The 11th....

The BBC managed to ensure the Armistice Day was commemorated well by covering the Lord Mayor of London's Parade.  This live event features many representatives of London and elsewhere marching through the City of London, a good day out for all - if the rain stays away.
Today it began with the Last Post and the two minutes silence.  This was fitting and as always many soldiers, sailors and airmen are found marching in this parade.  I wonder how many others commemorated this two minutes elsewhere on this busy Saturday morning?

Life continues elsewhere and TV offered me the first Christmas advert of the year.  I avoid TV most of the time, I avoid adverts constantly, unfortunately I saw this one. 
My verdict?
"Puke"

Monday Murmuring

I have even less to say today than I had yesterday having spent the day indoors doing the occasional things that required doing weeks ago.  Now after several weeks I have cleared the stuff of the couch and found proper places for it, and begun to fill it again with other stuff.  I have as yet to clear the dust from it however.  
I did however manage to clear up one or two items on my 'to do' list of dead people to research.  This gives great satisfaction despite the fact that this information will never be used in any way whatsoever as far as I can see!  Still you never know and it is interesting.  

The other day I checked the names on those wee crosses left at the memorial and much to my consternation and indeed amusement I could find no details of those mentioned.  It could be memory has led to people putting the wrong name, date, regiment on the cross or it could be all of the said men have been missed off but I doubt that somehow.  Mistakes have been made but something is wrong here I say.  At least Ingram has had the decency to die at the Somme as advertised but most of the others appear to have been misinforming the locals.  I however know little of Ingram and it is too late tonight to look into him.

You will of course have noticed that Fidel Castro has died.  For many years the bad boy in US eyes and a man they attempted to kill with exploding cigars amongst other things survived until he saw the end of the United States, that is he saw Trump arriving and decided his job was done.
Castro was another little rich boy turned revolutionary, his friend Che Guevara was revolutionary also but only good for knocking things down, he failed in the work of building up, Castro built up his nation, decent education, hospitals and other things with one bad side effect, a lack of trust.
In the beginning, and I suppose as long as the CIA kept trying to kill him, he imposed a tyranny on Cuba, understandable at the time but clearly going too far as time past.  
With the right wing nutters in the White House attempting to kill him because rich Cuban exiles in Florida told them to it is clear he had enemies aplenty.  However having rid the previous tyrant is no excuse for imposing your own Communist style tyranny.  This is a shame as Cuba could have been an example for many nearby states to follow.  It is said Castro had 600 attempts on his life, clearly not very good ones as he died in his 90's, and we are left wondering if the US really wanted rid of him?
The best way to deal with Castro was not to stop trading with Cuba but to encourage it.  This would create wealth in Cuba, allow the US 'soft war' to reach the people and encourage them to demand that sort of life rather than the one offered them.  I reckon this would have changed Cuba by the 70's if not the 80's had it been tried.  Once Communism fell then the doors were open but the dafties in the US could not see it.
I was not a fan of Castro, remove a tyrant yes, replace him with an ideology that fails the people, no!

Remembrance 2016

Remembrance 2016 has been well and truly dealt with today.
In the morning the church had a special Remembrance service, as Anglican churches do, and we read out some names of the fallen, four I had provided then others offered the names of their relatives or known friends.  I read out the Binyon piece, aided by a young lass and the two minutes was observed.  It appeared more like three to me!

 
In the chilly windy afternoon the Royal British Legions main District Remembrance Service was held as it has been annually since the War Memorial had been erected in 1921.  The crowd gathered rather slowly today, the wind chill, fussy sergeants, and lots of parading kids probably to blame.  The crowd arrived, the dignitaries shivered into place, the troops paraded, the Sergeant cried "At Ease!" and so the Vicar began the service.

