90th Anniversary of the Armistice.

[????]

er, It may seem pedantic but we are asked to remember ...I thought the Armistice was the 11th, the Sunday nearest the daye is Remembrence Day but the 90th anniversary is actually Tuesday...I will be wearing mine as always

[Cassius]

Mamora Man - do you have a particular 'pitch'?

I always buy a poppy or two, and sometimes more as I always lose at least one - I also don't watch X Factor or reality tv but I don't think that the two are connected in any way.

[Marmora Man]

I was outside Somerfield's last year - which worked well.

[Cassius]

I probably bought my poppy from you last year then! I'll look out for you and make sure I get my poppy from you this year as well - can you save me a large one like they wear on the telly!!!!

[Marmora Man]

We're all familiar with images of WWI and WWII but I attach an image from more recent conflict - 42 Commando's tour of Helmand last year. The marine was resting after a firefight - part of a longer patrol and action over a period of 10 days.

Today the Royal Marines are again in Helmand province and more than 50% of the current UK military effort in that country is being provided by naval personnel.

The image is called "Interlude" and was created from an unposed photograph taken by a naval photographer attached to the Commando Brigade. The photo was then used to create a mixed media image incorporating bits of uniform and equipment used and worn in Afghanistan - this can be seen in the copy of the print attached.

To me it is evocative of the exhaustion of combat.

It is worth remembering that for every story of a service man killed there will be approximately four seriously wounded (loss of a limb or more) and many more with minor injuries. That doesn't take account of the many that experience post traumatic stress. Hence the continuing need for the British Legion and Poppy Day collections.

[bignumber5]

Will be wearing my poppy with pride and shunning any crap about making an alternative political statement on a day and around an act that is, and always will be, about the incredible sacrifices made in the past. I understand the point that the white poppy brigade are trying to make, but make it on another day.

* * * * * *

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that 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.

[Brendan]

Lest we forget.

But just as important.

Let's make bloody sure it doesn't happen again.

[jaytyger]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> er, It may seem pedantic but we are asked to

> remember ...I thought the Armistice was the 11th,

> the Sunday nearest the daye is Remembrence Day but

> the 90th anniversary is actually Tuesday...I will

> be wearing mine as always

Armistice day is on the 11th, but who will be standing still at 11,o,clock on Tuesday? Originally the two days were remembered/celebrated but today the sunday seems to suffice. The Armistice was actually supposed to occure at 3.00pm on the 11th of the 11th, so that Lloyd George could announce it after lunch.It was Admiral Sir Roslyn Weyms who was returning from the Turkish armistice, who changed the time to 11,0,clock, believing that 1000,s of lives would be saved. For his trouble the good Admiral would not receive any financial gain/recognition until the late 20,s.

As ww1 is my great interest, I will be especially remembering the 170,000 boy soldiers who died during the great war as well as the fallen from all conflicts since.Wear your poppy with pride, regardless of its colour or size.

regards

jaytyger

[Sue]

I never thought much about all this until 9/11 and its aftermath.

That was the first time in my life I ever went to the Cenotaph on Armistice Day and realised what all those people had been fighting for.

[*Bob*]

That's a bizarre connection, Sue.

Most of the participants in WW1 had no idea what they were fighting for.

[Brendan]

Queen and country wasn?t it?

Roughly translated that means bickering between European aristocracies.

All the more reason why we should remember and honour the poor bastards.

[*Bob*]

I'm sure the reasons were many and varied, depending on what phase the war was in. Queen and country? Sense of duty? A grand adventure? Not wanting to miss-out? Peer pressure? Conscription?

"A moral crusade with right on your side"? Pretty far down the list.

Here's guessing the percentage of current 'remembrance' content (Iraq, Afghanistan) we see this year will be greater than it ever has been in the past - where it used to be a battle in itself to get any sort of respectable mention of soliders post-WW2.

Pressure from the public / the Legion has played its part for sure, but I also see a slightly distasteful rebranding of 'Remembrance' in some parts of the media and government: using the conflicts of the past to give some to sort of mispaced legitimacy to the ones of the present. And future, no doubt.

Just an opinion.

[Brendan]

For me Remembrance Day and the Armistice have always been about remembering the losses and promoting a peaceful future. At least that is what the WW2 veterans in my family taught us to believe.

I don?t like the reasoning that seems to feature in some circles that wearing a poppy = supporting the Legion which for some reason is construed as supporting the current shameful British military action abroad.

[jaytyger]

Its good to see the little lady outside the post office selling poppies, a big hello my dear and it is also a pleasing sight to see so many people around east dulwich wearing their poppies, a lot more than last year (my own opinion). This Sunday I will be attending the War Memorial at High Wood, St Peters Church with several friends, suited and booted of course. I will also have on my person or car petitions for the Gurkha Campaign, so if anybody in attendance would like to sign please do.To date I have collected over 500 sigs and would like to reach 1000.

On the 15th Nov.Joanna Lumley and co will be meeting at 11.00am at Parliment Square where after walking down Whitehall Joanna would like to hand over 1 million petitions at No 10.

regards

Jaytyger.

[????]

I agree with Brendan - this is about remembering sacrifice and the horrors of war and zilch to do with supporting ANY milititary action. I wear mine every year and always have even in the 'orrible 80s when all my lefty mates thought it was soooo uncool

[bignumber5]

I find myself agreeing with quids... just going for a lie-down ;-)