Remembrance Day - Fall In Front and Centre

[Terminated]

For those of us that served and remember - Lest We Forget

BuckBuckNo1
RAN 1968-1983
Vietnam 1969

[James Deuce]

FISHLOCK

William Frederick George. (Royal Navy P/Mx 54685 - Chief Petty Officer RNZN 13793, WWII, Korean War)

[Biff]

Mike B - 22 Regiment

The Balkans & Iraq, amongst others

1969-2005

A Hero To Many

[Skyryder]

I can relate to ANZAC Day just as it commemortes all wars that NZ and Aus. have fought in. But Armistice Day sorry. The First World War was one big monumental blunder casued more by egos than anything else. It was not a war based on any ideological parameters other than Bosnian Serb nationals wanted unification with Serbia and to break away from the Austro-Hungary Empire. To me the First World War has as much relevance as the Balkin conflict and the Charge of the Light Brigade or for that matter the Punic wars of Rome and Carthage. Interesting from a historical perspective but not much else.


Skyryder

[Ixion]

It is a matter of regret that Remembrance Day has been almost forgotten. Many young people have never even heard of it.

For many years it was more honoured in Australia than here, but I was in Australia on Saturday, and was disappointed that I appeared to be almost the only person to take any notice of 11am.

I remember when a boy in Auckland it was very much observed. A few minutes before 11am, traffic would all stop, drivers would get out of their cars and stand beside them; tram passengers would alight, the gentlemen uncovered; factories and offices would all stop work; we school children would be paraded out into the assembly areas; all ready to observe the two minutes silence once the bells began chiming 11.

[crashe]

My dad served in WWll in the navy.
Came back a changed man.
He passed away sometime between 20th June to 22 July 1985.
Official date is 22nd July 1985 the day he was found.

RIP dad.

[awesker]

It is a matter of regret that Remembrance Day has been almost forgotten. Many young people have never even heard of it.

For many years it was more honoured in Australia than here, but I was in Australia on Saturday, and was disappointed that I appeared to be almost the only person to take any notice of 11am.

Yeah its true, unlike alot of my friends Im one of the only few who know what its about, pretty sad.. but our government should support the effort like the do over in ozzie (they get it all over the TV and stuff right?) because otherwise its to easy just to live your life and what? 10 years just flew by.. its needs to be drilled into us, Ill never forget .. I try to do my part.

never forget eh :yes:

[Hitcher]

Sergeant-Major Robert Adam Sangster, 11/591, Wellington Mounted Rifles. Gallipoli (Chunuk Bair), Egypt and Palestine.

[Uncle B]

Grandfather. (Mothers side) Battle of the Somme 1916.
Wounded in no-mans-land, picked up by the Germans and taken to hospital. Released after the war and died peacefully in Birmingham, England.

Grandfather. (Dad's side) Battle of Gallipoli.
Survived and lived the rest of his days on a villa in Portugal.

Mother. Survived the London bombing of WWII.

Father. Was 'One of the few' during the Battle of Britain. Flew Spitfires and Hurricanes.

Both parents emigrated to NZ after the war and currently live in Upper Hutt.

Lest We Forget

[eliot-ness]

Commemoration
In most ceremonies of remembrance there is a reading of an appropriate poem, designed to help the listener understand the experiences of service people and their relatives in wartime.



In Flanders Fields
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

[jonbuoy]

I can relate to ANZAC Day just as it commemortes all wars that NZ and Aus. have fought in. But Armistice Day sorry. The First World War was one big monumental blunder casued more by egos than anything else. It was not a war based on any ideological parameters other than Bosnian Serb nationals wanted unification with Serbia and to break away from the Austro-Hungary Empire. To me the First World War has as much relevance as the Balkin conflict and the Charge of the Light Brigade or for that matter the Punic wars of Rome and Carthage. Interesting from a historical perspective but not much else.


Skyryder

Its not just about the 1st world war. Its the british equivelant of ANZAC day . There are representatives or relatives of all campaigns. It was just started after the first world war.

[Timber020]

Capt John McPherson. Served in Galipoli and the Somme. Survived.

His brother died in the sinking of the neptune.

Major John McPherson Served in italy and egypt, wounded in attack by landmine which killed his mate/batman. finally had his leg removed in the late 80's after it gave him trouble for all the years.


For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is a music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncountered:
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that 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 will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end they remain.

Lest we forget.

[jonbuoy]

And put your hippy comments elsewhere.

[doc]

My great uncle FO Lloyd Trigg RNZAF The only man in history to be pothumusly awarded the VC on the recommendation of the enemy. Memorial cenotaph at Houhora in the Far North. I enlisted as a medic in RFCS in 69 immediately nicknamed "Doc" found that they were all queer in those days got quick a corp/trade changed to sigs nickname stuck never did any medical trg untill I joined the Sqn in 79 as a ptl medic/other stuff. As a Snr Nco escorted Cyril Guyston Rolston Bennett RNZ Signals VC winner at Chunnik Bair, to an ANZAC Day parade felt humbled in his presence. Those were the days "Bring back the cane" .

