11th November is special

BushBaby

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"They shall grow not old, as we who 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".

My personal thanks to ALL (no matter what country, which service, what religion, what persuasion) who fell for the freedom of us all. ~ Grahame.
 
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Hillbilly

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I join your brilliant remembrance of those fallen. As I typed today's date on one of my reports, I got a bit sad, knowing that it was not really the "war to end all wars..."

thanks Grahame.

HB
 
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laurajane

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Of course i knew today was rememberance day, but is wasnt until i read my brothers facebook status who has served in Iraq and is soon off to Afghanistan that really got me thinking. He has seen many friends and collegues die and is remembering them today.

These men and women who fight and die for us to live like we do are not faceless people, every single one of them had a story, family, fears, loves and had hopes for the future.

One particular chain store in the u.k has banned staff from wearing poppies today, which is a disgrace, but seems to be the way the world is going to be honest.


Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.
 

Chip

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The soldier is rarely understood but is generally a better class of person than the politician who put him there.
 

Chip

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At with regard to the OP's original intent I'm sure it has nothing to do with glorifying war in the least, rather recognizing the sacrifice many had made in doing their altogether unappreciated job which in this instance was WWI.

You make a good point about militaristic governments but remember they usually start the wars but somebody will still have to fight them in order to preserve freedom.
 
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bob saunders

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Both my Grandfather's fought in WW1 and my father lost two brothers in WWII, and he and two uncles served in Korea. I am a proud member of the Military but I hope there's never another war like those. Unfortunately I'm doomed to be wrong. Thank you to those that understand, and to those like Goll, it is about remember the reasons behind the sacrifice.
Rudyard Kipling's Tommy although old still applies:
Tommy
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
 
E

engineerfg

Guest
This same debate is being had in the UK at the moment. A string of veterans have gone on a letter writing campaign complaining that the poppy campaign has incorporated images and stories from the Iraq and Afghanistan war, and that bundling 'fought for our freedoms' with the current conflicts is disingenuous.
 

Alyonka

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My grandfather and his brother in law both fought in the WWII. My grandma survived, worked hard through fascist invasion and waited for my granddad for 6 years although he was listed as "missing." She never believed he was dead and she was right. He came back. We always remember and honor Soviet army veterans on this day and May 9th, Victory Day.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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You are off base. The intent of this day has always been to recognize the men and women who made great sacrifice to serve their country, up to an including the supreme sacrifice. Expressing a political position is not appropriate; the day is not about those who started the war or sent the young men and women into harms way, but to those who served.

Re Dominican Republic, young Dominicans have and do serve in the American army and some have died in battle. One young Dominican recently got American citizenship as partial thanks for his service to a country not yet his own.
 
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mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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"They shall grow not old, as we who 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".

My personal thanks to ALL (no matter what country, which service, what religion, what persuasion) who fell for the freedom of us all. ~ Grahame.

Amen

.............................
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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I have a cousin who adds a signature line to every e-mail he sends:
"If you can read thank a teacher--- If you can read in English then thank a soldier"

My Sicilian-born grandfather was drafted into the US Army during WWI, my father was drafted into WWII, his brother was shot at Anzio in Italy. My mother's brother was a paratrooper in WWII, one jump went bad and they landed on rooftops and a lot of them died. Another fought in Korea. Lots of my family and peers were sent to Vietnam, and some didn't come home. Some of those who did come home were never the same.

Today, I remember and thank them all.

AE
 

bob saunders

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People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
-- George Orwell
 

Major448

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A Salute to ALL Veterans

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician,
who has given us the right to vote.


Brother Veterans, I Salute You!

_______________________________________________

Major (USMC --- Vietnam 1968 & 1969)
 

bob saunders

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One for the modern Vets

<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f4NZsD0zjAQ?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f4NZsD0zjAQ?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>
One that's sums it up for me.
 

mxcutie

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Jan 12, 2010
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This is a day we remember all of those who have fought for our countries, and those that are still fighting....they are the reason for our freedom. This is a very well-known poem written by a Canadian:

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
 

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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Arlington is the US National Cemetary for those who fell while in service

JFK is buried there

as is my Uncle Billy, who flew figther planes in WW2 and died while at his desk at the White House


Artist: Harris Emmylou
Song: Bang The Drum Slowly
Album: Red Dirt Girl



I meant to ask you how to fix that car
I always meant to ask you about the war
And what you saw across a bridge too far
Did it leave a scar

Or how you navigated wings of fire and steel
Up where heaven had no more secrets to conceal
And still you found the ground beneath your wheels
How did it feel

Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end

I meant to ask you how when everything seemed lost
And your fate was in a game of dice they tossed
There was still that line that you would never cross
At any cost

I meant to ask you how you lived what you believed
With nothing but your heart up your sleeve
And if you ever really were deceived
By the likes of me

Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end

Gone now is the day and gone the sun
There is peace tonight all over Arlington
But the songs of my life will still be sung
By the light of the moon you hung

I meant to ask you how to plow that field
I meant to bring you water from the well
And be the one beside you when you fell
Could you tell

Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end
 

Simon & Nicky

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Feb 3, 2004
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Always a sad day ....

LauraJane writes:

"One particular chain store in the u.k has banned staff from wearing poppies today, which is a disgrace, but seems to be the way the world is going to be honest".

I would like to know where you got this information from. I don't believe for one minute that it is true.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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LauraJane writes:

"One particular chain store in the u.k has banned staff from wearing poppies today, which is a disgrace, but seems to be the way the world is going to be honest".

I would like to know where you got this information from. I don't believe for one minute that it is true.

Well it's true; BodyCare is the name of the stores - 120 in England. Abercrombe & Finch also getting flack for the same reason.