General Chat

Lest we forget! The Soldier by Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) If I should die, think only this of me: That there's some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England. There shall be In that rich earth a richer dust concealed; A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam, A body of England's, breathing English air, Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home. And think, this heart, all evil shed away, A pulse in the eternal mind, no less Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given; Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day; And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness, In hearts at peace, under an English heaven. Wilf

In loving memory of my Grandma's beloved brother, PENNELL, HENRY THOMAS NEWELL Private 11618 29/03/1917 aged 21 Wiltshire Regiment United Kingdom BASRA With deepest respect, my Grandfathers uncle: FIDLER, SAMUEL Private 73038 30/11/1917 aged 17 Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) United Kingdom TYNE COT MEMORIAL '..... We shall remember them .' Elaine.

In Memory of Private John SCULLION 1st Bn., Royal Dublin Fusiliers who died on 07 October 1918 Who despite having emigrated to Scotland from Ireland chose to sign up with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, no doubt as a mark of his respect for his roots and his birthplace.... ...left a wife and 5 children. Remembered with honour YPRES RESERVOIR CEMETERY

Nudging for 11 am. Bev

In Loving Memory from all their families. Gunner William James Mason, died 9th Feb. 1918, aged 24 yrs. Remembered at St. Mary's, Bradenstoke, Wiltshire. Private Frank Sidney Wiltshire, died 22nd July 1944, aged 23 yrs. Remembered at the Bayeux War Cemetery. With Love and Thanks. We Will Remember Them.

Credit to BBC 1 for excellent coverage of the silence. Gwynne

from BBC News online: ''Britons fall silent for war dead Millions of people across Britain have remembered those who have died in war as a two-minute silence was held to mark Armistice Day. The silence, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, represented the moment when all guns stopped at the end of World War I. The public fell silent as Big Ben chimed at 1100 GMT. Britain's oldest veteran, 109-year-old Henry Allingham, travelled to France to lay a wreath at a British memorial. It is the first permanent memorial to British air personnel who served on the Western Front. Mr Allingham, who is the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland and the last surviving founder member of the Royal Air Force, was joined by Air Vice Marshal Peter Dye, the RAF's deputy commander-in-chief, and 12 aircraft engineer trainees from RAF Cosford, near Wolverhampton. Wreaths were also laid at the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill in London to mark the 60 year anniversary of the end of the World War II, as well as Armistice Day. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, Field Marshal Sir John Chapple, laying a wreath on behalf of Prince Charles and the Gurkhas, and Minister of Armed Forces Adam Ingram all attended. The London Eye has been illuminated in red to mark the day. It stopped moving as those inside - schoolchildren accompanied by World War II veteran Len Jeans - paid their respects. Lloyds of London rang the Lutine Bell to mark the start and finish of the two-minute silence. Following that, the Last Post was played and Lord Peter Levene, chairman of Lloyds, and a representative from the Royal British Legion laid two wreaths in the famous Underwriting Room. A ceremony was also held to honour the five million people from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Africa and the Caribbean who fought in both world wars. Stuart Gendall, from the Royal British Legion, said: 'The two-minute silence is the single biggest annual demonstration of public support for any cause in the country. 'This small yet significant individual and collective act is a rare moment when the nation can stand together and reflect upon the price of freedom.'''

In our local paper today - It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the lawyer, Who has given us the right to a free trial. It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

My Grandfather Lost at sea Percival Arthur Powell Seaman Age 26 Ship 'Irene' hit by torpedo 9/11/1915

We will remember them

IN REMEMBERANCE of my Uncle Lance Corporal Willis Higginbottom 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters(Notts and Derby Regiment) Who died on 26th September 1917 aged 25 Buried at New Irish Farm Cemetery,Belgium Remembered with Honour. Sue(your niece that would have loved to have known you.)

Alfred John Taylor. I am told he was tall and handsome and engaged to be married. Went to France as a Private in the East Surrey Regiment in 1914 and died on 1 December at Ypres. No body was found. Left behind a fiancee, parents, and brothers and sisters who never forgot him. He was my great uncle. Angela

Remembering Roderick(Roddy) Hurley who was killed in action on D Day landings in Normandy 1944 aged 19years. Always remembered by your Brothers Patrick, Edward, Joseph, William, and Peter and their families. R.I.P. God Bless you Roddy always remembered in our prayers.

My good friends Dave Bull and Tony Condon, both Lancaster tail gunners. Cliff, could have been my brother-in-law but lost in D-day landings. Civilians and friends Len Parrish who vanished when a queue for evening papers was hit and Charlie Snow who, with his wife, were never found after their house was bombed in 1943. Two German lads I machine-gunned in 1943.

I'd just like to say I really respect all of the War veterans who fought and died in both of the wars, both of my Great-Great Grandfathers died in the First World War *Lawrence Arthur Mann:- Private 10533, 11th Batallion, Royal Fusilliers. *John Henry Woodward:- Private 15517, 21st Batallion, Middlesex Regiment, buried Rancourt Militay Cemetery, Somme France. I was thinking about them today and what it must of been like for them. I have visited Lawrence A Mann's name engraving in Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France when I was 14, it was a very moving expierience for me. I hope that even in 10, 20 years time we will still have the silence's to remember those who fought and fell for their country. And When He Gets To Heaven, To Saint Peter He Will Tell: One More Soldier Reporting Sir, I've Served My Time In Hell. Their Names Liveth For Evermore- Lawrence A Mann and John H Woodward, and all the men, woman and children.

Michael Derek Aird age 24 - Private - Kings Regiment Liverpool. Killed (MIA) 28/03/42 while on the Raid on St Nazaire, France. My Great Uncle. Albert George Perry age 46 November 29 1940. Civilian Casualty. Deb

In memory of my Mother - 11/11/1934 - 21/04/ 1997 who always lined us up and reminded us what Armistice Day signified. She said to us .... 'remember all the fallen and don't forget my birthday present! Mum ....I MISS YOU.

Nudge for today Vivienne

For my father, William John Brooks, 1914 - 1987, for whom the horrors of war did not leave his memory; TA RAMC 7349297, Dunkirk, India etc: The Kohima Epitaph. ''When you go home Tell them of us and say For your tomorrow We gave our today''

Pray for All the currently serving Armed Forces. Keep them safe and return them to their families, pray they never have their names added to the list of fallen hero's who gave their lives protecting us. For my Brother Elly