Rememberance

[daizie]

Any one watching ? bless their hearts ..

[RosieH]

Was actually just about to post on the very subject.

Yes. Incredibly moving.

[Applespider]

There was an old Welsh Guard on the service last night who went to the grave of a comrade who he'd tried to save during the D-day landings. He stood there and, glassy-eyed, said that the man had only been 19 and what a waste of a life it was. I could only concur.

What makes it more moving is the fact that nearly 100 years on from the war to end all wars, young men and women are still dying for their country. The Remembrance Day services are becoming more poignant as time passes from the WWs. I wonder at what point the wartime standards (i.e. 'We'll Meet Again') will be joined by more modern pieces to reflect more recent conflict deaths.

[karter]

Let's not forget how many of our soldiers are currently getting slaughtered over in Afghanistan.

[RosieH]

karter, I seriously doubt anyone is forgetting the deaths of our soldiers currently in Afghanistan.

Just listened to a father reciting a poem he wrote about his son's death over there - utterly heartbreaking but he's so proud of his son. "slaughtered" is a very emotive word. I'm not sure that it's one I'd choose but I appreciate the sentiment. Not to be glib or trite or unquestioning or accepting, but aren't deaths an inevitable consequence of war?

The Politics Show is now coming from Afghanistan - these soldiers are not forgotten.

[daizie]

Im really not comfortable with people dying for a corrupt government . So so wrong . All those brave , handsome, good young men , wtf .

[brum]

Just back from the Rememberance Service in Dulwich at the Picture Gallery. Well organised, very moving and so well attended, including the dozens of cadets from Alleyns, together with their band. The young bugler who played the Last Post was exceptional - probably the best I've heard it played on a bugle at any rememberance day parade I've attended (and that's a lot). I recommend anyone to go next year.

[computedshorty]

?

[????]

I'm still a bit depressed about how few poppies I've seen about in SE22 and on my journey into town over the past week

[Applespider]

If it's any comfort ???, I've bought and lost 3 this year so I may be one of those you've seen without one. In fact, yesterday I bought a new one to wear today at the Sainsburys at Forest Hill... and had lost it by the time I reached the Horniman (?) I may wait til Weds morning to get the next!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

In the church I attended this morning, there were testimonies from two young lads in The Rifles who'd just come back from Afghanistan. They were very moving and one of the men broke down when he described how his friend was blown up just a couple of days ago. Not ashamed to say I blubbed.

A while later, after he'd recovered himself, he came back to say that the chaps really appreciate receiving shoe boxes with things like deodorant, shampoo, chocs, etc in. He will let me have the address (free post I think) and I'll post it up here when I get it.

[KateW]

Yes, it's now free to send parcels up to 2kg in weight, although you need to send it to a named soldier (rather than just to a regiment/squadron) otherwise the BFPO get overwhelmed by kindly donated parcels that sometimes they can't send them all through. If you are going to send things, try and send things that they can't buy there (they can buy deoderant and shampoo etc) better to send good quality chocolate (they can only buy cheap chocolate), cereal bars (as long as they're the type that won't break to pieces during transiT), sachets of drinking chocolate, wet wipes etc etc.

[computedshorty]

?

[Santerme]

RIP to all the fallen and those injured by war.

It was a tad dusty in my house this morning!

[Brendan]

Yes all very moving sentiment and not a single call for peace amongst it, very fucking depressing indeed.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Brendan, unless you're going in for Miss World, it doesn't really need saying.

[Brendan]

Yes it bloody does. It really, really does.

[????]

Brendan - of course in a sense you are right, but the point is that it has always been apolitical and 'a call for peace' other than in a very very general way can be seen as political. It's about remebering sacrifice and not a judgement on that sacrifice.

[Mick Mac]

Neville Chamberlain called for peaceful resolution. Winston Churchill decided to fight them on the beaches.

Sometimes war is the only way.

[mockney piers]

Sometimes, true. Can't think of many though.

I too am a serial poppy trasher, they never seem to last more than a couple of hours on me, so apologies if it was me you saw without quids. Not for want of trying.

[Brendan]

Why in Christ?s name is mention of peace/the avoidance of conflict, political?

[Brendan]

Or maybe I should just stop being so un-American.

[????]

Hippy

[Brendan]

Sory I really don?t want to cheapen the sentiment of Remembrance Day but I really don?t think a reminder that war and the military are not a good and/or glorious thing but rather a necessary evil is anything other than exactly what it should be about.

How can that possibly offend anyone?

[????]

I don't personally feel it glorifies war - given that's its primarily a 'military' event (or certaily its paegentry is) and its largest attendances are ex service people remembering fallen comrades I think it gets the balance about right.

edited for its/ it's disaster