[denwerdinoss]

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

- John McCrae

[BadbarmrapBef]

Indeed a day to remember. Thank you for those words Neil.

grtz Mathijs

[Gymnarnemia]

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, what are we supposed to remember? o.O

[gundas]

Veterans Day.

[VovTortki]

Poppies for the ones gone!

Remembrance Day, also called Armistice Day, the 11th of November is remembrance day for soldiers and civilians that died in wars, especially since the World war I.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day

[doctorzlo]

DULCE ET DECORUM EST1

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori

8 October 1917 - March, 1918
Wilfred Owen

[virtuah]

Anthem For Doomed Youth

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, –
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

[adolfadsermens]

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, what are we supposed to remember? o.O

What age are you....?

..........and you from Arnhem....... haven't you seen 'A Bridge Too Far'?

I can provide another example of woeful history awareness;

Last year at Darlington Seminar... which occured very close to 11th November... we called a halt to training at 10.58 and asked all to put weapons away and adopt seiza so that we could collectively observe the 2 minutes silence.

A 20-something women leaned to her partner and asked.......

"Why are we doing this........ has somebody died?"

[Dastyh]

Salute,

Yes its sad at times. I remember way back in 84, I had just left the army and went back to school to finish it. We had a history class and the teacher started talking about WW2. My jaw fell to the ground when about 1/3 of the kids (grade 12 canada) didn't even know it had happened. So I got up and left, telling the teacher I would show up for tests.

I now live in Germany and they have no remembrance day. In fact, its the beginning of Carnaval, so they tend to meet in the town square and get blotto till the wee hours of the morning instead. Funny how things are different

[Sowsunese]

Well we don't remember war victims on this day. Like was posted earlier the reason to choose this day was because it was the end of WWI. Holland was neutral in this war, so there are not that many casualties. (and I am not saying this is the reason we are not celibrating on this day).

Our Rememberance day is the 4th of mai, just before liberation day. The day the Dutch were liberated from the Germans in '45.

[Laqswrnm]

Remembrance Day is a big deal in Canada. In many ways, Canada became a real country through the shared sacrifice of the first world war. Now that we are losing young men and women to war again in Afghanistan, it has taken on renewed meaning.

I spent the day with my daughter, her Irish dance club entertained at a retirement home and two different veterans' halls, then we joined my sister and her swing band as they played old big band tunes at one of the veterans' halls.

[vernotixas]

I think Armistice/Remembrance/Veterans should be a big deal for all involved, no matter what side they were on. War dead are a tragedy, be they your own losses or killed by your soldiers.

Funny how my attitude towards the military has changed. I will always support our nation's armed forces, but I no longer have any time for those in government who direct them.

I particularly enjoyed this years' Remembrance Sunday, and seeing all those foreign dignitaries laying wreaths on behalf of their respective nations - and thinking about the BNP and their desire to remove all non-white combatants from the army.

Political rant over.

[Paiblyelaxy]

Salute,

Yes its sad at times. I remember way back in 84, I had just left the army and went back to school to finish it. We had a history class and the teacher started talking about WW2. My jaw fell to the ground when about 1/3 of the kids (grade 12 canada) didn't even know it had happened. So I got up and left, telling the teacher I would show up for tests.

I now live in Germany and they have no remembrance day. In fact, its the beginning of Carnaval, so they tend to meet in the town square and get blotto till the wee hours of the morning instead. Funny how things are different

That's cause in Germany WWI & II are still a very sensitive issue. We do have remembrance days and ceremonies for the jews that died in the holocaust as part of our huge, neverending national "guild trip", but nothing for the soldiers or regular german civilians that died during allied bombing, for example. Because the way I got taught in school "we deserved it all".

For example showing off the german flag is just not done. I cannot imagine being anywhere in the USA and also in Canada without seeing their respective flags somewhere and being patriotic is a totally normal, if not even mandatory thing. Being proud of being German is a huge issue. You are not expected to show it. As soon as you carry around the german flag (unless at sports events or eurovision of course ) you're regarded as a neo-nazi.

