Remembrance Sunday/Vetrans Day

[Boggy1 45]

Just my little tribute.

Today is Remembrance Sunday, where the people of the Commonwealth nations mourn the loss of the lives in the many Wars we have played a part in. At 11 o'clock, the entire country falls silent for two minutes, as we remember those who were lost.

Over 900,000 British servicemen were killed in the First World War.

Over 300,000 British servicemen killed in the Second World War.

258 British servicemen were killed in the Falklands War.

122 British servicemen killed in the ongoing Afghanistan Conflict.

176 British servicemen killed in the ongoing Iraq Conflict.

And many other lost in other conflicts throughout the 20th century, and throughout history.

Private John Williams, the Royal Welsh Regiment. Died 14th July 1916. Died at the age of 17. Died at the Battle of Mametz Wood. He lied about his age to get into the service.

Able Seaman Percy Mingo, Royal Navy. Died 25th May 1915. Died at the age of 21. Stationed on the H.M.S. Triumph, which was destroyed at the Battle of Gallipoli

Private L Mingo, Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry. Died 25th November 1915. Died at the age of 22. Died at the Battle of Green Hill and Chocolate Hill.

Leading Stoker William Mingo, Royal Navy. Died 31st May 1916. Died at the age of 24. Stationed on the H.M.S. Defence, which was destroyed at the Battle of Jutland.

We Shall Remember Them.

We were relatively lucky. Many more of our relations fought in various conflicts. They all came back alive. Above are those relations who died.

During the two minutes silence, the royal family, the political leaders, past political leaders, representatives from many many religions, commonwealth high commissioners, military leaders, Governmental officers, war veterans, amongst many others, stand outside the Cenotaph at Whitehall.

Afterwards, thousands of representatives from any and every organization, whether military or civilian, whether at home or abroad, march past the memorial. Thousands of ex and current servicemen and women stand at the memorial, and thousands of people crowd the streets to watch this parade.

The Sunday Parade is the joint-longest running live televised event, and the 1947 recording is the oldest surviving recording of a live event. It was the second ever live televised event.

After the 2 minute silence at 11 o'clock, the Parade takes on more of a celebratory role, as the thousands of people march past. The pile of poppies at the Cenotaph grows and grows, until the memorial is a single island surrounded by a sea of red.

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others."

[wishfulanthony 3]

It's sometimes hard to recognize how many soldiers and individuals die during times of conflict for one goal: to protect one's motherland. And for all the soldiers who have fought for us and died in combat, a simple prayer:

Eternal rest grant unto those soldiers who have fought for us, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May their souls rest in peace. Amen.

If there is something worth dying for, it's our faith and our work here on earth, and I believe that when we do something good here on earth, something better will be given to us at the end of time. I just hope that we, as a people, will continue to do good deeds towards others, be in time of war or peace.

[belfastuniguy 18]

This Remembrance Sunday people across the United Kingdom and Commonweatlh in addition to European nations will not only remember those that have fallen serving their country, but will mark 90 years of the signing of the 1918 Armistice that ended the Great War (WW!)

Nearly 10 million men were lost in one of the most horrific wars ever fought, over 20 million were wounded and a roughly a further 7 million missing or taken prisonner.

Services, as with Remembrance Sunday will take place in cities and battle sites across Europe and the Commonwealth, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month a two minute silence is held to note the sacrifice these brave men made so the future generations that followed could live with the freedoms we enjoy and at times take for granted today.

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,

England mourns for her dead across the sea.

Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,

Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,

There is music in the midst of desolation

And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not 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. We will remember them. 

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known

As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,

To the end, to the end, they remain.

Royals attend remembrance tribute

A Field of Remembrance has been set up at Westminster Abbey

Members of the Royal Family have honoured servicemen and women killed in past and current conflicts at the Royal Festival of Remembrance.

The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, and Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined veterans at the event at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Welsh soprano Katherine Jenkins and tenor Russell Watson performed.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I and several events are planned across the country.

