A Personal Remembrance.

[Gastines]

I'm not much on religion or dwelling on the past but always seem to get moist eyes when the poppy petals drift down in the Albert Hall. I know my elderly brother,ex Grenadiers will also be watching. However, recently my Father-in -Law ,Ex Jersey man and RAF, passed away and after sorting and clearing his effects with my wife, we found a box of old Army/RAF and Navy badges. I know a lot of people collect/swap these for many reasons nowadays but during war years it was probably comaraderie and friendship. Many of the badges are from regiments etc. that are now disbanded, his father was in the Royal Cornwall and there are some wings from the Flying Corps but , in amongst them were two badges from RMS. Lancastria and HMS Barham. What his connection with these ships are we don't know,if any. Today we looked up the ships on the internet,it has it's uses, if you want to thank and remember  the people and children who died in the war ,that is a point to start. We thank our lucky stars that we have never suffered a loss due to war and hope we never will, You would think that by now the powers that control us would have also learnt.

Thoughts welcomed.

Regards.

[LEO]

I am grateful for the effort of our troops and others and, without their sacrifice I

might not be here today!

[Gardian]

[quote user="Gastines"]

I'm not much on religion or dwelling on the past but always seem to get moist eyes when the poppy petals drift down in the Albert Hall. [/quote]

I entirely share your view.

Some yrs ago, we took my late FIL to Reims for a long weekend and went out to the airfield where he was based in 1940. So-called 'Phoney War', then the Germans invaded France in a big way. The majority of the crews (Blenheims) that he sent out never came back. On the other side of the field was a wood, which apparently was the front line in WW1.  He said that no birds ever sang in that wood when he was there 25 yrs later during WW2.

The only son of my cousin is being deployed to Basra next week - his Mum & Dad are terrified. But it's his job.  No political comment or judgement from me: just that he comes home safe.    

[raindog]

A few years ago I visited the Loos Memorial in the Pas de Calais. 1,700

soldiers are buried there, but there are also the names of 20,000

officers and men who fell in the area who have no known grave. My Uncle

Arthur, who was in the Royal Field Artillary, was amongst them. He was

just turned 21 when he was killed and his name is engraved with all the

others. It was one of the most moving experiences of my life to visit

this place, on my own, in late evening. I sat for a long time just

contemplating the graves and trying to imagine the fear and confusion

these young men must have felt far from their own homes and country.

Anyway, I felt completely at peace there, and could have stayed for

hours.

[Bugsy]

As part of the Triumph Riders Group we visit a different war grave location every year. It is a very sobering experience and for me personally, it shows the shear futility of war. Visits to locations such as the landing beachs around Caen and the battlefields of Verdun etc, should be made compulsory to all.

My father was in the Cavalry, horses then tanks. My grandfather was in the Royal Flying Corp and I have his silver wings displayed on our wall today.

I too find the 11th November a tear-jerking day. What brave, brave people, those who gave their lives so that we may live.

 

[DerekJ]

If you had access to UK TV last night you may have watched the ITV programmme "My boy Jack".

This was the story of Rudyard Kipling's son Jack (John) who was killed the day after his 18th birthday at Loos.

It featured David Haig as Rudyard Kipling and Daniel Radcliffe as Jack.

If ever there was an antidote to jingoism it was this.

Not a dry eye in our house by the end. Very moving.

[Framboise]

Much as we are all lectured how things like Remembrance Day are archaic and were forecast to quietly die-out as the last of the Forces pass away, is it not good to see that actually it is thriving?  

Ten thousand people from all walks of life marched at the Cenotaph yesterday, not counting the crowds gathered to watch the spectacle nor those who made their way to the Armed Forced memorial that recently opened whom might have come to London instead, or those who attended their local ceremonies even.   Both yesterday and the ceremony at the Albert Hall showed that people have not forgotten The Fallen of two terrible wars, nor those still sacrificing themselves for a cause even now, and I found it heartening to see so many young people joining in and marching alongside their forebears in remembrance.

I understand a dear friend of mine was going to wear her father's Military Medal and the rest of his awards in the Cenotaph parade yesterday, to remember him and also because he had proudly marched in that procession every year until he died eight years ago.  She is carrying on the tradition for him - I am very proud of her for that one small gesture. 

[Frederick]

The internet is not only a good place to seek information re ships .regiments etc...A visit to the Imperial war Museum  will also turn up valuable information.....My father went down with his ship in 1942 a destroyer . .my family believed that there were no survivers ....such information was not made available during the war ...the telegram written in blue crayon just arrived to say "Lost in Action " I had by then lost my mother as well and the aunt who raised me accepted  what they were told during the war and that was it .....After  a visit to the war museum I ended up with  a photograph of the ship HMS Martin  and a copy of the report of the sinking at the North Africa Landings even the number of the U boat that sank her...also learned there were 163 survivers  and my fathers name is on the memorial at Chatham .....all information my family never had .... and now available to anyone via the internet ..fantastic .     

[Patf]

Frederick - it must have been a strange feeling to see you father's name on the memorial, at last you know what happened to him. My Dad was in the RN too and present at the North Africa landings, he was on HMS Bulolo. But thank God he returned home safely at the end of the war. He never talked about his wartime experiences.