It's weird, and I think it's also partially a reason for east and west not embracing each other. We're afraid of being 1 identity, that we're one big country and proud of it. Germans are weird that way, it's very slowly changing but it will take time.

Now that I live in holland it's a strange feeling that each year they remember the many deaths that "my" ancestors caused. Although many people in my family tree died on the front lines as well, and way too young. Deaths, just as pointless as all the other deaths during any war.

Each year on May 4th they do some minutes of silence over here and lay down flowers and I respect that and join in, cause eventhough I have nothing but German blood in me, I still feel with all the victims of all wars, soldiers or civilians no matter which sides.

[grosqueneen]

What age are you....?

..........and you from Arnhem....... haven't you seen 'A Bridge Too Far'?

I can provide another example of woeful history awareness;

Last year at Darlington Seminar... which occured very close to 11th November... we called a halt to training at 10.58 and asked all to put weapons away and adopt seiza so that we could collectively observe the 2 minutes silence.

A 20-something women leaned to her partner and asked.......

"Why are we doing this........ has somebody died?"

I am 24 and no, I have not seen 'A bridge to far'. From the other posts I can see it is in remembrance of WWI, which I know little about. The Netherlands was also neutral during this war so I don't see what being in Arnhem has to do with it.

Arnhem WAS a place of great importance during WWII if I remember my history lessons correctly. But, as stated by others, we honor the dead of that war on may 4, and celebrate our freedom the next day.

Also, the lessons I got about WWII went into much more detail then those off WWI, which we practically skimmed. Either way, I meant no disrespect and I fully agree that it is something that should be remembered so that such tragedies will not be repeated.

[wowwieholmes]

For our king and our country and the promise of glory
We came from Kingston and Brighton to fight on the front line

Just lads from the farms and boys from the cities
Not meant to be soldiers we lay in the trenches

We'd face the fighting with a smile - or so we said
If only we had known what danger lay ahead

The sky turned to grey as we went into battle
On the fields of Europe young men were fallin'

I'll be back for you someday - it won't be long
If I can just hold on 'til this bloody war is over

The guns will be silent on Remembrance Day
There'll be no more fighting on Remembrance Day

By October of 18 Cambrai had fallen
Soon the war would be over and we'd be returnin'

Don't forget me while I'm gone far away
Well it won't be long 'till I'm back there in your arms again

One day soon - I don't know when
You know we'll all be free and the bells of peace will ring again

The time will come for you and me
We'll be goin' home when this bloody war is ended

The guns will be silent on Remembrance Day
We'll all say a prayer on Remembrance Day

On Remembrance Day - say a little prayer
On Remembrance Day

Well the guns will be silent
oh There'll be no more fighting
we'll lay down our weapons
On Remembrance Day

bryan adams

[Veveseinlep]

You're most welcome.




Now gimme a cookie.

[RafaelYV]

I was looking at my Poppy today and marvelling at the design and the fact this simple symbol to show Rememberance hasn't changed for years. Do other countries have a similar paper/plastic device? I know you can get slightly fancier ones, I saw the 'contestants' on X-factor were wearing them, mainly on their belts like some kind of fashion accessory. Not sure I approve of it being 'used' in this way when the simple one is such a potent design classic... My Mum tries to get the white poppy for peace.

What brought it home most for me was the poppy collector outside Piccadilly Station in Manchester. I guy in his 40's, smartly dressed in a suit, a row of medals on his chest and what looked like an Afghanistan fresh desert camo rucksack over one shoulder.

[weightpillsnow]

Canada does poppies, it originated here AFAIK.

[Vmysobfi]

Odd - I never was taught about Veteran's Day in school in India, although lessons on the World Wars were fairly detailed. I guess it's because the contributions of the colonies at that time is not well documented?