,I am old enough and lucky enough to have had a Great Grandad who served with the British Army during the 1st World War, a giant of a man, very softly spoken partially deaf as a result of the gun fire endured in his time at the front. Smoked a pipe worked the land in Grainthorpe and grew his own potatoes until his mid 90,s. I enjoyed little snippets of information from him of his time. Also my two immediate Grandfathers one a vehicle mech who after a motorcycle accident in 1938 left him unable to fight but according to his records (which I am lucky enough to have) fixed lorries and motorcycles and plant in England with the Service corps to help keep supplies moving here to which ever front. My other Grandfather who used to tell me cheeky and funny stories from his time in North Africa, Italy and Northern France, including when his friend next to him in fog waist deep got shot in the buttocks and he had to carry him through the fog to an aid station. meanwhile both of their wifes (my Nannas) where in Grimsby enduring night bombing from the Luftwaffe and enduring the left behind deadly anti personel “Butterfly” bombs, I can still remember Grand Dads bomb shelter in the garden under his workshop then filled with concrete.
After these wars this country has had veterans in the Middle East, Aden, Israel, Far East, Malaya, Hong Kong, Borneo, Not forgetting a rather large “policing Incident” called the Korean War. Later Many more have served and suffered in the Northern Ireland conflict which lasted decades and involved countless personel and their worried familys … The Falkland War, Serbia Bosnia and later and more currently Iraq and Afghanistan again involving thousands of our Armed services personel over years, Besides over the many years other members of SF serving where many members of the public never Knew there was any UK Involvement.
Whats my Point? a couple of weeks ago my best friend (61)of Army times spent 3 days in hospital with Covid, he is slowly recovering now (thankfully) I had it in June.. My Friend is a school teacher guess where he caught it? but this year we have seen massive congregations of people when it has suited!
If we stop or even pause this legitimate and very important commemoration and remembrance of all that has past and all thoughs who have made not just ” the ultimate” sacrifice but were also damaged badly ether physically or mentally It is just the “tip of the iceberg!” will it become Bi annual will we we forget the Holocaust and other important historical atrocities which have shaped us and history
I think you all may see the point i,m trying to make, this is beyond the normal “celebration” this in my opinion is an almost sacred thing and should be treated as such. I do not think enough was made of the very dispicable person attempting to burn the Union Flag on the cenotaph, the fact that people in this country can have such congregations is directly the result of the sacrifices made by thoughs two wartime generations
The whole country should be allowed to gather “even spaced” to show it respects “no” the whole country “should” gather to remember and honor them all
With the passage of time “we will remember them!” for ever not just when we are told to!
Thank you very true words
,I am old enough and lucky enough to have had a Great Grandad who served with the British Army during the 1st World War, a giant of a man, very softly spoken partially deaf as a result of the gun fire endured in his time at the front. Smoked a pipe worked the land in Grainthorpe and grew his own potatoes until his mid 90,s. I enjoyed little snippets of information from him of his time. Also my two immediate Grandfathers one a vehicle mech who after a motorcycle accident in 1938 left him unable to fight but according to his records (which I am lucky enough to have) fixed lorries and motorcycles and plant in England with the Service corps to help keep supplies moving here to which ever front. My other Grandfather who used to tell me cheeky and funny stories from his time in North Africa, Italy and Northern France, including when his friend next to him in fog waist deep got shot in the buttocks and he had to carry him through the fog to an aid station. meanwhile both of their wifes (my Nannas) where in Grimsby enduring night bombing from the Luftwaffe and enduring the left behind deadly anti personel “Butterfly” bombs, I can still remember Grand Dads bomb shelter in the garden under his workshop then filled with concrete.
After these wars this country has had veterans in the Middle East, Aden, Israel, Far East, Malaya, Hong Kong, Borneo, Not forgetting a rather large “policing Incident” called the Korean War. Later Many more have served and suffered in the Northern Ireland conflict which lasted decades and involved countless personel and their worried familys … The Falkland War, Serbia Bosnia and later and more currently Iraq and Afghanistan again involving thousands of our Armed services personel over years, Besides over the many years other members of SF serving where many members of the public never Knew there was any UK Involvement.
Whats my Point? a couple of weeks ago my best friend (61)of Army times spent 3 days in hospital with Covid, he is slowly recovering now (thankfully) I had it in June.. My Friend is a school teacher guess where he caught it? but this year we have seen massive congregations of people when it has suited!
If we stop or even pause this legitimate and very important commemoration and remembrance of all that has past and all thoughs who have made not just ” the ultimate” sacrifice but were also damaged badly ether physically or mentally It is just the “tip of the iceberg!” will it become Bi annual will we we forget the Holocaust and other important historical atrocities which have shaped us and history
I think you all may see the point i,m trying to make, this is beyond the normal “celebration” this in my opinion is an almost sacred thing and should be treated as such. I do not think enough was made of the very dispicable person attempting to burn the Union Flag on the cenotaph, the fact that people in this country can have such congregations is directly the result of the sacrifices made by thoughs two wartime generations
The whole country should be allowed to gather “even spaced” to show it respects “no” the whole country “should” gather to remember and honor them all
With the passage of time “we will remember them!” for ever not just when we are told to!