Sunday 9 November - Remembrance Day

[mgmark]

As the "senior serving" on the forum (so it is alleged), it may be advancing age but this year seems to have flown by, as the clock has almost ticked around again to mark Remembrance Day, and with that, a gentle reminder....

The 9th of November is the day this year, marking 90 years since the Armistice Day of World War One, remembering the people that died in that conflict, and the many others around the world since then.  So, please give generously to the British Legion's Poppy Appeal, either here http://www.poppy.org.uk/ or in the collecting tins in the shops, or on the street, over the coming week. 

If you feel it to be right, then wear your poppy with pride but, even if you do not, then I would simply ask that you still contribute, in recognition of the many who have made the ultimate sacrifice that preserve the right for you to choose.  And, amidst the hectic lives of today, if you can spare a moment for a private or collective act of remembrance on Sunday, and on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, then that would be good too.

Two minute’s silence is a small price to pay
To remember our dead on Armistice Day.
So find one name marked on a grave,
But do not mourn the life he gave;
Just think about the man below,
Who lived and died, maybe years ago,
And remember him as uncle, father, or son;
Only then will his final battle be won.

Remember the fallen - care for the living,

Thank you,

MG Mark

[Neal]

Another good way of donating, is to text the word POPPY to 80848, only costs £1.50, Poppy appeal receives 90p

[landman]

Done.

That's easier than me getting in my car & going to look for a collector.

Landman

[Andy Zarse]

Another good way of donating, is to text the word POPPY to 80848, only costs £1.50, Poppy appeal receives 90p

Bearing in mind a text costs about 5 pence, what happens to the othe 55p? 

[Doris]

Another good way of donating, is to text the word POPPY to 80848, only costs £1.50, Poppy appeal receives 90p

Bearing in mind a text costs about 5 pence, what happens to the othe 55p? 

Network provider's profit I suspect Andy.  Bastards!

Dx

[Perdu]

I took my money to the box at Tesco and can be sure all of it gets to those that truly deserve it, Tesco watch the boxes like hawks to protect them.

but a chunk of money is far better than no money for the RBL so a text payment is fairy nuff

bill

[Rusty]

Another good way of donating, is to text the word POPPY to 80848, only costs £1.50, Poppy appeal receives 90p

Plus you get a downloadable poppy screensaver, very cool.

[mgmark]

There are now only 5 Brits still alive who served in the Great War - equitably, there is now one each from the Army, RN and RFC who live in the UK (aged 112, 110 and 108 years) and 2 others in Australia.  All 3 from the UK, Henry Allingham, Harry Patch and Bill Stone, God or whoever looks after us willing, will be at the Cenotaph on Sunday to lead the wreath laying.  Of those 3, from a light blue viewpoint, Henry Allingham is our man, being the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, served on the Somme and was there in the RFC at the formation of the RAF.  Many went before you, few of you are left now, and many more following in your footsteps. 

I'll be heading for Upwood Cemetery on Sunday, to pay respects to 2nd Lts Albert Parks and 2nd Lt Adam Thompson, who didn't make it to France, but died when training in an FE2b at night with 191st (Night) Training Squadron, Royal Air Force on 7 September 1918.  Then at some point, I will head for the RAF memorial at Runnymede, overlooking the Thames, to do the same for those not fortunate to be found and marked in such an individual way - all 20,239 of them.

MG Mark

[Piglet]

This is quite a nice article.  It sums up what I feel in some of these areas of now beautiful and tranquil French countryside where so much devastation happened so many years. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7712321.stm

[smokie]

There are now only 5 Brits still alive who served in the Great War
MG Mark

The Beeb reports today that one of the 5 (108 years old, managed to avoid the trenches due to Armistice Day) has died... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/7712943.stm

[Steve Pyro]

Many thanks Mark and others for their words.
As always (being an ex-Merchant Navy engineer officer) I would like to add the words of remembrance on one of the inscriptions on the Merchant Navy Memorial at Tower Hill, London.

