Remembrance Sunday

~ beetleypete

In 2014, a very moving display of ceramic poppies was staged at The Tower Of London, to commemorate the fallen British service personnel in all wars.

The poppies were later sold individually, and I bought one for Julie, to remember her father who served in the army after WW2.

In the UK, we celebrate Remembrance Sunday on the closest Sunday to the 11th of November. As well as the National Ceremony held in London’s Whitehall at the Cenotaph Memorial to WW1, most cities, towns, and villages in Great Britain will also hold local parades and services in memory of those who served and died.

As so long has passed since the end of WW1 in 1918, we no longer have anyone left alive who served in that war, in any capacity. The last living veteran of World War I was Florence Green, a British citizen who served in the Allied armed forces, and who died 4 February 2012, aged 110. The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111.

Here is Harry Patch, being interviewed about his experiences in WW1. It always chokes me up to see this.

They will not be forgotten today. Neither will those who served in WW2, Korea, Suez, Malaya, Kenya, Aden, The Falklands, Northern Ireland, and modern conflicts like Iraq and Afghanistan.

We will have our one minute of silence at 11 am, even though it will not be on the 11th. And those of us unable to be in London, or at local parades, will be able to watch it on the television, and quietly pay our respects.

51 thoughts on “Remembrance Sunday”

  3. That was a moving post, Pete. The video interview was powerful- thank goodness there are preserved memories so we will ‘never forget’. I’m glad you neighbor was able to fix the poppy.

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  4. Pete, I see Mary wrote exactly what I was thinking – was it really so many years since that amazing and moving display at The Tower of London. What a thoughtful and precious gift for your wife. It is always a heartfelt day and your post reflects the solemnity as well as the courage and humanity through the interview.

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    1. Thank you Annika. I actually badly damaged the poppy when I was doing some cleaning and something fell on it. Fortunately, my next door neighbour was able to almost fully restore it. After that, I bought a protective container to keep it in!
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Going OK summers just around the corner 😁 But I do miss those frosty cold Christmas mornings, BBQ on Christams day on the beach just does not seem right at all

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        1. No, the beach at Christmas is weird. (But I suppose I could get used to it) Julie and I are going to a nearby restaurant for Christmas dinner. Already paid the deposit, and eating from 4-6pm.
          Cheers, Pete.

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  11. Remembrance is so very important. Every day, but November gives people a focus and a time to come together. I visited the WW1 battlefields and Ypres on a school trip many years ago and we were lucky enough to meet veterans of both World Wars. The last generation to have the honour of doing so. I went on to marry a soldier so Remembrance is very dear to me, and very personal.

    A lovely post, very touching.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, Helen. I also visited the WW1 battlefields and cemeteries in Belgium and France, in the 1980s. An unforgettable experience.
      Where I live now, in Norfolk, we have close military associations. The army barracks in nearby Swanton Morley, and Marham Air Base not far away, near Swaffham.
      My father was a regular soldier from 1936 until 1947, and served in India during WW2. His brother fought in Burma, and spent years as a prisoner of the Japanese. Every adult male I knew as a child had been in the services during WW2.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. Time flies, Mary. I would have guessed 2017, and was three years out. Of course, it was to mark the centenary, 100 years after 1914, so I should have known. Harry Patch’s memories are heartbreaking.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  13. It’s hard to comprehend the wickedness of WW1 in particular. I can only read about it in very small bits because it always overwhelms me. The biggest tragedy is that nothing was learned. I shake my head. Thanks, Pete. What a wonderful old man, Harry Patch.

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    1. That parade is often hard to watch, especially when they feature individual stories. But I have always felt a duty to watch it when I can. The first time I saw the Harry Patch interview, I really cried.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  18. Today is also a day of national mourning for us, to commemorate all those who died in the war.
    No matter what nationality they belonged to.
    Next Sunday is the Sunday of the Dead, a day on which everyone who has died is remembered. These are the quiet Sundays before Christmas time.

    When I was a kid, only classical music was broadcast on the radio on those Sundays. And no funny movies were shown on television. However, this is no longer the case today.

    I think the young people don’t know what to do with these memorial days anymore.
    I wish people would take more care of each other.

    Yesterday I had a meeting with “old” work colleagues, we call our meetings a veterans meeting. Today, however, I find the name a bit inappropriate.

    I wish you a relaxing Sunday.
    Best wishes, Irene

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    1. Thank you, Irene. I think it is only right to remember all of those brave soldiers, whatever country they fought for. They all had parents who mourned their loss, and comrades who missed them too.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  19. As a kid I remember the march of the ‘Old Contemptibles’. My mum used to sit and cry for the entire time. Now it’s the WWII veterans who are ageing. I’ve got the TV programme on now and as soon as I hear Beethoven’s Funeral March I know why she cried.

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    1. Yes, it is always heartbreaking. I hope the younger generation keeps watching in years to come. My dad served before and during WW2. If he was still alive today, he would be 101 years old.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Thank you for posting this Pete. Canadian Music artist and story teller Brian Adams wrote a beautiful song in reference to Remembrance Day. . . One if my favorites. Here is his excellent video:

        Cheers,
        CT

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