TA centenary

The royal party also included the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

WORLD WAR I Began in 1914 and ended in 1918 One in three UK families had a loved one killed, wounded or taken prisoner France lost nearly 1.5 million men - double that of Britain Nearly two million Germans and a similar number of Russians also died

The Massed Bands of the Household Division, the Band of HM Royal Marines, the Band of the Parachute Regiment, the RAF Squadronaires and the Queen's Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force played.

The festival also included the traditional two-minute silence as thousands of poppy petals fell from the roof of the Royal Albert Hall, each representing a life lost in war.

Territorial Army veterans featured prominently in the event too, as 2008 is the TA's centenary.

A spokesman for organisers, the Royal British Legion, said: "This annual festival commemorates and honours all those who have lost their lives in conflicts and is both a moving and enjoyable evening."

The festival, which included songs and prayers, is being broadcast on BBC One on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, when more than 8,000 veterans will march to the Cenotaph in London's Whitehall.

This year the march will include ex-servicemen and women from Northern Ireland for the first time.

Irish memories

The Somme Heritage Centre in Newtownards, County Down, is hosting a weekend of activities to highlight the role in the allied victory played by more than 200,000 Irish soldiers.

The centre's director, Carol Walker, said for a long time the people of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic had had differing attitudes towards remembering the war.

"Certainly in the south of Ireland for a long time it was memories that were put away - maybe hidden in a shoebox and put under the bed or up in the roof space.

"But differently in the north, particularly amongst the Protestant community, it would've been remembered more."

This was now changing, she added.quote>

[Micah 16]

-Merging two Remembrance Sunday threads-

[hym 358]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but since the holidays are similar in nature, I thought we could include any Veteran's Day well-wishes here (rather than bump the old thread from two years ago).

Anyway, a heartfelt thank you to all the service men and women who have fought to protect this country and its freedoms.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: hym

Not trying to hijack the thread, but since the holidays are similar in nature, I thought we could include any Veteran's Day well-wishes here (rather than bump the old thread from two years ago).

Anyway, a heartfelt thank you to all the service men and women who have fought to protect this country and its freedoms.quote>

That's not a thread hijack at all.  On this side of the pond, we mark Veteran's Day on November 11.   Same idea, different days.

My father is on the Veteran's committee in his assisted living facility.  They always recite the Flander's field poem on this day.

I echo hym's heartfelt thanks to our veteran's.   May they make it home safely.

[Haljackey 17,398]

Happy Rememberance Day everyone, although I'm not sure if I should be saying "happy".

Hope everyone in the Commonwealth is wearing their poppies!

[Boggy1 45]

Over in the Commonwealth we celebrate our 'Veterans Day' on Sundays, but we still do have a minutes silence at 11o'clock on the 11th of the 11th, to mark the end of the First World War.

[Meg 368]

An interesting story for the day.    How cool is this?

Priceless WWII Combat Films Discovered in Basement

I'm glad they did the right thing and turned the film over to an archives that will preserve them.

[hummer0328 6]

Pvt. Scott A. Miller, 20, of Casper, Wyo., died June 9, 2006 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.

Pfc. Timothy R. Hanson, 23, of Kenosha, Wis., died Jan. 7, 2007 in Salmon Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1^st Battalion, 15^th Infantry Regiment, 3^rd Brigade Combat Team, 3^rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

Both were friends of mine and will be missed.  May they rest in peace.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: SkiGeek An interesting story for the day.    How cool is this?

Priceless WWII Combat Films Discovered in Basement

I'm glad they did the right thing and turned the film over to an archives that will preserve them.quote>

 

Amazing. Hopefully they will remaster them  to show on History channel or something.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes

Originally posted by: SkiGeek An interesting story for the day.    How cool is this?

Priceless WWII Combat Films Discovered in Basement

I'm glad they did the right thing and turned the film over to an archives that will preserve them.quote>

 

Amazing. Hopefully they will remaster them  to show on History channel or something.

quote>

I hope so.  This is a large chunk of film that hasn't been reviewed in decades.