I get emotional at this every year, but this one was extra special I feel. RIP all those who have given their lives for their country - we shall not forget
Due to the restrictitions I couldn't make my annual pilgrimage to the France. Each year my mrs and I go over and lay a wreath for our 4 family members that died at the Somme. This year we had planned to go to Ypres first then as usual attend the British Legions Thiepval Memorial ceremony. A bit weird having to watch on TV today but I will make sure I donate to the BL fund as I am sure they would have taken a financial hit this year as well. I will never forget the 100 year anniversary we were due at Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens service but got delayed. When we arrived they had closed the doors and locked us out. I looked through a small gap to see this Cathedral packed and illuminated by candles. Outside it was cold and almost misty. Listening to the choir sing sent chills down my neck. I have never experienced anything like that in my life. I cannot explain the feeling myself and others experienced that night, it was as if our dead heroes were with us listen to that beautiful singing. Over the weekend I met many others who said the same. Lest we forget.
It's always an emotional day and the BBC coverage was excellent as usual. It's also not just the world wars, I lost an old schoolmate killed on his first posting in Ulster and know a couple of Falklands veterans who never recovered and took their own lives years later. There are no winners in war...
My Great Grandfather was from Yorkshire and in the British Army. He was posted over to Mullingar Barracks when we were part of the U.K. My Maternal Grandad fought in the Sussex regiment in WW1. 206,000 Irishmen fought during WW1`and many thousands more who lived in England, Australia, New Zealand etc also fought. Thousands of Irishmen volunteered to fight in WW2 even though we were neutral. Unfortunately, this country does not commemorate this part of our history which I think is wrong. Remembering all the victims of wars, throughout the world.
My cousin has been researching our shared paternal grandfather. He joined the Grenadier Guards shortly after the First World War was declared and was 'lucky' enough to have been injured twice - my old man previously told me that his father had been gassed at least once, so that may account for one of the injuries - and missed a number of the worst battles on the Somme. He apparently, transferred from the Grenadiers to the short-lived Guards Machine Gun Regiment - my cousin has pictures that suggest he was a machine gunner - but was discharged before the end of the Great War due to wounds received. It saddens me that he left us before I'd turned eight, but to be able to remember him and to have some colour on his war service is something that I am immensely proud of. I cannot imagine what young men like grandfather had to endure and I'm grateful that's the case.
"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."
Many years ago, on Nov 11 my lad (now 37) was a first-year student at the Univ of Ottawa and also reservist corporal – he took himself down to the National Wear Memorial in uniform and stood motionless while saluting the fallen for 45 minutes. Today he is still in the military as a major and while he is no longer in Ottawa, he will be involved again tomorrow. And I will remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice and be thankful that my son is still with us
I've stolen this from LinkedIn, but thought it very poignant... Don't envy a man his medals, all those ribbons on his chest, He did not try to get them, they're not there at his request, They were earned in stinking hell holes, where no man would like to go, Or in cold and wintry places, where there's only ice and snow. He did not know he earned them, till they were awarded at parade, They were bright when he first got them, but in time the colours fade, He was told he had to wear them, and to wear them all with pride, But when the memories come to haunt him, those same medals make him hide. Cause those medals will not bring back, all those guys he left behind, And he would trade them all forever, for a little peace of mind. So don't envy a man his medals, you don't want to take his place, Thinking back to long gone battles, and meeting dead friends face to face. “ We will REMEMBER them” #utrinqueparatus
Thank you for this - I have never been to Belgium so although I was aware of this monument (from television), this photo is more striking than I had until now thought
I saw it a few years ago on a trip to the battlefields with friends. The Canadian memorials are all really striking. We were at this one on the anniversary of the first use of gas in World War One, where Canadian forces bore the brunt of the damage.
Last year I paid my respects at Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial and Vimy memorial. They had the battle field pegged out. It didn't seem much bigger than 2-3 football pitches. What took me 30 seconds to walk cost some 15k lives. It must have been complete hell. I have some pictures I will post tomorrow.
