At the going down of the sun, and in the morning

[The Beard]

I know it's a little late in the day, but at about 10:30 this morning, around 100 Manchester Airport staff, from clerical workers to joiners, from baggage handlers to kitchen staff and from firemen to cops gathered in the memorial garden in preparation for the Remembrance Day service.
10 minutes later, slowly but steadily, a number of elderly gentlemen accompanied by wives, sons, daughters and friends joined the assembly.

Some wore blazers with regimental badges on the breast pocket, the most famous being Bellerophon riding Pegasus, others wore camel overcoats or raincoats. Almost all though had one thing in common.

A Red Beret. The badges varied with some being the well known and easily recognised wings but others were the less well known badge of the Glider Pilots regiment. All were walking as upright as they could, although one old chap must only have been about 5' 4" so it didn't make a lot of difference for him. He though, didn't have a red beret, but a black one worn differently from the others.

They all stood to attention for the National Anthem and the Last Post and then split up to lay the wreathes. One at each memorial stone for The Parachute Regiment, Glider Pilots Regiment, WAAF, Air Transport Auxiliary, SOE and the 6000 members of the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade.

Each man laid his wreath, bowed his head for a moment then took a step backwards and, looking at the memorial snapped a salute and then turned away.

The little bloke in the black beret was the only representative of the 1st Polish Brigade. It struck me as one of life's ironies that at a time that to some of them must have seemed like only last week, they were throwing themselves out of aircraft and gliders into the teeth of German small arms fire were now having to be helped across the road by family.

"They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them."

"If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England".

 

[pooroldcodger]

I know it's a little late in the day, but at about 10:30 this morning, around 100 Manchester Airport staff, from clerical workers to joiners, from baggage handlers to kitchen staff and from firemen to cops gathered in the memorial garden in preparation for the Remembrance Day service.
10 minutes later, slowly but steadily, a number of elderly gentlemen accompanied by wives, sons, daughters and friends joined the assembly.

Some wore blazers with regimental badges on the breast pocket, the most famous being Bellerophon riding Pegasus, others wore camel overcoats or raincoats. Almost all though had one thing in common.

A Red Beret. The badges varied with some being the well known and easily recognised wings but others were the less well known badge of the Glider Pilots regiment. All were walking as upright as they could, although one old chap must only have been about 5' 4" so it didn't make a lot of difference for him. He though, didn't have a red beret, but a black one worn differently from the others.

They all stood to attention for the National Anthem and the Last Post and then split up to lay the wreathes. One at each memorial stone for The Parachute Regiment, Glider Pilots Regiment, WAAF, Air Transport Auxiliary, SOE and the 6000 members of the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade.

Each man laid his wreath, bowed his head for a moment then took a step backwards and, looking at the memorial snapped a salute and then turned away.

The little bloke in the black beret was the only representative of the 1st Polish Brigade. It struck me as one of life's ironies that at a time that to some of them must have seemed like only last week, they were throwing themselves out of aircraft and gliders into the teeth of German small arms fire were now having to be helped across the road by family.

"They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them."

"If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England".

Well put Beard. Rememberance day puts a lump in my throat every time. It makes me sad to see how badly our veterans are treated and how what they fought for is taken for granted by so many of our current populous, especially so by our politicians who seemingly have learned nothing.

 

[scout]

I agree with the sentiments above.

I had the misfortune to see a post on facelessbook by a young 'woman' saying some very disrespectful things about the war dead in particular and service personel in general. They don't realise that because of the sacrifices our ancesters made they still have the right to say these terrible thngs. If she'd been my daughter she would have found out the hard way the error of her ways.

 

[pooroldcodger]

I heard a so-called "student leader" from University College London on the radio a couple of weeks ago. He was a typical all brains and no-sense character. In his view Rememberance Day is a political event glorifying war so we shouldn't respect it. There was a female soldier on the line who was so furious I am sure that if she could she could have got to the studio she would have punched him.

 

[AndyRKett]

The who Remembrance Day glorifying war and being political has never been more true than this year, politicians are turning it into a symbol of how much you support our soldiers or more to the point how much you support the current wars we are involved in.

I don't support war but I'm an avid supporter if freedom and if its what it takes to give the world the sort of freedom we have then I suppose so be it.

I still wear my poppy and remember with great respect the deaths of all those who have died over the last 100 years and more so that I can live the way I live today, and take pride that the money spent goes towards supporting those who have been maimed or injured upholding my freedoms as a citizen of Great Britain.

But when a politician makes an idiotic statement about Google's poppy not being 'big enough' it makes me ashamed these idiots were voted into power by us.
It is becoming very political support of the poppy is now being twisted by these same idiots to mean support of the governments decisions to enter into and involvement in war.

 

[pooroldcodger]

As far as I am concerned Rememberance Day is about remembering the sacrifices given by normal people at the will of the politicians. Politicians are welcome, but not welcome to try to politicise it.
As for the politicians - well what can I say? Less than half those entitled to vote actually bother. The electoral roll has been corrupted by the postal vote system. We have now got political pygmies who have never known anything else but Westminster, and are very adept at saying the right thing rather than doing the right thing.

 

[The Beard]

The Rememberance Day parade will never be political in this country as it has been in the USSR, China and North Korea. Whether politicians position themselves to gain kudos or credence to their policies is another matter, and just by them being there, or not, will enhance their standing.

 

[The Beard]

I heard a so-called "student leader" from University College London on the radio a couple of weeks ago. He was a typical all brains and no-sense character. In his view Rememberance Day is a political event glorifying war so we shouldn't respect it. There was a female soldier on the line who was so furious I am sure that if she could she could have got to the studio she would have punched him.

In response to that student I would reply:

"When you go home, tell them of us and say, for their tomorrow, we gave our today"

The Kohima Memorial, Burma