Unlike St Paul's I felt this service somewhat 'religious' and 'British.' That is there were no names read out bringing it home to people and the words here were rather supporting 'our glorious dead' rather than all dead.  Our curate touched upon sacrifice as he would but never in a jingoistic manner. Rather he clearly showed the difference between soldier sacrifices and the sacrifice of Jesus himself for our sin.  He did not limit  himself to 'our dead' but 'all dead' and looked to Jesus rather than a bland religious offering.  After that this vicar hear appeared rather dismal to be honest, I was disappointed. 

  
In most remembrances these days it has become common to remember all war dead not just ours, and we are aware of the bad amongst the good, and desire less war than some appear to desire.  A bringing enemies together is uppermost.  This service today did not mention this and was similar to those I saw as a child in the 50's when a forgiving attitude was harder to propose.

Several men who attended in the past were not there today, the aged soldier is fading away.  At one point I attempted to speak to one but his hearing had gone long ago and his hips were following.  Poor old lad was struggling up the road and I wish I had offered some help, I do not know if he would accept this of course, old soldiers are still soldiers, and he may have had a car waiting.  The others I wanted to speak to had run.  We need to speak to these old men before it is too late.

The people gather and I wonder what they think of the names on the memorial?  Do they consider them or just their namesakes or relatives?  They must have some regard as they turn up in cold dreich weather to attend this meeting.  On the other hand with 40,000 population, at least half adults, why do only a few hundred show up?

 
Amongst all these faces I recognised a few, but only a few.  Where do all these people come from?  It never ceases to amaze me that a crowd shown on TV at a football match in the town or in the local paper always contains 100% total strangers!  Twenty years I have been here and nobody I know wishes to be famous!   

Next to the Memorial stands a separate memorial to HMS "Kite" a Sloop sunk while supporting the the 'Arctic Convoy.'  Two torpedoes hit the ship and she sank in a ball of flame in 90 seconds.  A handful of men were picked up.  The U-Boat that sank the ship was on its first patrol and the next day aircraft from the accompanying Aircraft carrier sunk that submarine.  Such is war.

 
In our minds we have an image of the Great War and a differing image of the Second World War.  These images vary sharply from the minds image of wars in other lands today.  While we will consider actions in which 'our boys' have participated, Falklands, Northern Ireland, Iraq etc we keep an image there in our minds.  That image differs sharply from how we see Syria or Democratic Congo today.  Those wars do not interest us and we would rather be free from them and the affects thereof.  People die, civilians suffer, while the weapons are more effective the situation changes not for those suffering.  However we see these wars as different and wish to be free from them.  Sadly war will continue because human nature never changes.

Armistice Day

Being the eleventh of the eleventh this Friday saw a commemorating two minutes silence in the town.  I wandered across to see if the memorial had been dressed up as it usually is but nothing was done this year, so far.  The town had the Legion standing in the centre, ex WW2 men and some from later 'end of empire' wars, no less dangerous for those involved.  There are no memorials for such as they who fell in Israel, Korea, Malaya and the like and few seem interested in those who fell in Northern Ireland, Iraq or Afghanistan, maybe it is time we remembered them also?

The first of what is usually a dozen crosses appeared today at least.  This one was there last year also and you note it commemorates a member of the Canadian Forces.  He was one of three thousand casualties, out of five thousand who participated in the 'Dieppe Raid' in 1942.  This was a foolish project, badly organised and badly led, which in part was to show to the inexperienced US generals the impossibility of making a landing in the Continent during 1942.  The rather daft idea was put in its place when this shocking event occurred.  It has yet to be explained where the Americans were going to get the boats to take their 'green' troops over the channel but the idea was dropped when they realised, eventually, just how badly the Canadians had been cut up.  Those who headed up this event were put on to work more suitable.

Wandering around the damp and rather dreich Gardens I found these Fungi growing happily.  Quite what they are and whether they are edible I know not, someone will know, and they just intrigued me for some reason as they were the brightest thing outside apart from the Autumn leaves.  

I must confess I had a lot of the Great War today, more to come on Sunday.  I have just asked for a three day pass...

