Lest we forget

That is so sad gillybob and very common in those days

My mother was 8 years old when her eldest brother was killed at Epres. He joined up aged 15 yrs old.

He was home on leave and preparing to return when he unpacked his equipment for polishing his buttons. My mum grabbed his brush and ran out of the house thinking that he couldn't go back without it but of course, when she returned, he had gone and she never saw him again. It affected her her whole life and she couldn't talk about it without getting upset. I totally understand why. ❤❤

Remembering my late Father.

My eldest granddaughter is writing a piece on him for a school project and she was very upset to think a mother could do this but I agree probably quite common in desperate times . He was never formally adopted Mollypop just given away as “surplus to requirements” My grandad (who was the model of his late father) had 13 step brothers and sisters .

Remembering all the men from Ireland and Ulster who fought in WW1. Including my great grandfather and grandfather, who both survived but my grandfather was blinded by mustard gas. Remembering especially the 3,775 of my countrymen who died at the Somme and have no known grave. They lie unmarked but are not forgotten.

Watching the service. So moving. May we find ways to build peace.

If always think of my dad in this day he fought in the second world war and was a very private man. Gone but never forgotten so man never came back so very proud of my dad and the years he had after for which he was so grateful . ( poppy)

I woke at 5:57 and went into the garden to hear the lament that was played in so many places across the country this morning. The sound drifed over the woods, it was very moving.

I feel a sadness today as well as a feeling of gratitude. I keep thinking of my grandfather who fought during World War 1. I really miss him today. Precious memories.

I usually attend a service, but for some reason this year it all feels a bit too raw. Our town had a huge service on Friday, but I crept along afterwards on my own to place my poppies and today the RBL is having a service outside the church where the garden of crosses will be planted. I shall go along later when no-one else is about and plant mine. I can't stop crying thinking that ten years ago at this time I was at my daughter's wedding. My little grandson has a special poppy; on the button in the middle it says, 'For my dad' and this year he asked to wear an ordinary poppy instead because he wanted to just be a 'normal' boy at the services. When I think about the thousands and thousands of other little boys at the end of WWI whose daddies didn't come home the weight of grief is just too much.

My grandfather died in October 1918, because of a faulty gas mask, leaving two children including my mum aged 9. She was brought up by her stepmother, as her natural mother had died when mum was a baby.

The futility of war.......

My father seved for six years in the Second World War. My DH, DMum and Ddad all went to France a few years ago to see what we could find. It was a wonderful experience. We found a small cemetery dedicated to the regiment my father had been in. I saw my father cry then for the first time. He was also very moved when given free entrance to the war exhibitions, museums etc. A very moving experience for us all.

Remembering my Dad who died 20 years ago aged 75.

He fought in the Second World War, and was shot through the neck, but fortunately survived. He never spoke of his experiences, the little I know, my Mum told me.

His Dad fought in the First World War, and saw horrific injuries.

Our family is so lucky they survived when many didn't, when will the human race realise the futility of war?

Lest we forget, indeed.

Read this letter about War Pensions, in the Guardian yesterday. 10/11 Criminal.

A century on, lessons have not been learned
As the nation prepares to acknowledge the fallen in military conflicts, the British government is threatening the survival of disabled war pensioners.

A war pension is not a benefit, it is a military pension, awarded until 2008 to profoundly disabled members of British military forces for their sacrifice and service to the nation. Until 2008 any application for a pension review was acknowledged by the Veterans Agency with a medical examination, conducted by a former military doctor, who provided a detailed medical report on the deteriorating health of the disabled veteran. Any identified increase in failing health or disability saw an increase in the war pension.

In October 2008 the fatally flawed work capability assessment (WCA) was introduced to assess all claimants of disability benefit, and to resist providing funding to as many as possible as the WCA disregards diagnosis and prognosis. As a consequence, war pensioners applying for a reassessment are confronted by a staff member from a corporate giant, who has no comprehension of military service. Most pensioners are refused any increase in their war pensions, and are warned not to apply again for future reassessment, which will not be considered regardless of failing health.

As the nation’s leaders lay their wreaths at the Cenotaph, war pensioners will be wondering why their generation of disabled veterans are treated with such disregard and total contempt.
Mo Stewart
War pensioner, former (W)RAF medical service, Wisbech

My paternal grandfather fought in the first world war and survived, his one brother-in-law did not. My grandmother, his elder sister, only mentioned him as a child, but his twin brother who was my father's favourite uncle and my dear great-uncle talked of his brother when his own bronchitis, a direct result of the mustard gas that had killed his brother was bad.

Here in the south of Denmark, we have been specially remembering the 5000 men from this part of the country, who fought in the German Army, as all of the north of Schleswig belonged to Germany at that time. One of the direct results of the Great War was that the northern part of Schleswig came back to Denmark after the plebiscite of 1920, so we have centenary celebrations coming up the year after next.

We were in Verdun in 2015 and in Belgium the year before that, both world wars feel very close there.

If we forget them, it’s almost as if we are saying their lives and their sacrifice were not worthwhile. We have to remember them.

How awful for your granddad gilly. That wouldn’t happen today (I hope).
I watched the whole cenotaph parade on telly and found it extremely moving.

Cabbie21 mentioned the futility of war. It's that very futility that makes it imperative for us never to forget what war really is.

I honour today my Grandfather, who I remember so well, he was a prisoner of War during WW1. I have a letter from the King thanking him for the endurance of misery and hardship during his imprisonment.I have the letter framed,and think of my Grandfather every day.My own father served in WW2, I treasure his memory.
We must never forget.

No, we should never forget. We should be grateful that because of the sacrifice of these hundreds of young men, we are able to choose what we want to do with our lives. We are so lucky to be free.

Just back from our village Rememberance Service. Local children sang Pack up your troubles and Long way to Tipperary and after the service laid a stone with a poppy painted on it for the men who died in the 1st world war from our village. Very moving. I feel it shouldn't be Lest We Forget, but We Should Never Forget.

cathedral service this morning with daughter packed
Lest we forget .A very moving morning So very pleased i went .

I have visited many of the WW1 cemeteries and they are all so moving. Unbelievable that Trump pulled out of the ceremony he was due to go to in France yesterday because it was raining. The ignorance of that man is appalling.