12 Sat Nov 2016
Posted in Uncategorized
Amazing; moving; humbling; impressive: words you could choose to describe the annual National Service of Remembrance held in London on Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday in November. Thousands attend every year; thousands watch it on TV; thousands more attend similar, albeit slightly more modest, services throughout the United Kingdom – and beyond. It is an…
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Thanks for re-blogging this most interesting piece. Remembrance Day seems to have far more resonance now than it did when I was younger. I was in M&S yesterday at 11.00 and we all kept silence for two minutes: that just didn’t happen a few years ago. I wish though, that like the rest of Europe and elsewhere, we kept the day as 11th November rather than simply the nearest Sunday. I would value that sense of remembering with much of the rest of the world at just the same moment – timezones allowing!
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Yes, I agree that it would be a deeper experience but I can also see why they don’t do it (yet) and continue with the Sunday service. I think the 2 minutes silence on the 11th has become popular again since the Iraqi and more especially, the Afghan wars. When I was a girl I don’t think many people made any effort to ‘remember’ on the 11th unless it fell on a Sunday. My mother remembers that between the wars everything stopped at 11 am – trams, buses, lessons at school – men removed their hats, heads were bowed.
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Clare, thank you for sharing this post and allowing me to remember along with you.
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You are welcome Lavinia.
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Thanks for sharing.
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My pleasure Susan.
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Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute, Clare. Yesterday, as our country celebrated Veteran’s Day, I watched our American flag being cut into pieces by protestors who are unable to accept the election process in our county. It was a heartbreaking image to witness. xo
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How awful! I can imagine how shocking that must have been. I was disappointed by the Brexit vote in this country earlier in the year and have been appalled by some peoples’ reactions to the result. Both those who won and those who lost have been at fault at some time or another. We both live in democracies and the votes were result of democracy. We have to abide by that and do our best to live in peace with one another.
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Well said, Clare. I couldn’t agree with you more. May God bless both of our countries. xo
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Thank-you Jill xx Amen xo
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I love Mike’s blog. It was very moving to read this post of his.
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It was! He always writes so well but I thought this post was very special.
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We have many such remembrances going on, on what we call Veteran’s day. They deserve to be remembered.
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They all do.
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Hi Clare. Over more years than I care to remember I have been involved in our national remembrance, being privileged on occasions to witness the ceremony at the cenotaph or more local services. I particularly remember in the late 70’s being posted to a cordon in Whitehall. In those days there were probably as many Great War veterans on parade as there are WW2 vets today. As the march past began when the service finished I saw a set of medals drop to the floor amongst the marching veterans. I stepped forward and recovered them proposing to book them in as property lost at the end of the day. About twenty minutes or so later I noticed an elderly gentleman within the cordon area frantically going from officer to officer along Whitehall in my direction. He eventually got to me saying “I’ve lost me medals son, you haven’t seen ’em have you?” I noticed the tears in his eyes and running down his cheeks. Having secured an accurate description of the missing medals to ensure the collection was returning to the genuine owner, I produced them from my pocket. He was over-joyed to be reunited with his prized possessions. He gave me a big hug and thanked me profusely. The watching crowed broke into a round of applause, hardly a dry eye amongst them.
In a month when we have seen riots in British prisons I am proud to report that my class of learners observed the two minute silence impeccably at 11 O’clock on Friday, many proudly wearing poppies the have contributed for from their minimal earnings. The rememberance service was very well attended, some of the ex-servicemen amongst our inmates contributing in readings and poems.
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Thank-you so much for this wonderful contribution Andrew. You must have been so pleased with your learners. A proud moment for you. You have never mentioned the lost medals to me before; that is another wonderful memory. I would love to go to the Cenotaph one year before I’m too old! Tomorrow we have our benefice service at Rumburgh where all the names of the fallen from all the villages are read out. This is also quite a moving service though very small in comparison.
With love, Clare x
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It’s called Veterans Day here in the US, thank you for posting this touching link. I hope that the world never forgets.
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Thank-you Jerry.
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Thank you for sharing this post!! Very owing and interesting at the same time! XoJohanna
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Thank-you Johanna.
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Oh my goodness…auto correct makes me crazy. Although as an English as second language speaking person and a little lazy in using proper spelling…an essential tool at the same time. But really..” owing post???” Of course I meant ” moving”..sigh. I just slapped myself on the fingers for not paying better attention.
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No worries Johanna xx 🙂
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Thank you! Very inspiring ! I just followed you! Let’s connect! I just posted my paris trip! XOXO https://thelostmango.wordpress.com
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A great share for a very special day… I have always thought that Remembrance Day was something quite overwelming…. it makes me think ofa a sort of poetic ode that celebrates life, somehow. Thanks for sharing and may all the memories of the fallen in battle help us become stronger and more peaceful too…
Sending love & best wishes, dearest Clare. Aquileana ⭐
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Thank-you dear Aquileana. This is such a thoughtful response!
‘May all the memories of the fallen in battle help us become stronger and more peaceful too..’ Amen.
Love and best wishes to you dearest Aquileana xx<3
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A moving post and one well worth sharing. One thing is clear, we will never forget.
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Well said Ste J.
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I attended a lovely tribute service at the Royal College on the 11th.
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I’m sure it must have been really lovely
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