Today is Armistice_Day.
For some a big deal, for others a dusty reminder.
The only wars I have been on the fringes of were the Falklands (my then fiance was there) and the Gulf and Balkan wars (sorry, conflicts!) as I was working closely with the military.
So why do I go to the Armistice Day service every year? Why do I bow my head in respect and remembrance?
I have a little list of people I go for:
WWI - my great uncle, who was in a POW camp
WWII - my uncles who fought and my Polish grandparents who survived hell
Mike (see Bruise Brothers post)
Tom (another soldier friend who took his own life)
My dad - never seen a war, but died when I was only 17
And all my friends in the military who have lost friends, family and colleagues.
This isn't a day for old fogies to remember fallen comrades - it's a day for all of us to remember them.
The inscription on the memorial at Kohima in the Far East says:
"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"
cq
4 comments:
Hello, Craziequeen, from Michele's. I would never have picked you for a Pom from your comments so am glad to have visited and learned more. 11/11 here too, with lots of memorial services and poppies sold for Legacy.
The Anzacs lost a lot of good men too - particularly in WWII.
Armistice Day is more symbolic than a remembrance of Nov 11 1918, it's a day for remembrance of all.
cq
I agree CQ. Armistice day is a day for rememberance of all, just as ANZAC day here in Oz has become. Just recently the last ANZAC in Australia died at the ripe old age of 104. Very few young people can identify with wars that happened 50 or 100 years ago, and soldiers that are serving around the world today deserve to be thought of just as much as the soldiers of almost a century ago.
Michele sent me today.
Morning CQ
I am fine with Armistice Day, but we should only have one. Why have Armistice Day today and then Rememberence Sunday.
Michelle sent me ;o)
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