Non Political Blether

I spent the day in the Great War!
Researching info for the museum handout for schools I have no made the one page handout three pages long and have nowhere near finished.  It was interesting to remember things forgotten and helpful for what I scribbled down however it may not be what the boss woman wishes.
Add to this a short search for info on four men for a remembrance service, which probably will not be used, and altogether I ahve spent much of the day wasting my time.
No change there.

The boiler plays up.
It will not switch on, at least it switches on and goes off.  The thermostat is never at the right temperature for the brute and I keep fiddling with it and waiting, and waiting, and waiting until something happens.  I began at ten past seven this morning and it finally lit up around one!!!
We shall set it again tonight and see what occurs in the morning - frostbite and chilblains I suspect. 

To get warm I went out, it was warmer in the wind than inside.  
I went to 'Poundland' (actually I think ours is a 'Poundworld') for cheap feed for the Starlings that squabble at the feeders.  They are chomping away good style at the moment, I wonder if the cold and wet is making it hard for them to feed elsewhere?  There is usually plenty of places for birds to feed around here but I eventually got what I wanted this morning and before I shut the window the brutes were arriving.
'Poundworld' is full of cheap Chinese trash, ideal for my Christmas shopping!  I usually send gift cards up north, I wonder if they do them...?
I also searched charity shops for a waistcoat for  'do' at the museum coming up soon.  We are supposed to dress up and the women always do it well but I have nothing to suit.  I may have to travel in the zimmer bus tomorrow as the charity shops here are stocking only winter stuff now.

The TV news is full of the election still, I turned it off.  
It's over, the mistake is made, President Putin has him under control, the world is safe.
I bet the secretaries are worried mind! 

Today I began the Christmas shop.  One or two cards, I don't need many, and planning what to buy. "Don't buy for me," they cry, meaning "I am not buying for you!"
Why can't they be honest?
I wish for nothing but to give to them and what I wish for they canny give anyway.   Still it has begun and I will have mine done by next week, all posted on the 1st December and just my fat slob stuff for Christmas to buy.

Resting

Happy am I as my week is over and tonight I sleep!  I slept ast night but by the time I got home tonight it appears to have worn off.  I wish it wouldn't do that.  No need to check the clock in the morning, no need to iron a shirt, no need to wash, just be a normal slob for a while and catch up on the things not done.  I note the fruit and veg from Saturday has already turned a strange mouldy colour, the rubbish is piling up in each room of the Palace and the things dropped on the floor on Monday await putting in their place, I'll do that tomorrow. 

Another Armistice commemoration day comes to a close.  For days people have been buying Poppies, placing pictures like this on the web, talking about soldiers and groups, teams, companies andgovernment national and local have been talking about remembrance. 
I wonder how long this will last?
The remembrance acts have a shallowness about them.  Those who have served or have family who served are not shallow, the general population is however.  Certainly the plight of returning soldiers has been highlighted again, we will not forget so easily as before but the population in general will become tired of remembrance when other problems press them hard.
I wait and see...

Now there's a strange thing, silence.
For a few moments there was no noise, nothing.
No cars drove past, no kids screamed in the park, no aircraft high above, nothing.
Silence.
Even more astonishing the constant bang and flash of fireworks close by or in the distance ceased.
A repetitive drilling a while ago has stopped, silence reigns.

Now the occasional cars are passing by.  Normal service might be resuming. 
How strange that in the evening sudden silence can disturb as it is so unusual.

Braintree Remembrance 2015

Just before two this afternoon a thousand or so souls gathered to pay respects to the war dead.  The number is similar to last year when there was more emphasis in the media as that concerned the centenary of the beginning of the Great War however the desire to remember has not faded as yet.  

