Remembrance

No question Galen it must be observed.

I wil have a 2-year old GD and. 3-year old GS here on Monday. I doubt I'll get them to just sit in silence, but instead I'll make it storytime when I show them a poppy and explain why we wear it. That will be my way of remembering and I'll ask their granddad to play the last post on his tuba.

Sunset Vigil

The news is spread far and wide
Another comrade has sadly died
A sunset vigil upon the sand
As a soldier leaves this foreign land

We stand alone, and yet as one
In the fading light of a setting sun
We’ve all gathered to say goodbye
To our fallen comrade who’s set to fly

The eulogy’s read about their life
Sometimes with words from pals or wife
We all know when the CO’s done
What kind of soldier they’d become

The padre then calls us all to pray
The bugler has Last Post to play
The cannon roars and belches flame
We will recall, with pride, their name

A minute’s silence stood in place
As tears roll down the hardest face
deafening silence fills the air
With each of us in personal prayer

Reveille sounds and the parade is done
The hero remembered, forgotten by none
They leave to start the journey back
In a coffin draped in the Union Jack

Sgt Andy McFarlane, 2009.

Yes Galen absolutely. I am siting watching The Remembrance service and crying.

We should never forget. Absolutely never. We owe our freedom to our armed forces.

A very moving poem, GA. Thank you for that. I am still sitting watching the ceremony from the Cenotaph, reminded of the times I marched along the prom at Ardrossan, carrying the Union flag for the Girl Guides, and wearing a couple of jumpers under my uniform, to combat the wind off the Firth of Clyde.

Go for it Galen

We should respect the two minutes silence.

I didn't like the festival of rememberence last night . Do we need to see a child greeting her father or hear a heavenly choir as the bereaved walked across the floor to emotionally move us? Can we not weep for the lives lost without the dramatic visual drama.

With you all the way Galen. the little girl shown at The Festival of Remberence reminds me of the children who ran to meet their daddies who came home after their tour of duty and of the children whose daddies didn't come home to them and until something like this happens within your family or to someone who you know it is probably hard to understand.

Yes do it galen It is the very very least we can do.

Just reading this thread has brought tears, I've watched the service this morning and remembered all those who died and their poor families.
Those poor mothers who lost several sons and more.....

Yes.
I get so cross if I am shopping and it is announced on that two minutes silence will be observed, and yet some people just carry on ignoring it.
I will observe 2 mins silence again on Armistice Day at 11am, it is the very least I can do.

Absolutely should , to remember all those brave hero"s !

A very touching poem Grannyactivist

for you GrannyActivist,

I am so lucky My so returned from Iraq so many of his friends and colleagues didn't so Remembrance Sunday and Tom at 11am very poignant for me.

At morrisions today I was proud of he the entire store kept quiet for 2 minutes at 11am it was very respectful.

At archery today, we observed the two minute silence. Not a sound was heard and considering there were a lot of us there with over half being children, it was very moving.

Our service was lovely albeit small with a total of about 150 people there. We were under the shade of 3 trees, they made a canopy above us, and our chairs were placed in rows to make a semi-circle. Directly ahead was a huge wooden cross, this was where the wreaths were laid.

We had Senior British Loan service personnel, Ambassadors, Commonwealth Representatives - all with their very well turned out ladies (except the few who don't really understand that today was not the time or place for sleeveless dresses and bare legs). There was also a good turnout from the general expat population.

The Chaplain was excellent, a young man who's face I hadn't seen before. I think the old Chaplain must have retired - at least I hope he's just retired.

He made gave a little welcome talk and we then sang a Bidding Prayer, it wasn't one I'm familiar with. After that the Ambassador read from The Old Testament Micah 4: 1-5, then it was the Senior British Loan Officers turn and her read from Revelation 7: 9-17. BY now we were into the act of Remembrance and another loan service officer then Said - They shall not grow old etc.

During this part of the ceremony we also had reading from the leader of the Hari Krishnas here in Oman, and an Islamic preacher. The Islamic preacher then translated what he had recited from the Holy Quran and the message was no difference to that offered by the Chaplain. I'm assuming the same could be said for the prayers offered by the Hari Krishna Chakraborty but we'll never know because he spoke no English whatsoever. One thing I did notice though was that they both recited Amen and 'hear our prayer' etc when everyone else did and the Islamic preacher joined in with the Our Father. I thought he would because there's no reason why he shouldn't and I thought to myself - if only people could see this side of the people I live with and love.

After this the wreaths were laid, the last post was played, then we sang Abide With Me.

Oh and I forgot - somewhere in amongst all of this we had a lone piper playing a Scottish lament and as he played he walked away from the graveyard till he was just a sound in the distance.

And that was it but we did have a very smart Honor Guard on the way out made up of an RAF regiment who I think may have been brought in from Afghanistan on a kind of R&R and official duty kind of trip. They were very smart and have a special place in my heart because my husband served his country for 30 years and it was the Air Force he was in.

It was a lovely day

In church today even the small children were quiet as if they knew this was a special time.

We observed the silence at my son's athletics practice this morning. It was amazing how all the chattering parents just fell silent as soon as the cannons were fired on the Garrison with no prompting at all.

Tomorrow I shall make my way to our local park where the cannons will be fired again at 11am and observe the silence there. I think that if it is at all possible then a few minutes to remember is the least we can do.

Go for it Galen

Yes to Galen you should!

grannyactivist big respect to you and your family.

This morning at 11:00 , in some beautiful local woods, my DD2 plus 2x DGDs and I stood still and remembered 'the soldiers and their families' along with other walkers out in the lovely autumn sunshine.

Where ever you are that 2mins is achingly poignant. 'the least we can do' - yes, think, actually think about it. Two minutes and we question it. I do remember years ago, the traffic would pull over and stop. Such a tiny thing in comparison to the sacrifice made by those of previous generations and those troops fighting now. Thanks to all of those brave men and women.

Yes Galen

Galen - I think it's fine to have a 2 minute silence during the tribunal but only if everyone involved is told beforehand and so the silence is expected and planned for. What do the courts and tribunal service normally do?

The poem still makes my hair prickle along my neck! I remember hearing it each year with my parents, soon after WW2. Beautiful words.

Do any of the GN'ers live near the National Forces Memorial ( I think that's its name) in Staffordshire? If any do and go for a visit could you let me know if my brothers name is there. Ian Jarvis died January 1956. He was in the RAF and died whilst flying from Cottishall RAF base. I would be very grateful.

Brenda - Yes, your brother's name is inscribed on the memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum. click here for details.