THE TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND OF THE MERCHANT NAVY AND FISHING FLEETS WHOSE NAMES ARE HONOURED ON THE WALLS OF THIS GARDEN GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND HAVE NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA.

http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/british_cemeteries_memorials_ext/tower_hill_mem.htm

[mgmark]

We flew Tony Iveson, one of 617 Sqns surviving aircrew in the BBMF Lancaster last week - first time he'd flown in one since his last trip in one 1945.  An unusual RAF service history, in that he learned to fly in the RAF Volunteer Reserve before the war and then in 1940, he flew with 616 and 92 Fighter Squadrons, flying Spitfires out of Kenley during the Battle of Britain and survived ditching a Spitfire in the North Sea after a combat with a Junkers 88.  After qualifying at the RAF's Central Flying School in 1941, he went on to be a flying instructor in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. On returning to Britain, he was was posted to 617 Sqn in 1944; amongst other operations, he flew on all 3 attacks that 617 made on the Tirpitz.
  
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/HistoryAndHonour/DambusterAceFliesTheLancasterAgain.htm

Which leads neatly into the Bomber Command veterans, who will stage a unique tribute to their 55,73 fallen comrades (Bomber Commands casualty rate was a staggering 44.4% rising to a 60% loss rate if you include 29,839 prisoners of war and over 8,000 wounded) by wearing their Irvine flying jackets and carrying their flying helmets when they lay a wreath at the Cenotaph.  On one raid alone on Nuremburg in March 1944, the Command lost 96 aircraft and with that more men than had died in the whole of the Battle of Britain.  There's a campaign running at the the moment to raise the money for a memorial to the men of Bomber Command, bacause there isn't one.... 

MG Mark

[Canada Phil]

Thanks Mark for stating this thread.
http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/  has pictures of Canada's Bobmer Command memorial.
Moe links to follow
Phil
 

[landman]

We flew Tony Iveson, one of 617 Sqns surviving aircrew in the BBMF Lancaster last week - first time he'd flown in one since his last trip in one 1945.  An unusual RAF service history, in that he learned to fly in the RAF Volunteer Reserve before the war and then in 1940, he flew with 616 and 92 Fighter Squadrons, flying Spitfires out of Kenley during the Battle of Britain and survived ditching a Spitfire in the North Sea after a combat with a Junkers 88.  After qualifying at the RAF's Central Flying School in 1941, he went on to be a flying instructor in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. On returning to Britain, he was was posted to 617 Sqn in 1944; amongst other operations, he flew on all 3 attacks that 617 made on the Tirpitz.
  
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/HistoryAndHonour/DambusterAceFliesTheLancasterAgain.htm

Which leads neatly into the Bomber Command veterans, who will stage a unique tribute to their 55,73 fallen comrades (Bomber Commands casualty rate was a staggering 44.4% rising to a 60% loss rate if you include 29,839 prisoners of war and over 8,000 wounded) by wearing their Irvine flying jackets and carrying their flying helmets when they lay a wreath at the Cenotaph.  On one raid alone on Nuremburg in March 1944, the Command lost 96 aircraft and with that more men than had died in the whole of the Battle of Britain.  There's a campaign running at the the moment to raise the money for a memorial to the men of Bomber Command, bacause there isn't one.... 

MG Mark

Just finished reading "Bomber Boys", all about these unsung heroes.

Well worth buying, or borrowing from the library.

Landman

[Bob U]

We flew Tony Iveson, one of 617 Sqns surviving aircrew in the BBMF Lancaster last week - first time he'd flown in one since his last trip in one 1945.  An unusual RAF service history, in that he learned to fly in the RAF Volunteer Reserve before the war and then in 1940, he flew with 616 and 92 Fighter Squadrons, flying Spitfires out of Kenley during the Battle of Britain and survived ditching a Spitfire in the North Sea after a combat with a Junkers 88.  After qualifying at the RAF's Central Flying School in 1941, he went on to be a flying instructor in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. On returning to Britain, he was was posted to 617 Sqn in 1944; amongst other operations, he flew on all 3 attacks that 617 made on the Tirpitz.
  

It annoyed me last weekend when Lewis Hamilton was described as a hero. A few weeks ago our olympic athletes were described as heroes and footballers are often called such for breaking into a sweat.

 Wrong Wrong Wrong.

Tony Iveson above is a hero. All his comrades, dead or alive are heroes, all our lads serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are heroes. Any serviceman or woman prepared to pay the ultimate price whilst serving their country is a hero.

Our modern society seems to have lost sight of the true meaning of the word hero and hands the accolade out all too easily and for the wrong reasons.