A Field of poppies

[Willy The Londoner]

For once I wish I had a chance to see the 888,246 ceramic poppies that have been placed around the Tower of London.  Each have been placed to represent one of the British and Commonwealth service men and women that died in World War 1.

This special event was to mark 100 years since the state of WW!.

Over 5 million people have visited the display in the past four weeks.

Willy

[CypherDragon]

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.

I don't think that "Happy Remembrance/Veteran's Day" sounds right, since the events that should be remembered today are anything but happy, but nothing else seems to fit. I'll raise a glass today to all my brothers- and sisters-in-arms, to remember those that served with honor.

[JohnB]

I don't think that "Happy Remembrance/Veteran's Day" sounds right, since the events that should be
remembered today are anything but happy, but nothing else seems to fit. I'll raise a glass today to all
my brothers- and sisters-in-arms, to remember those that served with honor.

Nice touch Cypher..

When VERY young, in a Catholic parochial school, we celebrated "Armistice Day" on Nov 11 at 11am. And
at this very moment I think it should have been left as such.
Around that time in the 50's, politicians being politicians, decided to personalize the day as being "Veterans Day".
Today's Veterans Day, has become a holiday replete with all kinds of store sales as usual the other holidays in America.

I do think the 'add- on' generations lack the sobering thoughts about the consequences of war other than
a holiday from work and time spent at the mall.

Less I not forget, I wish all the vets out & about, good health & happiness!

[maxx]

Really John are you sure what they think. Every generation in America has ben involved in a armed conflict since 1984 Grenada Panama Iraq, Iran Afghanistan. The guy across the street from me was in Panama and Iraq the first time. My 4 year olds teacher. Her sister did 2 tours in Iraq and 1 in Afghanistan. The native girl that was killed in Iraq. When she was captured with Jessica Lynch. She was from right across the border in Arizona.

I used to have a Marine Corps t-shirt that I picked up with a couple of other t-shirts in a Army surplus store in Farmington. Every time I wore the Marine Corps t-shirt somebody wanted to shake my hand and tell me thank you.

I think every generation knows the cost and suffering of those that serve or who have served. Just my 2 cents from the land of entrapment.

[Willy The Londoner]

Remembrance Day in the UK is a very solemn and thought provoking time.  On the nearest Sunday to it wreaths are placed at the Cenataph in Central London and ten Thousand ex Soldiers march past. This day is full of the Pomp and Glory that the UK does well.  It is a time when we say thanks to those who gave their lives but also a thanks to those who survived other wars and hostilities.

On the 11th November at 11am a two minute silence takes place over the whole of the UK.  The following Saturday a more informal muster takes place at the Royal Albert Hall.

The poppy is a symbol and is worn by most for that week.  The Poppies at the Tower is a one off event that has certainly added to the Remembrance this year.   

If any business ever thought of using the Remembrance as a business opportunity they would soon find that they had no business!

Willy

[JohnB]

Maxx,
sorry to have upset any patriotic sensitivities of yours.
I do not see what you say. maybe I should explain 'what I inferred'. I begin..in no way do I denigrate any veteran of any war of anytime (of which includes me). we did what we had to do or what we felt deeply within our hearts.

the thing is, what happens today is unlike what happened years back. where & when I grew up, the south side of Chicago, the very vast majority of the husbands/ fathers, just 'guys', all served their county, most being WWll veterans. patriotism was universal, being that war was just a decade past & it seemed like the important thing of the day was raising a family.
the product of the mindset back then was that the 'common man' was the universal force behind this great nations success in war & certainly in peace. the draft was in full force and I venture to say that  most our country's citizens (including wives & mothers) willingly gave up a chunk of their youth if not their lives so our country remained free and prosperous and of course safe from any foreign interference. everyone was involved with the health of our nation.
the true meaning of Armistice Day back then was a reflection of being that war affects us all. war just does not happen...war is a measurement of something failed, that war is a weapon of last resort. war is death.
let us never forget.
 
the circumstances are different today. it seems there is no real urgency...wars far away, strange people in strange places. no great demands on our personal freedom or personal wealth. yet the logistics of the today's situation is we have, as in the United States, armed forces in 150 countries world wide. you have to wonder, like what the hell comes next (it will)..&/ or are we complicit if something goes to shit. do we not learn from our history?
the average person on the street is ignorant other than some holiday sale.
 

