Lest we forget, Sunday

[smiths565 10]

Lest We Forget.

 

At 11am on the 11th November 1918, guns fell silent on the Western Front in France and Belgium ending four years of continuous war in Europe and the Middle East.

 

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the moment the fighting ceased has become universally associated with the remembrance of those who died in the war, the "war to end all wars".

 

I have been researching the men from Sheffield who gave their lives in World War One.

 

The result of this research, which still continues, can be found on

 

http://stannington.webitsmart.co.uk/

 

Please take time on Sunday, to remember the brave men, who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

 

They shall not grow 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 shall remember them.

 

 

Regards

 

Robert.

[CHAIRBOY 10]

Absolutely. You'd be hard pushed to find anyone liking sport more than myself but I am disappointed that a full programme goes ahead on Rememberance Sunday. As I have said before, we should remember all who have served their country; those who have lost their lives as well as others maimed in battle, in all conflicts, not just the Great Wars.

[Plain Talker 11]

Absolutely. You'd be hard pushed to find anyone liking sport more than myself but I am disappointed that a full programme goes ahead on Rememberance Sunday. As I have said before, we should remember all who have served their country; those who have lost their lives as well as others maimed in battle, in all conflicts, not just the Great Wars.

 

I agree, chairboy. My grandfather fought in WWI. Fortunately he survived a sniper attack.

 

I'm not a jingoist, or anything like that, but I do think we should have more respect for those who fell. I think it's wrong that sport fixtures are scheduled for that day.

[sweetdexter 10]

Remembrance day never fails to bring tears to my eyes

Unfortunately most of the young today see only dead and dying old men.

They fail to see, when these men gave their lives they were also young with all the ambitions ,dreams and aspirations of any young man

[soft ayperth 11]

Why is it that Remembrance Day is not given the respect due to it in the UK? In Canada, it's a public holiday. If it happens to fall on a wknd, as this yr., we get a long wknd. And people do go to the various parades and cenotaphs to show their appreciation and respect. A few years back, each of my kids went over to the UK, one to teach, the other to study. They were astonished at what they perceived to be a casual attitude. Work carried on as usual, except for a short stoppage at 11 a.m. Is it because people in the UK feel that remembering stops the moving forward? Time to stop thinking abt the war? Come to think of it, I don't remember what we did to commemorate Remembrance Day when I was a kid growing up in Sheffield. I remember the school assembly, but that's all. I just think it's a shame that the only places where it is given its due are overseas. Sorry folks, but that's how I see it.

[BLITZER 10]

When I was a schoolboy in the 30's at Sharrow Lane school,on armistice day,we all went to St Barnabas church for a service. Afterwards,the rest of the day was a holiday. Also,when the gun was fired at 11 o'clock,everybody stood still wherever they were,buses and trams stopped and their crews got out. Cars also stopped,in fact,no-one moved for the whole two minutes. A bit different these days.

[coyleys 10]

Lest we forget.

Seeing as it is coming up to Remembrance Day, I thought it only fitting to write a little verse in memory of my uncle John.

May he rest in peace.

 

 

Broken Dreams

 

His father a miner as his father before

The thought of the pit, his mind did deplore

A new path he chose, though a path so short

Leaving youth behind, no more to cavort

 

With Innocence of youth, and ignorance of grief

For king and country, was his one true belief

Seduced by glory and childhood dreams

To do his duty, against all extremes

 

The phoney war over, the battle began

He took up arms, against Hitler’s master plan

The glory of battle and no thought for regards

His only dream. The Inniskilling dragoon guards

 

To stem usurpation, of England and ally

Fascist rule, he fought to deny

In the fields of France, by his comrades he stood

Gerry fired first shot, and shed first blood

 

Dunkirk to his back and the enemy he faced

He stood his ground and gave no grace

Demise of his comrades, the blood and the gore

This broken dream, was the reality of war

 

Though mortally wounded, his head held high

For truth and liberty, he was proud to die

The lament in his heart, was his only pain

His parents and siblings, he will never see again

 

He prepared for his maker, with no fear of death

With thoughts of old England, he drew his last breath

With no wife to grieve and no sweetheart to mourn

He was laid for perpetuity, one misty spring morn.

 

Copyright © 2007 Mick Coyle

[buck 11]

I shall remember with pride my Grandfather Christopher Smart who survived four years on the front line during the first world war, only to end up in Middlewood Hospital for the rest of his life, the victim of shell shock. During the war his wife died leaving a 16 year old girl and her 14 year old sister, my mother, to take care of six children while he was not allowed any compassionate leave to set things up for his family. Brave men who survived, many of them seriously wounded were treated like dirt by the government.

[CHAIRBOY 10]

Why is it that Remembrance Day is not given the respect due to it in the UK? In Canada, it's a public holiday. If it happens to fall on a wknd, as this yr., we get a long wknd. And people do go to the various parades and cenotaphs to show their appreciation and respect. A few years back, each of my kids went over to the UK, one to teach, the other to study. They were astonished at what they perceived to be a casual attitude. Work carried on as usual, except for a short stoppage at 11 a.m. Is it because people in the UK feel that remembering stops the moving forward? Time to stop thinking abt the war? Come to think of it, I don't remember what we did to commemorate Remembrance Day when I was a kid growing up in Sheffield. I remember the school assembly, but that's all. I just think it's a shame that the only places where it is given its due are overseas. Sorry folks, but that's how I see it.

 

I saw a interview earlier this week on Breakfast TV and a lance corporal, back from Afghanistan on leave, was asked: "Do you think your efforts are appreciated?" He replied: "I don't think they are, people seem to be more interested talking about 'X Factor' and 'Emmerdale'."

I'm sure he's right but I find it a sad reflection on people's perspectives. My stomach turns when I think of the anguish parents and families must undergo whilst their love ones battle in foreign territories.

I don't think it would do any harm just to reflect for a moment on the tragedy of the lost firefighters but alas, the commercial world rolls on!

[muntjac 10]

I really do feel that the only people passionate about Remembrance Day are the remaining direct and close descendants of the fallen. To most others its an inconvenience and it makes my blood boil when I see a total disregard for what is now a paltry few minutes of respect.

[Bushbaby 11]

I think it is now time for the governement to grant a blanket pardon to all those who were “Shot at Dawn” in The Great War

The majority of them were victims of the power driven madness of Duggie Haig and were no more cowards than they were flamenco dancers. They suffered from an intense mental illness brought on by, in many cases, years of coming under enemy fire, and it’s time for our elected leaders to examine the evidence and make a responsible decision.

It would be better to pardon a few genuine cowards than to maintain this unfair tarnish of thousands of very brave boys

 

I’ll be outside Cole Brothers’ on Sunday morning proudly sporting my medals, and I will be thinking of ALL our soldiers.

Bless ‘em

[CHAIRBOY 10]

I really do feel that the only people passionate about Remembrance Day are the remaining direct and close descendants of the fallen. To most others its an inconvenience and it makes my blood boil when I see a total disregard for what is now a paltry few minutes of respect.

 

I had an uncle who was a POW in WW2 but no other involvement I am aware of. I merely put myself in the position of many unfortunate families who have lost dear ones and remember what I was taught when a child; remove headwear at silences, I take my flat cap off when a funeral cortege passes and remove it for National Anthems etc.

Many times now, when we actually get a "minute's silence" at a football match the commentator has said; "Impeccably observed" but as the camera has panned around the ground, there are so many people still wearing headgear! It's as though people are unaware of the correct protocol and the minute's applause has come into being because so may people are just unable to keep quiet for a mere minute. So many people engrossed in number one!