Remembrance Day

[killerdwarf]

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army


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.​

Please take two minutes at 11am on November 11 to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. You owe most of your freedoms to them.

Thanks, grandpa...rest in peace...

 

[Frenchy Faith]

Is it a holiday too in the US and in Canada? Like in order to have ceremonies in memory of the people who died during the war?

 

[The Arcane]

Please take two minutes at 11am on November 11 to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. You owe most of your freedoms to them.

Always do! 🙂

I'm fortunate enough to have a grandad still around to tell me all about what he was doing during the war.

Been a couple of weeks since I've seen him. Think tomorrow is a good day to do that.

 

[Lyri]

my great grandmother was around for WW1 and WW2, and we always do to two minutes silence together.

 

[elmo]

My Grandad served in the Army just as WW2 was finishing. My grandma worked in the Red Cross back in the UK. Many other friends and members of the family can be remembered for having done their part. I'll never forget to show my respect for them. It'll be strange not spending Remembrance Sunday in the UK with the parades and the poppies.

 

[nerd4hire]

In my city kids have been stealing the collection boxes where veterans sell poppies for remembrance day. I don't think they get it.

 

[The Arcane]

In my city kids have been stealing the collection boxes where veterans sell poppies for remembrance day. I don't think they get it.

You are from the U.S. aren't you, N4H?

Funny because there was a local news report tonight of exactly the same thing going on here in the UK. I'd say what I thought about the little creeps doing it but this is an all ages site! ::grrr::

 

[Mr. Pointy]

KD - further to what I told you in my PM...Remembrance Day in the UK used to be celebrated on November 11th but nowadays it is Remembrance Sunday and ceremonies are held on the Sunday nearest to the 11th. It is also often called Poppy Day

From "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon,

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 will remember them.

are the lines generally read at Remembrance Day ceremonies here.

Here's a nice site from a junior school where i found the above quote which explains all about Remembrance Day in England

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Remembrance.html

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

Not as a means to cause a stir, but my great grandparents were on the otherside.

I will spare a thought for all those involved though as a Soldier is told what to do by the powers that be, had they gone against those Orders they'd have been severly dealt with.

 

[Schillaci]

You owe most of your freedoms to them.

WW1 had nothing to do with freedom. OK, the day of remembrance now also includes those that died in WW2, but initially it was about the end of WW1.

Not as a means to cause a stir, but my great grandparents were on the otherside.

I will spare a thought for all those involved though as a Soldier is told what to do by the powers that be, had they gone against those Orders they'd have been severly dealt with.

On either side.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

I will spare a thought for all those involved though as a Soldier is told what to do by the powers that be, had they gone against those Orders they'd have been severly dealt with.

Indeed - it is only recently that British WW1 soldiers who were executed for cowardice (ie. suffering from shell shock aka post-traumatic stress disorder) have been pardoned of their supposed crime.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4796579.stm

 

[teentitan]

I spent Thursday with about 35, 40 veterans from WW2, Korea, and assorted Peacekeepers from various UN missions. We all talked about duty, honour, country and remembered the good and the bad. We cried about friends who did not grow old with us but laughed at the crazy things we did when we were young and dumb that only soldiers would do.
A WW2 Navy vet told us about how his Captain would give him an extra days leave if he went and told the parents of his buddy how he died. The Captain had written the letter but he felt the parents deserved an explanation from a friend of his who was with him. He walked up and down the street building up the courage for a half hour before he knocked on the door and spoke to the family. He was 19. Hell of a responsibility for such a young man wouldn't you say?
So I encourage everyone to go to your town cenotaph on Nov 11 and just shake the hand of a veteran and any soldier that is there. A simple gesture that means a lot more to us then you realise.

 

[Frenchy Faith]

Not as a means to cause a stir, but my great grandparents were on the otherside.

I will spare a thought for all those involved though as a Soldier is told what to do by the powers that be, had they gone against those Orders they'd have been severly dealt with.

Yeah... I do think as well that people at the time didn't always have a fair choice... of course you had "a" choice... but when the security of your family is in jeopardy... you don't really choose... you go and do what you're told... not everyone is "brave" as in go sacrify their lives... bless the ones who did... but I don't think you can blame the ones who didn't that much... in most of those people's place, who knows what we all would have done...
We're lucky to be living at this time, and in an Occidental country (Iraq war left aside)... you can still spare a thought for the ones who are today living in a country where there's a war or a dictatorship... I don't think there's a day for them, so I like to think about them too when I take the time to think about the veterans...

 

[Angelic Slayer]

Although I can't say I have any close family or friends that I know have served in the wars, Remembrance Day is something I have a lot of respect for, and "celebrate" every year. Nothing major, I wear the poppy and stand for the moments of silence, but every year my school gets together and has a service. Poems are read, stories, this year was pretty special because we had a war veteran and someone who's son was serving overseas right now there to talk to us, and was just really great.

Couldn't believe it though, a group of thirteen year olds had the gall to skip out on the service to go and get doughnuts! A lot of people were ticked about that, even their friends who had stayed behind had some words for them. Just so disrespectful; of all the assemblies to skip out on THAT'S not the one, needless to say they got quite the earfull when the got back.

Anyway, I just wanted to stop by, and especially post a music video called "A Pittance of Time" by Terry Kelly made for November 11th, it was played in our service and I thought it was a great idea.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDw0SZL3CNY

 

[killerdwarf]

WW1 had nothing to do with freedom. OK, the day of remembrance now also includes those that died in WW2, but initially it was about the end of WW1.

Knew that...didn't think it mattered all that much. Doesn't matter to me what the geopolitical minutiae were. Has little to do with the observations of the day as the are carried out now. History is important, but ultimately we observe for our own personal reasons, and the day's significance has evolved to include all veterans of all wars, not just WWII.

 

[Angelic Slayer]

teentitan agrees: Did you make them watch the video to make your point with them?

I'm confused, someone else made us all watch the vid.

I think a joke just flew over my head again 🙁

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Never mind.... : paperbag ::blush::

SO how's the weather where you are? 😀

 

[teentitan]

I'm confused, someone else made us all watch the vid.

I think a joke just flew over my head again 🙁

I'm sorry I was not making a joke at your expense. What I was asking was if you made the 13 year olds watch the Terry Kelly video after they got back from their doughnut break to show them what they did wrong.
Again sorry for the confusion and may I add good for you to give them an earful.

 

[Jenny]

Thanks for posting KD. Thinking alot about my Granparents and Great-grandfather this weekend, along with all the other brave people involved.