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The day's events started at 06:00 with pipers across Britain playing the Scottish lament "Battle's O'er".
A procession of 10,000 people to the Cenotaph will give "a nation's thank you" to those who laid down their lives in World War One. For the first time, members of the public chosen by ballot will pay their respects at the national memorial in Whitehall, central London. It marks 100 years since Armistice Day, when WW1 officially ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. At 19:00, starting at Westminster Abbey, more than 1,000 beacons will be lit across the UK. The lights are intended to symbolise the end of the darkness of war and a return to the lightness of peace. |
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We will remember them
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My grandfather fought at Passchendaele, (Ypres) as a runner won the Victoria cross, passed to my father ,then me ,I had it put in the museum at Scunthorpe, I remember his stories ,and the sadness shown about the loss of his friends,he passed when I was 14, now 50 still haunts me,
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I still have my grandfather's WW1 medals. I hope that my grandsons will treasure them too.
It's hard not to feel angry about what happened to so many but he never showed it.  |
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My dad served in WW1 as I've mentioned a few times. A couple of years ago I did some research and discovered he did his basic training at Skipton, where he was born, and later sailed for France. Couldn't trace anything after that but I would guess it's possible. Had another look at myheritage site a few days ago and couldn't find anything at all. At least I have the certificate to prove it.
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My great-grandfather was found alive under 3 dead Germans in a water filled ditch at Passchendaele by Canadian soldiers. He died aged 61 of emphysema. RIP great-grandad
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Same with my dad Kenny mann, 1st battalion Welsh Borderers. Wounded at Ypres, patched up and back in action a few weeks later. Very brave men, a special time of year for me. Asked him once what it was like to see your friends killed, "thank God that wasn't me", "cry for them later". I have managed to trace his history.
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Blimey, invicta. I didn't think there'd be anyone else with a father involved. Forget to mention he was Yorkshire Light Infantry. He was 50 when I came along. Sadly he died 4 years afterwards, and I have no memory of him at all.
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Some great stories
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Won't be many of us Kenny mann, dad was born 1896, 52 when I came along, then my sister 2 years later.
He died 1971 from emphysema, working in the mines before and after the war. I was lucky I suppose in that I have many memories of him. Wish you well. |
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Watching Oh What a Lovely War. Shows the futility. WW2 was certainly worth fighting. WW1, not so sure. Game of chess played by idiot leaders killing millions of the salt of the earth just for the sake of it. At my school there was a formal remembrance service every single year.
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watching liverpool game - they said 7 liverpool players died in the WWI
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Many footballers did. Conscription was introduced in 1916 leading to much cannon fodder amongst the teams!
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Lets not forget those who worked in the factories during the war men and women who went to work not knowing if they would ever come home, and without them we could not a fought the Germans. Many were killed in those factories, or in homes close by. Many were women often just out of school none have ever got the recognition they deserved, even though they were the most productive workforce we had ever had after they were told to go back to the type of work they done before the war.
Here is a film about BSA in Smallheath the about Alf Stevens and Alf Goodwin is amazing going back into a burning factory with a oxyocetalin kit to cut through a steel girder to rescue their fellow workers, they got the george medal because it was classed as civilian and not a combat situation, but to me they both should have got the VC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7AO-Ajh60U |
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I remember reading about the massive demonstration objecting to it
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Makes you feel sad watching this
They Gave so much , so much pain 100 years on Look at the state where in now |
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Dimbleby is doing really good job hosting this.
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Every single person who died in WW1 and every war since gave their lives to keep Britain British. I wonder how many commemorations are being carried out today in Tower Hamlets and Newham!
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My grandfather was born in around 1896, served in France in WW1 and the Malaysia Defence Force in WW2.
Taken prisoner By the Japs and spent the rest of the war in one of their hellhole POW camps. He and my gran were divorced and only met him once when I was about 9 or 10 so never got to know him but have his medals and always look at them on 11/11. |
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My grandad died in 1916 from an incoming shell, pulling a gun carriage up to the front line,he had enlisted a week after his 4th child was born and left a wife with 4 kids and no means of support.They were brought up in austerity that makes a mockery of the version of austerity we read about today.
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Dr slicer was spot on - WW11 was worth fighting or we would be speaking franco-german now.
I see the first as stupid waste of life - yes - very much a propaganda coup to die for who and what exactly?? Very different from opposing Fascism. |
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ps but I still stop what I am doing on the 11th hour.
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My grandfather served in Africa during WW2. He died three years before I was born. :(
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And if we hadn't gotten involved in ww1 we'd have totally went back on our word to defend Belgium if it was invaded and then allowed the entre west of Europe to be under the domination of a pretty much democratic German imperial empire 20 years before hitler. Hardly "for nothing"....
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*pretty much Un-democratic. It was democratic in a vague nod of a way but hardly properly.
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Know nothing of my family's history in the WW1 but during WW2 we as a family were extremely lucky. My Grandad was gutted that they wouldn't let him fight as he worked for the gas board so was deemed essential services so he joined the Home guard. On my Grandmothers side she had seven brothers, some of them tailgunners. All returned home safe after the war. In fact the only injury was my Grandmother who was knocked out and pinned against the stairs when the front door came off due to a bomb going off nearby.
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Just got back from the Cenotaph. Hadn't been before, but thought that today would be an appropriate day to go and show respect. Very moving, from the silence and wreath laying, to the march past by veterans, then by the 10k public, many of whom also current or ex-services and who were wearing medals.
Have to say, that multi-cultural London was not well represented Approx. 99%+ white British. Make of that what you will.Left via Trafalgar square, and equally sad to see nothing other than ignorant tourists who had not the faintest idea or inclination of the significance of the date, or of what was going on a mere hundred or so yards away. Have been gripped by the BBC4 series this week, The Last Tommies. Recommend all should look up on iPlayer if you missed it. First hand accounts of the main actions, and all the horrors. Apart from one old boy, proper stiff-upper lip, king & country man who said he thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing!! |
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The last tommies ,yes very moving..
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All quiet on the western front, a book,film, from the Germans perspective,it shows the propaganda, those poor souls had to endure,
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Storm of Steel is another german book about the early development of the stormtrooper man who lasted throughout WW1,worth a read.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CRCi0fld8Y
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