Rememberance Day

[juozapas]

Little poppy

Given to me,

Help me keep Canada

Safe and free.

I'll wear a little poppy,

As red as can be,

To show that I remember

Those who fought for me.
November 11th, 2010

 

[excav8tor]

If I should die, think only this of me:

That there's some corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England. There shall be

In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,

Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,

A body of England's, breathing English air,

Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

A pulse in the eternal mind, no less

Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,

In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
I always wear my poppy with pride and thanks.

 

[pstlpkr]

To all Former and Active Duty Military: Thank you for your service to my country, my family, and me.
Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps. Two Hundred Thirty Five years young.
Copy/Pasted in to this string from: grunt.com

Dear Sgt. Grit,

Two years ago my dad passed away, so we gave him a send off Marine style. We buried him in his favorite t-shirt Marines never die they just go to hell and regroup,along with his favorite vietnam vets hat, needless to say not all the relatives approved but the great men from the Marine Corps league that came and did my dads funeral said it was priceless. I read a poem at his funeral that he had written while he was in Vietnam, that I would like to share with you all.
Life of a Marine

by Donald Douglas Jones

We Are United States Marines earning our monthly pay, we guard those people with millions for only $2.93 a day.

We get lonesome, we cry, and sometimes even dream, at times its more than a man can stand.

For we are not convicted criminals, only defenders of our land.

We live only on letters, memories, and waiting to go home to our gals. Hoping like hell, while we were gone, they have'nt married our best pals.

Nobody knows we are living and no one gives a damn, for at home we are forgotten, we belong to Uncle Sam.

Now time we spent in the Marine Corps is time we'll never miss. Don't let those posters fool ya I'll never re-enlist.

One day, when we stagger through heavens gates, we'll hear St. Peter yell, " Fall out you Salty Bastards, " you've spent your time in Hell !
Written by, Donald Douglas Jones a very proud Marine!
I would like to thank each and every Marine for defending our great country. May God bless you and keep you safe, where ever you may be.

Shannon J. Johnson

Lest we forget.

 

[mlaug]

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.

 

[hilojohnny]

Thanks, Mike...."In Flanders Fields" will always be associated with Armistice Day (now called Veterans Day) for me!

 

[mlaug]

Your very welcome. I think most people have no idea about the amount of sheer carnage that generation endured. Very sobering.
I am planning on taking a picture of a 1915 dated 1903 Springfield, a 1917 No.1 MkIII British Enfield, and a 1917 DWM ( DEUTSCHEWAFFEN-UND/MUNITIONS FABRIKEN/BERLIN ) German GEW98 and posting it up.
We're rapidly approaching the 100 year anniversary of that conflict.
Here are some random pictures....post shooting match clean up in Australia post WWI, cleaning their rifles, grabbing a smoke, and chatting up your friends. These look suspiciously like Petes.

These German soldiers have captured a partizan. I doubt it ended well for this chap. Note the bear of a guy with the pipe behind the prisoner.

 

[unclearthur]

A huge thanks to all former and serving military . Pop didn't talk a lot about it but was very proud to have served in the 8th Army Aircore.

 

[archerdarkpint]

Remembrance Day...for three years while I was stationed in England, I earned an opportunity to participate in the memorial ceremony at the American Military Cemetery and Memorial. And every time, I was deeply affected. Standing in the cool and often rainy weather, hearing the pipers call, it put so many things into perspective. You forget your own discomfort. Particularly when surrounded by my older brothers and sisters, some alive, others not, heroes they were, employed in the profession of arms and given the greatest responsibility, to protect a nation.
Hug those you keep dear tonight, and say a quiet prayer for those still on the line and remember...liberty has a sure price to pay, and freedom is never free.
Respectfully yours,
Archer

 

[papipeguy]

I spent part of the afternoon at the B&M sharing a pipe and 25 year-old single malt with an ex-Marine who did 2 tours in Nam. Semper Fi to all Corps members.

 

[pstlpkr]

Thank you Papipeguy.
My Great-grandmother "Granny" was born in London and was in her Tweens when WWI began. She told me that she was: "glad that the Yanks were over-paid, over-sexed and over-there".... She obviously did her part to "keep the British end up".

God love her.

She died several years ago at the ripe old age of 104. She married the second Marine in the family...

 

[krgulick]

I would also like to thank all the former and current people that are serving our country. Without your service, we would really be in a far worse place than where we are currently.

 

[papipeguy]

Great story Lawrence. My Dad served in the Corps in WW II. Luckily, we still have both my parents. Dad gave me his uniform and medals, including his Purple Heart (Okinawa). They're proudly on display at our home and are family treasures.

 

[juozapas]

At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France.

 

[juozapas]

Every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month since 1918, we gather at ceremonies across Canada to honour our Canadian Forces Veterans, especially those who lost their lives while serving their country.