been hard to try not to in this instance would it? You answered my post earlier and said you had stayed somewhat on topic which was complete rubbish. I don't want to disrespect Carol's original message by continuing any kind of dispute so I shant post in here again but why don't you try and listen to what people are politely trying to say instead of trying to have the last word every time? Here's an idea - if you want to discuss with other members about a PC country/world gone mad - start a thread about it!!
And to Carol, please, please don't think about leaving :(
you need to chill out too... wasn't me that started to talk about a world gone mad. Why is everyone being so uptight?
Carol, thank you for starting this thread, hope you don't leave :-\
Please Sam Louise,
Can you stop the cat peddling on the toilet roll, have to stick my thumb on it to read your post !!
-- sorry what I wanted to say was, I am beginning to want to post less and less --- not
because I am ' a girlie ', but some threads seem to go AWOL , which is a shame, especially
when you want to be in tune with the moment expressed, 11. 11. 08, is a very special day,
- for me and thousand of others , and should be treated with respect .
Any alternative ' thoughts ' could perhaps go onto another topic ?
Yes, I know I sound sanctimonious but I'm old and am allowed !! ;)
floss xxx
Carol, I sincerely hope you don't leave.
I know Ollie and I have a few controversial (awkward) posts, but we have no nasty intent. We should post on the PM site, but there's not enough room. ;D
Believe us when we say we welcome you, and would hate to think that we had been responsible for your leaving the site.
Please hang on in there. Pleese ;D ;D
valmarg
Hi Carol. Hope you read this.
On Sunday I went to visit my mum at her nursing home. She was watching the parade and after I told her my son has to go to school next week dressed as a 1940's evacuee she started telling him all about the air raids,how her little sister used to feed the rabbits through the door of the Anderson shelter and how she was evacuated. She then took us to visit her neighbour in the room next door. He,I'll call him "H" was supposed to be at the parade in Sunday but although it was paid for "they" couldn't get him a carer for the day. H was visibly upset by that but was, I think, happy to have company.
H was in the 51st Highland Division during WW2. He mentioned a hammering at Dunkirk. He was a POW in Poland. He was made to work in the coal mines. I was very honoured to be able to sit and watch the parade with him.
After a stroke H finds it difficult to speak,he stutters or just can not get his words out. If really irritates him. He told us a story which some parts I couldn't understand but I'll try to repeat it now.
When he was down the pit in Poland he had to labour for a Polish man who was also made to work there. The polish man was a blacksmith by trade and after his day in the mine would go back to his house in the village to do his smithying. One day he asked H if he would help him get a lump of metal from the pit to his house as he needed to make a wheel. H agreed though it was risky. H said they went undercover of the night but had lanterns which they had earlier hid in the potatoes. They did something to to make the lanterns look less conspicuous. (Sorry I couldn't understand H ). Anyway, they got to the Polish guys house and walked straight in. H said he was taken aback as Polish's wife was sat with her feet in a bowl of water in front of the fire. H laughed and said his missus would have gone daft if he had ever brough someone home unannounced! Then H said as he walked further into the room he was shocked to find a man standing there in a crisp white shirt and well turned out. He was in a panic as he was off limits and could get shot. He wasn't meant to be away from the mining area. The man in the shirt turned out to be a German Naval Commander!! He told H not to worry,he'd be alright and to calm down. (Can you imagine?!!) H said the man then told him that the war would be over by next year and then he went into his jacket pocket and pulled out some buttons, British Army,then some more buttons,American,then some more ,Russian. H said,"He had them all for just incase whoever won! Cheeky beggar!"
About his time as POW H says "It was an experience and I learned a few things."
We then went on to discuss 1940's school uniforms. He said he wasn't allowed to wear long trousers until he was fourteen and also the girls never wore anything like what I had on (jeans). "Showed a bit of leg then y'see!"
Quote from: FLOSSY on November 12, 2008, 21:34:25
11. 11. 08, is a very special day,
- for me and thousand of others , and should be treated with respect .
And that is what I was trying to say in my own way. It is a special day and I would not want to see it watered down just in case it upsets other nationalities.
As we can see on here it is very easy to upset people. So for those that do not like what I say, here's a tip, put me on your ignore list. It's at the bottom for you all to see Does It Look Like I Give A ....................
Quote from: valmarg on November 12, 2008, 19:38:31
Quote from: Paulines7 on November 12, 2008, 17:49:40
Valmarg, Salisbury is my local council and I haven't heard any reference to "singing from the same hymnbook".
Well, I was only quoting the national press that 'singing from the same hymnsheet' could offend atheists.
In these days of PC gone mad, its difficult to know what to believe and what not to believe.
valmarg
When my husband came in this evening, I asked him if he knew anything about it and he said it had been mentioned on TV.
I must admit that I had never heard of the phrase and as an atheist would certainly not have been upset by it. I am now wondering where I have been all my life to not know the phrase and can only think that it was because I was not brought up with church going parents or don't move in the right circles. ;D ::) Just out of interest, is there anyone else on this forum who hadn't heard of it until reading this?
Incidently, when I Googled 'singing from the same hymn sheet' and "Salisbury" I found that it was in many of the daily papers. Trouble is I don't read the papers though except when away on holiday or in hospital. Then I buy the Times and Telegraph....not to read the news but to have plenty of cryptic crosswords, puzzles and sudokus to do. ::)
Carol, I hope you will not stay away from the forum. It's bad enough losing Jeannine without losing you as well. :(
Heldi, I love your post. Poor 'H' for not being able to go, but I am sure having you sit with him and listen will have been a real tonic for him and made up for it. We are losing these sort of stories all the time as these people pass away, they endured so much, we are so lucky these days.
Thank you for posting.
Carol, please don't leave, your thread was started with all good intentions, but so many of the threads deteriorate these days, please stay! I would miss you much.
T.x
Dan seems very busy these days that perhaps we need to do a bit of our own policing about going off topic and sniping. I don't want to see this site 'crumble' and I am sure others don't either, we have lost so many posters lately.