[maxx]

John
   
No worries brother. You did not offend me. What I was trying to point out to you. Is that we do care. We don't want to see you or any of are fellow Americans die in some stupid war. That in a few years will go back to the way it was anyway. I do have the utmost respect for you and your brothers and sisters who served to defend are way of life. And are freedom.

I think the reason that you don't see the loyalty/ patriotism. That you seen in your youth. Is that we are tired of the lies. The back door deals. Are leaders have lost are confidence in them. Russia  Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan. Were all lies. All of these silly manufactured lies cost us American lives.

Here is a good example of how the government lies have effected the youth of this great nation. 9-11. I watch it on the TV. My first thought. Oh my god those poor people. My second thought. Well Bush is trying to make a name for himself. Baby boy wants to be a man. And have his little war just like his old man.

So we invade Iraq. Holly shit there is no chemical weapons. There are no weapons of mass destruction. Bush is throwing everybody and his brother under the bus trying to cover his own ass. Then it comes out that Iraq has billions of dollars in American cash stored in a bank in Baghdad and Bush wants it back. And of course all the oil him and his cronies can steal.

I had a bet going with one of my work mates. I bet him that Osama bin laudin. Was just some poor schmuck sheep hearder. That didn't even know his name was being used.As public enemy # 1.How wrong I was. Osama's old man was pissed because he had left the sheep unattended. So he gave Bush his kids name. before the old man and the rest of the family flew out of the united states on 9-11

I think the Who said it the best. We won't be fooled again. I seen a movie about the Vietnam war. One of the actors is setting there with his guitar. He sings (hey uncle Sam for no reason at all all my friends have died in Vietnam). It was just a movie to me the first time I seen it.20 years latter I seen the movie again. And I think maybe the singer knew something that I didn't maybe he really knew that allot of good people lost there lives. Because somebody somewhere thought that putting the military in Vietnam. And then tying there hands was a good idea.

John my generation is not any smarter then your generation. My generation is just better informed. We have heard and seen the videos. Of there lies. And we will not blindly follow some power hungry monkey into oblivion.

[Rhonald]

What an awesome picture Willy....... a moat of poppies, that emote emotion with its crimson red!

The poem that Cypherdragon posted was written by a Canadian military doctor: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (November 30, 1872 – January 28, 1918) was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I, and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium. He is best known for writing the famous war memorial poem "In Flanders Fields". McCrae died of pneumonia near the end of the war.

It is a very fitting poem, and this year's Remembrance day ceremony had the somber reminder, where at our National War memorial a soldier standing guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier, was killed in a heinous act by a deluded individual just a mere few weeks ago, that this price of freedom we know, is oft purchased with a sacrafice of life.

After watching this year's ceremony from our war memorial located in Ottawa, I watched a very interesting documentary about our WW2 Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit (CFPU) exploits. It was the first Allied unit to provide film of the assault waves landing in Sicily and Normandy, the first to get still pictures from Normandy onto the front pages of the world press, and the only one to produce colour pictures of Operation Overlord.

Members of the CFPU were often in the front line, sometimes even ahead of it. During the liberation of Dieppe in 1944, as the Manitoba Dragoons awaited orders to advance, members of the CFPU were the first Allied servicemen to enter the town.

In April 1945 the journalist Lionel Shapiro wrote in Maclean's magazine:
"CFPU men were in the thick of every battle, often moving with the most forward units, on a few occasions positioning themselves at a vantage point in no-man's land in anticipation of a clash."

I just noticed that this is my 1500th post. What a fine number to remember it being about Remembrance day.

Go and hug a veteran today!