Remembering.

[Rich]

Once again , I had the priviledge of watching the rememberance festival at the RAH. (on the tv) The hymns were beautiful and touching, the pageantry was a joy to behold and as usual I shed a tear, it is comforting to know that while we are safely tucked up at night, we have the finest military force in the world to watch our backs, I thank my lucky stars I was born in this country and look forward to seeing many more services to commemorate the fallen heroes who gave their today for our tomorrow.

Rich.

 

[Waka]

Here here.

 

[woodbloke]

...and from me - Rob

 

[Digit]

Here here!

Roy.

 

[Woodmagnet]

Me too.

 

[Digit]

My family attended the commemoration service in town this morning Rich, and despite the cold, there had been a Hail storm just before the start, the attendance must have been a couple of thousand.
When you consider the size of the local population that is very impressive.
The service started with the names of those service personnel lost since 1914
and concluded with the Welsh anthem, the lead tenor having a superb voice and the Welsh anthem is surely the most musical.
Despite the period of time that has passed a lot of handkerchiefs were visible.
The silliness of war is demonstrated by the number of local families whose roots go back to the German and Italian POWs who worked on the local farms during WW2.

Roy.

 

[devonwoody]

I always close my eyes and say "thank you"

 

[Digit]

One thing that I find distressing locally DW is that there is no memorial to the merchant marine.
In both world wars many men were lost from the local villages, and their names are only recorded where they are buried if they were recovered, or where their ship's loss is noted.
A visit to any of the coastal church yards is harrowing.

Roy.

 

[filsgreen]

Totally agree with you Roy these seamen have been treated shabbily. I believe they have only recently been honoured with a medal for WW2. My mate's father was torpedoed and sank three times on the Arctic convoys, the last one cost him four of his toes. Heros all of them.

Phil

 

[woodbloke]

One thing that I find distressing locally DW is that there is no memorial to the merchant marine.
In both world wars many men were lost from the local villages, and their names are only recorded where they are buried if they were recovered, or where their ship's loss is noted.
A visit to any of the coastal church yards is harrowing.

Roy.

...or the the 50,000 men who were lost in Bomber Command in WWII. That there is no memorial to commemorate their loss is a national disgrace - Rob

 

[Digit]

Yes it is Rob. People may disagree with the results of the campaign, the blood of the Command helped to ensure their right to do that, but that does in no way diminish their courage. It is that which we should recognise IMO.

Roy.

 

[Peter T]

One thing that I find distressing locally DW is that there is no memorial to the merchant marine.
In both world wars many men were lost from the local villages, and their names are only recorded where they are buried if they were recovered, or where their ship's loss is noted.
A visit to any of the coastal church yards is harrowing.

Roy.

...or the the 50,000 men who were lost in Bomber Command in WWII. That there is no memorial to commemorate their loss is a national disgrace - Rob

Absolutely agree. My dad served as a navigator in Bomber Command, although not 'till quite late on in the war so he didn't see as much action as others. Even so he lost many friends.

I remember some years ago a work colleague and I had been to Paris for few days. We were driving back to Calais when we passed the Canadian War Memorial at Vimy Ridge and decided to drive up and pay our respects.

As we dove up the hill a storm was brewing to the north so the whole memorial was silhouetted against the almost black sky.

Very moving

 

[Maia28]

...or the the 50,000 men who were lost in Bomber Command in WWII. That there is no memorial to commemorate their loss is a national disgrace - Rob

The Daily Telegraph has been running an appeal for this for the past few weeks. There WILL be one soon. However, there seems to be much discussion as to where it should be placed.

In our village we have just erected a new tablet on the war memorial that lists the names of all those who have perished in combat. It was dedicated today before the remembrance service.

Andy

 

[Digit]

50000 died here another few thousand there. They are just figures, till you stand in one of those cemeteries, all those crosses, row upon row upon row!

Roy.

 

[filsgreen]

Here is a picture of the American cemetery at the Normandy beaches. Taken from 1000ft, it reinforces the enormous losses.

Phil

 

[Rich]

Thanks Phil, what a fantastic shot, at the risk of sounding melancholy, I would just like to say that this is my favourite day of the year, I love to see the old boys and girls marching with pride past the cenotaph in front of HRM, It brings a lump to my throat and makes me think how fortunate we are to live in a democracy. My Dad was a navigator in a Lancaster bomber and my Mum was in the waafs, that's where they met each other in the naafi and consequently married.

Regards,

Rich.

 

[Digit]

And that's just one of many, unfortunately.

Roy.

 

[Losos]

Once again , I had the priviledge of watching the rememberance festival at the RAH. (on the tv) The hymns were beautiful and touching, the pageantry was a joy to behold and as usual I shed a tear, it is comforting to know that while we are safely tucked up at night, we have the finest military force in the world to watch our backs, I thank my lucky stars I was born in this country and look forward to seeing many more services to commemorate the fallen heroes who gave their today for our tomorrow.

Rich.

Well said Rich - I have had the opportnity to meet and work with many in all three services, and the TA - I have tremendous admiration for all of them.

 

[Digit]

I was much impressed this morning by the number of younger people who stood with bowed heads in the cold as well.
For all that I have castigated their generation for their drunkenness and violence I still suspect that if the call came many would step forward as earlier generations did.

Roy.

 

[Rich]

I was much impressed this morning by the number of younger people who stood with bowed heads in the cold as well.
For all that I have castigated their generation for their drunkenness and violence I still suspect that if the call came many would step forward as earlier generations did.

Roy.

MY turn for a hear, hear.
Rich.