Remembrance Sunday 2019

With Remembrance Sunday fast approaching, I hope this thread will allow us to share thoughts & stories of those we have known in our families who served this country in wartime. From 1939-1945, the Falklands War and the war in Iraq this this the thread for us to pay our own personal tributes.

I will kick this off with my thoughts to my Uncle Doug. He served in the Paratroopers in the second world war and was captured at Arnhem and spent 3 years in a POW camp. My mum and my Nan never knew where he was and I believe he was listed as MIA for quite a while.

He died several years ago and a few years ago I saw for the very first time, his war papers. From being enlisted, to the letters of being in a POW camp, and his service record and photographs. when the clock strikes 11 on Sunday, it will be him who I will think of, along with all those other brave souls & heroes who fought for our freedoms today and never came home.

To all those brave men I say a very big THANK YOU for what you did and your debt is one we can never repay for what we have today.

My Grandad fought at Jutland and my Dad was injured at Monte Casino.

^Were either captured?

(08-11-2019 19:52 )Chrisst Wrote:  My Grandad fought at Jutland and my Dad was injured at Monte Casino.

I never knew my dad, but as I was growing up (thru 7 to 'adulthood') there was this one man who became the dad I never knew (he never knew I thought of him in this way). He helped my mum do the sums at the end of a weeks work in the post office, and he took me out of the house (when I was a reluctant 7 year old) to see my first live cricket match (lifelong fan ever since) Anyhow, he served in the RAF in WW II, primarily as a plane technician (I guess some might say mechanic) but earned (not something some need to bother with today when receiving accolades) a number of service medals which every Remembrance Sunday he wore very (and needless to say) justly - proudly!!

Not part of the thread necessarily, but I am interested to know what people think of the 'alternative' poppies?? I am referring to the glitzy, sparkly badges etc worn - as well as - or often now - in place of the traditional paper poppy?? I appreciate that all the money raised still goes to veterans charities etc, but - for me personally- the message of the poppy is hidden now in favour of a ' fashion statement! Were these new poppy versions to descend from the ceiling of the Royal Albert Hall tomorrow night (it too - as an event - has lost it's core purpose, in favour of a celebrity ridden concert/variety performance imho) they would break the poignant silence with one hell of a racket!

I like the small pin type ones as I do find it difficult to use a pin with the traditional poppy

(08-11-2019 20:30 )babelover48 Wrote:  I like the small pin type ones as I do find it difficult to use a pin with the traditional poppy

I appreciate that babelover!!

RAF mechanics are called 'Erks'
Fashion statement, yes. Remembrance the media event between bonfire night and the election.

(08-11-2019 21:32 )Chrisst Wrote:  RAF mechanics are called 'Erks'
Fashion statement, yes. Remembrance the media event between bonfire night and the election.

What the hell is that supposed to mean??

Exactly. Jolly sight more important than just something for the TV.

I had some hope for the Festival Of Remembrance last night - in the initial stages - at least - that it might just be tailored to it's core purpose, but alas in too large a part - no!! Leona Lewis massacred her hymn, and James Blunt wasn't much better. One exception was the great man from the 'Chelsea pensioners' who won BGT!! Did I miss the march in of the Chelsea pensioners btw, or were they not there?? More than just I among my watching family, wondered the same?? Superb graphics on the floor, depicting the landings, flyover etc, but unless a bat in the belfry - who saw them?? apart from we tv viewers??