Remembrance Day Ceremony

Perhaps Jeremy C doesn't want to do it. You know what he's like.

jingl, I think you've missed a lot...no of course it's not just the PM!

I want the hot chocolate. And the sweeties separately.

And it's not being cut short now because the SNP objected. So that's all right then...

I will go and read a newspaper Ana.

Oh! Poor Queen.

The first page of this thread would do, jingl!

Oh thank goodness GNHQ , the low calorie, low fat version. Phew!!

Alea, you totally hit the nail on the head, that is exactly what this ceremony is about, so there's no more to be said. They are all old codgers now, but they weren't always like that, and imo they deserve to be acknowledged and respected, from WW1 to Afghanistan.

So, first the PM was going up first with his. Then the others were going to all shuffle up together with theirs. But they said that's not fair, so now they are going to go up separately. But the royals, apart from the Queen, will all go up together.

Sorted then.

HQ is offering hot chocolate and not wine so as not to turn us all into a bunch of old drunkards. Quite right too.

Cake will make us fat.

They seem to think that cake will keep us quiet, and perhaps they hope the hot chocolate will send us off to bed...

I honour not only those who gave their lives, but also those who were prepared to.

The whole weekend is one of remembrance. I feel quite drained when it's over because it's so emotionally charged. You can't pigeonhole people as though some are more deserving than others. Nothing brings a tear to my eye more than the sight of the proud veterans remembering their fallen comrades.

I'm sure the ceremony will be as poignant and thought provoking as ever however long it lasts.

Mustn't take the mick. Julie has to do it all on her own at weekends.

Exactly, merlot, and that's just how it should be.

Why oh why has a perfectly reasonable topic descended into this level of bad tempered vituperative mudslinging??
Quite, Alea.
What is it about Remembrance Day that seems to bring out the worst in people?
Our town has often had its problems with Remembrance Day, more so this year than in the 90+ years it has been organised here.

The veterans survived, it is not a service for them, it is for the dead
Sorry, anniebach I have been reading the views with interest and seeing both points of view including yours, but that is not a pleasant remark.
Yes, technically, perhaps it is remembrance for the dead and the sacrifice they made, but it is also for remembering the old boys - and girls - who have died since and those who are still managing to attend the service in 2015 - they may have survived but they made a sacrifice too.
My DF survived both wars, but I still remember him and what he did when I go to a Remembrance Day service.
DH's father never came home and we remember him too, although I never met him.
Their wives did not join up but they made sacrifices, lived through terror and fear of not knowing what was happening to their husbands. We remember them too.

So, in this family at least, we don't think the service is just for the dead.

At least HM joined the ATS and probably gave inspiration to the whole country by doing that.

Some of my parents' neighbours managed to get out of joining up and made themselves quite a fortune in WW2.

so there's no more to be said.
sorry, nigglynellie I read that after I had said quite a lot!

No need to apologise rosequartz, and I agree totally with what you say. If I've caused offense on this thread then I too apologise, I shouldn't make personal comments and won't again and will ignore any thrown at me. I do get prickly at any adverse comments about our veterans including HM, but, take a deep breath and think it but don't say it will now be my byword!!

nigglynellie I feel the same myself about the veterans, and thought what a subject to get political about, Rememberence Day!
Further To this, I do wonder why they can't be made more comfortable and proper seating laid on for them, to have to stand about, at that age.

I agree, but perhaps they wouldn't want what they might consider to be preferential treatment, which takes us back to a diplomatically shorter ceremony. Who knows? gallant old souls, you have to admire them. Let's hope it's not a day like today!!

To say that the service is not for the veterans who survived is awful. They are the people who remember the dead better than any of us - they were there when they died!

I think the service is for the living. It is living people who go to it. "Let the dead bury the dead" and let the living remember. The clue is in the name of the service: Remembrance.

What a kerfuffle. Only one thing is certain: that the ceremony of remembrance will go ahead on Remebrance Sunday, come hell or high water and what on earth is the point of getting all hot under the collar about it?