MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Its remembrance Sunday today. Whilst I prefer to note the 11th rather than the Sunday this year especially with the Sunday being before the 11th perhaps we should mark it?
A time to put all our differences aside for a few moments and to remember all the dead military and civilian of all sides and all creeds
Lest we forget
I always stop and pause on both the Sunday and the 11th as I've known plenty of people in the military over the years. For the sake of 4 minutes of my life every year I'm happy to stop and acknowledge the sacrifice others have made so I can live a safe life, whether that's from war or persecution or whatever else they have helped defend me from.
Wednesday I'll be on a hill somewhere pausing again.
Didn't go to the village parade this year as I usually do.
Met my best mate from when we were both in and we went for a long walk on Thursley Common. Had a giggle about "top of the hill, GO!" And other nonsense. Both our phone alarms went at 1059 so we stopped and reflected.
Then carried on talking our usual crap talk and remembering lads we served with and the stupid stuff we used to do.
It felt like the most "right" remeberance day I've had.
There was a "Pop Up" service on the green in the middle of the village organised by the local Cub/Scouts. Got the call ay 10:00am asking if I wanted to do the reading whilst another leader played Last Post and Reveille.
Couple of hundred people spread socially distanced down the road and on the green.
Much more moving than the usual choreographed affair.
Managed to time my ride to be in a village just before 11 in Bomber County this morning. So was able to stop and pay my respects at the memorial. Nobody else there, but a couple of wreaths had already been laid.
I had my own very quiet Remembrance this afternoon, with nobody else about, just birds singing in the background.
A relative of mine, killed in action at Arras on the 9 April 1917 - he was 19.
Stopped at the war memorial in the village on my walk this morning - actually do this most days. I think about my Grandpa who signed up for WW1 as a teenager, and helped at home with the war effort in WW2 - and all the thousands of others like him, and their families and friends, who lived through, and sometimes died for, something I hope I never have to. Respect and gratitude to all - past and present.
Always take time out and say a silent prayer.
The 11th has added poignancy as that's the day of my Dad's death; greatest man I ever knew; 29 years ago and it still feels like yesterday.
To those, military and civilians, in all conflicts who lost their lives may you rest in peace.
I was on my way to the local recycling facility (living the dream, again) and pulled the car over in a junction for a couple of minutes silent contemplation. When the radio kicked in again, Planet Rock played Jeff Beck's "Elegy for Dunkirk", followed closely by Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms". Very dusty indeed for 10 mins, but strangely very inspiring.
I came out of the woods walking the dog, got in the car at 11 and classic FM were playing Nimrod. Having been at the Cenotaph in 96 and spent 3 weeks prior marching round Whale Island in Pompey practising for the big day, that tune still makes me teary.