Rememberance....

[Tortaruga]

my 4yo son died in my arms

That's shocking. I'm sorry for your loss.

[RedRobin]

my 4yo son died in my arms

That's shocking. I'm sorry for your loss.

....Thankyou, but it's no more shocking than a parent losing a child in war, or wife losing their husband, or someone's best mate dying wounded in their arms on a battle field, or losing a parent, or any other similar circumstance. It's all relative and we all die somehow and at a time we might not expect - It's the same for every one of us. I believe it's healthier and better for us to be open and unashamed of our feelings.

We have to get on with enjoying life - It's what those departed would want us to do. But that doesn't mean that we never cry or feel grief and, regarding Remembrance Sunday, it's an opportunity to share and allow those feelings and appreciation for the loss experienced by others.

By the way, yesterday I saw a big white articulated truck with a huge red poppy on the front grill - It must have been at least 12 inches diameter  . Which reminds me of a great photo which djmhughes aka Panthera (forum member) took a few months ago:



^ Sorry, I have cropped the lower part. I bet this truck is now wearing a big red poppy.

[phil1975]

Lovely words Phil, PJ and Robin. It really does restore my faith in humanity (not meaning to sound pretentious) when I read such things. 

I genuinely do read War Poetry, I'm a bit of a philistine on the whole but after having my dad read it to us as kids I have done the same to ours aand I will (in time) be reading it to my granddaughter  and hopefully the sacrifices made, and unfortunately still being made, will not be forgotten.

  these post's have made my day off! well done all.

[RedRobin]

^^^^
That's a fabulous photo of a poppy field, Phil 

Did you take it?

[phil1975]

Was it this  http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Promise-DVD-Claire-Foy/dp/B004G5YVC8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352481175&sr=8-1 ?

....Yes! Thanks, Phil 

Did you watch it?

Yes I did Robin, a very well done programme on a difficult subject I thought, one of which I'm ashamed to say I knew very little of before hand.

[phil1975]

^^^^
That's a fabulous photo of a poppy field, Phil 

Did you take it?

Afraid not Robin shamelessly stolen from the internet on my part at short notice 

[RedRobin]

Was it this  http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Promise-DVD-Claire-Foy/dp/B004G5YVC8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352481175&sr=8-1 ?

....Yes! Thanks, Phil  

Did you watch it?

Yes I did Robin, a very well done programme on a difficult subject I thought, one of which I'm ashamed to say I knew very little of before hand.

....The conclusion was very moving and the whole very well balanced. It illustrated very well that conflict is rarely such a black and white issue - There are always two sides to every story and 'enemies' should not always be vilified by propaganda. Humanity won through in that TV drama.

[MC71]

^^^^ will be ordering that DVD. 

On the subject of "Humanity", i am making a trip to France next year with my freinds and family to walk the WW1 battlefiields of the Somme but mainly to commemorate the centenary of the so called "Christmas Truce" of 1914 (we're not sure if there is going to be an official ceremony yet)

This very "human" story has always filled me with surprise, wonder and also the folly of war. Given the chance for a few days, young men on both sides of the trenches exchanged songs, jokes and even gifts. There are some great stories of boys from both sides meeting in "no mans land" to play football then returning to their respective sides to carry on the slaughter a few hours later. Few a few days there were no "enemies", just young men from different countries.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. It was never repeated—future attempts at holiday ceasefires were quashed by officers' threats of disciplinary action—but it served as heartening proof, however brief, that beneath the brutal clash of weapons, the soldiers' essential humanity endured.

And Phil, that photo! Stolen or not 

And another (stolen).....

[jhtrophy]

Did my assembly on remembrance day yesterday, im a big believer in young people understanding what happened in the past (spoke mainly about ww1) and also what is still happening today. Minutes silence at 11,could hear a pin drop in school. pupils asked me questions about it all day.

[phil1975]

^^^^ will be ordering that DVD. 

On the subject of "Humanity", i am making a trip to France next year with my freinds and family to walk the WW1 battlefiields of the Somme but mainly to commemorate the centenary of the so called "Christmas Truce" of 1914 (we're not sure if there is going to be an official ceremony yet)

This very "human" story has always filled me with surprise, wonder and also the folly of war. Given the chance for a few days, young men on both sides of the trenches exchanged songs, jokes and even gifts. There are some great stories of boys from both sides meeting in "no mans land" to play football then returning to their respective sides to carry on the slaughter a few hours later. Few a few days there were no "enemies", just young men from different countries.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. It was never repeated—future attempts at holiday ceasefires were quashed by officers' threats of disciplinary action—but it served as heartening proof, however brief, that beneath the brutal clash of weapons, the soldiers' essential humanity endured.

And Phil, that photo! Stolen or not 

And another (stolen).....

Sounds like a worthy trip martin I've yet to visit any of the battlefields of ww1 but its on the list, I've mainly visited sites connected to ww2: colditz, eagles nest at berchtesgaden, stalag luft 3, berlin, the village of oradour sur glane. I appreciate visiting these places is not for all but for me it brings the events to life and insures they are not forgotten.

I'm feel sure they will mark the centenary of the "Christmas Truce" along with other key events.

 
Phil

[MC71]

Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance BBC 1 -  9.15pm tonight



Performer.     Rod Stewart
Performer.     Alexandra Burke
Performer.     Russell Watson
Performer.     The Overtones
Performer.     Amore
Performer.     Jon Joe Kerr
Performer.     Military Wives Choir
Performer.     Massed Bands of the Household...
Performer.     Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines.
Performer.     The Queen's Colour Squadron
Performer.     RAF Squadronaires

[RedRobin]

.
I watched Rod Stewart on The Graham Norton Show last night - He's always got a twinkle in his eye. He sang an old classic which was very smaltzy and I normally wouldn't like it but he totally nailed it and got away with it. He has a very soulful voice no matter what he sings. He's so versatile 

[MC71]

^^^^ has never been a fan of Rod Stewart (always thought he was just another cheesy crooner) until my good lady bought me "The Great American Songbook Collection" and am now a convert, he really can sing that man! 

[benjii]

I'm also going to pay my respect to the fallen and the soliders who have suffered I have a friend who dad was a serving solider for 10years he suffers from PTSD and suffers from flashbacks. My friends little girl love fireworks and her grandad wanted to take her for the past two years his had trouble with fireworks litterly will get so scared of the bangs and think his getting shot at it is horrible to see but last night he overcome it for my friends lil girl so she could watch it and that made a tear come to me what a massive respect to him

[rich83]

.
I watched Rod Stewart on The Graham Norton Show last night - He's always got a twinkle in his eye. He sang an old classic which was very smaltzy and I normally wouldn't like it but he totally nailed it and got away with it. He has a very soulful voice no matter what he sings. He's so versatile 

Deary deary me Robin.... your musical integrity has just gone down in my estimation.... Rod Stewart couldnt sing his way out of a wet paper bag.