My great grandfather Thomas Fisher was killed on 14th October 1914 at Croix Barbee. He was a Private in the Middlesex Regiment. He is commemorated at the Le Touret Memorial as his burial place is unknown. He and his best friend James were in the reserves having been regular soldiers. James had no family so used to go home with Tommy on leave. They were in a dug out together when the order was given to go over the top. Tommy was killed instantly and James wounded. James went home to recover and help Tom's wife Caroline who had also just lost a child to measles. Caroline was in a very unstable state, a year later they married.
I make a small card in his memory each year with a picture of him and the memorial and lay it at the local centotaph after watching OH march with the Lifeboat crew.
This year I will also be thinking about the needless deaths of our troops in Afghanistan.
Remembered with Honour
Lushy x
I have just watched the service. Very moving & emotional. :'(
Please God this will all end soon in Afganistan, before we loose anymore young men.
We've just watched the service and so moving and given the losses we hear about daily so relevant.I'm fortunate I don't have anyone close to me serving but I'm moved every time I watch the news particularly the repatriation the strength of the families leaves me speechless.I'm with you Rosebud may it end soon
Remembrance day...........
someone put this link up a while ago and I thought I would like to put it up again.
I too think our armed forces should come home soon.
Wear your poppy with pride.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HpcfEA7yzw
Lushy My lovely Dad served as a regular soldier in the Middlesex Regiment. He was awarded the Military Medal during the first world war for bravery on the field. My brother (91) has the medal. My heart goes out to all the families who have lost loved ones. I know how our family felt when my nephew was serving in the Falklands. May there soon be peace.
They shall not grow old as those of us who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condem them. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
My sister and I attended the local remembrance service this morning. Was very proud to see such a high attendance (sign of the times?) Very emotional, we shed a tear or ten. Really wasn't impressed or happy with the political tones added to it though >:(
There was a 20yr old lad on the Eamonn Maher show this morning and when he was asked what he would do now that he had lost an arm and both legs he said. There is nothing else for him but to stay employed by the army.
My heart goes out to all the young lads that have joined up because there is nothing else for them.Hopefully they will all come home to their loved ones very soon.
Have sat and watched all the Cenotaph remembrance service, how can anyone not be moved.
None of my family died--one was gassed and another got a `blighty one` in WWI.
One Uncle was a POW in WW2,one served all through and wore his beret with pride-one had his own reasons not to fight and worked on the land-no less brave in my opinion
I lost a mate in Ireland
I wear my poppy to remember--but with pride??--I`m not proud that so many lives have been lost because others in power chose to wage war
The route of our march had what appeared to be our largest support attendance in recent years with hundreds lining the route. As we marched I saw many people of all ages wiping away the tears, not just the older generation. People will remember
I had to turn it off, so very very sad.
Personally I do not feel able to wear a red poppy. I do not accept that in the majority of cases a military solution was the only choice. I donate to the Royal Legion collection (although it is embarrassing to live in a country that depends on charity to look after those we ask to put their lives on the line for us). So, I remember the dead and reflect on the tragedy but can't see anything glorious about it, and as for pride? No, just sadness.
We will remember them, but our politicians don't appear to want to.
Can anyone help, last evening on the Remembrence service , Jamie Cullum sang a beautiful song what was it called please.
The song's called "There's A Land of Begin Again" Specially recorded for the festival last night.
Taken from the Sunday Telegraph: In partnership with The British Legion, Decca Records have teamed up with The Sunday Telegraph to give you a never-before-released Jamie Cullum song, performed for the very first time this Saturday on BBC1's Festival of Remembrance. The track will be recorded on Saturday and will be available for free to readers of The Sunday Telegraph the very next day. Donations to The British Legion's Poppy Appeal are encouraged when downloading the free track.
The song, There's A Land Of Begin Again, was originally written for and performed by Dame Vera Lynn back in 1942. The song will be available to download at a special site, where you can also make a donation to The British Legion's Poppy Appeal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVE5d2PLWP0
Whilst I do remember the fallen on rememberance day, I also remember those left behind. The names on the big memorial beside the A11, at Elveden, not only commemorate those who fell in the first world war, it is also a list of the families who were evicted from their tied cottages on the estate. 'cos the men had died in battle, and therefore couldn't work on the estate anymore!! that's really sad!! :(
remember the wives and mothers, and the ones left behind.
My dad was a 17 year Coldstream Guard, he was also one of the Old Contemptables.
He was awarded the Albert Medal by the King for saving life from a burning
amunitions train , plus he carried the Standard for the King at the unveiling of the Cenotaph, Whithall. qahtan
Qahtan clearly your dad was a real hero, you must be so proud of him.
Here's a link all about the Cenotaph, with a photo showing its unveiling in 1920.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/remembrance/how/cenotaph.shtml
My brother has just been sent out for his 3rd tour of Afghanistan due back in April. For the time being just trying to keep him laughing with funny letters from home and planning his Christmas and food parcels that we will be sending. Its does seem harder this time and i cant put my finger on why that is, just have to look forward to seeing him come home and hope for the best. Christmas wont be the same without all the family there
x
It must be so hard for you and all the families of our troops out there, I just hope they know how much we all think of them.
Lushy x
My nephew served in Iraq, and came back. now he has signed up to go to Afghanistan
God take care of him ,and al lwho are out there
May we soon see the end of all this trouble
June
Always and Forever
http://flightplot.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/remembrance-day-3/
Lovely blog Flighty. :)
Just had the minutes silence on the radio... glad even the BBC can still give it the time it deserves.