[zuk]

My great uncle FO Lloyd Trigg RNZAF The only man in history to be pothumusly awarded the VC on the recommendation of the enemy. Memorial cenotaph at Houhora in the Far North. I enlisted as a medic in RFCS in 69 immediately nicknamed "Doc" found that they were all queer in those days got quick a corp/trade changed to sigs nickname stuck never did any medical trg untill I joined the Sqn in 79 as a ptl medic/other stuff. As a Snr Nco escorted Cyril Guyston Rolston Bennett RNZ Signals VC winner at Chunnik Bair, to an ANZAC Day parade felt humbled in his presence. Those were the days "Bring back the cane" .

RFCS in 75
My old Man was WWII Middle East and Italy MM and twice MID,still hanging in there @ 90 thinking he's 40
agree---"Bring back the cane"

[Terminated]

They shall grow not old, as we that 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 will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Grandfather - mother's side: Australian Army Gallipoli and France.
Grandfather - father's side: United States Navy
Uncle - mother's side WWII Australian Army Africa and New Guinea
Uncle - mother's side WWII Royal Australian Air Force South West Pacific
Uncle - mother's side Australian Army Korea
Father - United States Army WWII South West Pacific and Leyte Gulf
Father in Law - WWII Royal Navy
Me - Royal Australian Navy troop transport Vietnam

All posts this thread respectfully acknowledged.

We Will Remember Them.

Lest We Forget

[Scorpygirl]

They shall grow not old, as we that 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 will remember them.

Lest we forget.

We will remember them!!! Seeing the old diggers at the memorial ceremony today on the News was very moving indeed.

Un/fortunately my immediate whanau were declared medically unfit or part of the essentials efforts back home so none of them served.

[Swoop]

Lest we forget.

Grandfather (Fathers side) gassed at Ypres. Survived into the '60s though.

[Dai]

Paternal grandfather the Somme WW1

Maternal Grandfather, Gallipoli WW1

Lots of uncles, WW2

father, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam (1968)

myself NZ Artillery and R Sqn (the Regiment), no active service.

[Bend-it]

Grandfather, Straits Chinese Volunteer Corps in Singapore WWII, died 24 Oct 1979.

[DougB]

Yesterday I took part in the "Armistice in Cambridge" The only NZ town to have a two day commemoration.
There was on Saturday:-
Re-inactments of a Vietnam war battle

Victory dance

Heliclopter rides
Etc

On Sunday:-
Street parade off military vechiles and troops etc (Two nicely restored Army Indian Motorbikes were there)

March into town by military personel. Led by bands.

Armistice in Cambridge service where all the flags of the
allies were lowerered, wreaths laid and their national anthems played by the Cambridge Band as the flags were raised.

The usual Anzac day type service

Greetings from the Mayor of Le Quesnoy in France where NZ troops recaptuted the town in the closing days of World war one were read. This town still remembers with gratitude the actions of the NZ's on that day and they holds a ceremony and service every year to commerate the action.

The Cambridge Town Hall bell tolls eleven times at the eleventh minute of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

After the service the crowd was entertained by The Boogie Woogie Bugle Girls and the band.

A second world war battle re-inactment.

Flying display by RNZAF Harvards

Marching Girls

Display by Air Force Blue parachute display team.

NZ Navy Band

Re-enactment of the LeQuesnoy battle.

All this was supported by displays of military vehicles
bren gun carriers artillery pieces and I saw a Corgi paratroopers motor scooter being ridden about.

This festival is repeated every year and is attended by many hundreds of locals and out of towners and is strongly supported by the NZ military .

The bottom of the programme reads

"Join us to honour the past, celebrate the present and rejoice in the future"

I will post a reminder of it next November so you can join us..

[Toaster]

My Grandfather served as an officer in WWII with the RNZAF as a bomber navigator. He is still going strong and is a man I deeply respect. Selfless, staunch and a good kiwi bloke, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

For decades his medals stayed in the very paper bag he was given them in. I was able to enjoy a parade with him some years ago while I served with the navy/navy reserve.

When I look at teens growing up today, I know they just don't make 'em/raise 'em like they used to.

Here's to all the good men and women who have given much and lost much, so we could have so much.

[Blackbird]

Grandfather, William Hyde Worsley O'Dell, 17th Lancers, WW1

Father, Gerard Leonard James, Royal Air Force, post-WW2, later Royal Aeronautical Establishment

Requiescat in pace

[Terminated]

Yesterday I took part in the "Armistice in Cambridge" The only NZ town to have a two day commemoration.

I will post a reminder of it next November so you can join us..

Please do and would look forward to getting up there. Could be a good event for ex-service personnel [and off-spring] to group ride....