The 'Four & Twenty' gathered to lead the paying respects which followed the usual routine of short service, a word, a hymn, a prayer and the laying of wreaths this year by at least 25 groups.  The bugler, a young female, played the last post, flags dropped, silence reigned, and at the bugle call the standards arose again.  This type of ceremony occurred throughout the United Kingdom today sometimes with similar crowds and at others only one or two people attended.  The local dead were not forgotten.
It is important to remember why these events take place.  Politicians cause wars, not soldiers, they merely fight them.  On two occasions world wars took the lives of millions and the entire nation was involved it seems to me that on both occasions the war had to be fought to prevent Germanic hegemony over Europe.  Freedom was indeed at stake on both occasions and these deaths must not be forgotten nor the freedom they fought for lost.   It is interesting that some of the most ardent opponents of fighting wars tend to be soldiers, they after all know the cost.

Local groups attended in great force today.  I was not aware so many belonged to uniformed organisations today.  Certainly the majority were primary school age but there were many in the teenage age groups in other organisations.  It is likely that many of these will continue on into the armed forces, learning a wide variety of skills, travelling the world, encountering strange experiences and of course shooting people.  In the end that is part of the job.

 

Two of the men present served after 1945.  One saw service in Iraq during the First Gulf War then found himself posted to the Balkans.  He was lucky enough to have two chances to die!  The other served in the RAF with Bomber Command and saw action during the Suez Crisis of 1956, another Prime Ministers Middle East mistake.  Both were worthy men and both ought to be remembered while living just as comrades may be remembered when dead.  We tend to forget 'Our Boys' when they leave the services and let them rot, this should not be.

A cross section of the district is represented here.  Not just from the town but  from the villages round about.  Many would attend their local Memorials others may have gathered here.  In some villages the memory of the departed has long gone.  Where once the locals knew one another and those in the villages around today the incomers, running from the big city, drive in and shut the doors rarely meeting the neighbours.  Supermarkets are close by and all deliver to your door.  The need to go out is limited, meeting places close, at east one pub will remain open but others become Indian restaurants or housing.  Many of those who left a hundred years ago would not recognise the towns they grew up in today.

All paid full attention, mostly...

What goes through the mind of a young man in service uniform when standing at a war memorial remembering men such a she who died.  There is no way he can see the world as we do, no way he can comprehend what soldiers have gone through as yet, and at the back of his mind must be the thought that if he continues along the army way he too could be come a casualty. 

A soldiers thoughts.

German Prisoners

When first I saw you in the curious street
Like some platoon of soldier ghosts in grey,
My mad impulse was all to smite and slay,
To spit upon you—tread you 'neath my feet.
But when I saw how each sad soul did greet
My gaze with no sign of defiant frown,
How from tired eyes looked spirits broken down,
How each face showed the pale flag of defeat,
And doubt, despair, and disillusionment,
And how were grievous wounds on many a head.
And on your garb red-faced was other red;
And how you stooped as men whose strength was spent,
I knew that we had suffered each as other,
And could have grasped your hand and cried, "My brother!"

Joseph lee, 4th Black Watch.

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Friday Night at St Mick's, oh and a Camel!

Time was when I could not stay in on a Friday night.  The world was out there and the world was happening all around and I had to be near it if not actually in it.  Today however I find sitting in my bed on a cold Friday night watching football far more appealing than strolling the dark streets.  Yet last night I was forced by a woman, isn't it always, to venture out to St Michaels to their little remembrance evening.  Quite why all this did not happen on Saturday I know not but not being one to question or complain I ensured my bits remained attached by arriving just after seven on the clock.
The idea was to show a few of their items and some of ours, and sell the book also.  This we did but mostly I wished to meet the grandchildren of the men on the memorial.

Being Anglicans they are into candles and while not quite me i did think they had presented things well. I spent lots of time talking to relatives of men who served, around five of them were long conversations which ended with them buying one of my books funnily enough, and all taught me a great deal.  The lady who stood out was one who had ventured to Bosnia during the war there a few years ago to deliver aid.  Snipers, customs, unhappy drivers and other problems left me full of admiration for her and her husband (who received the MBE for his efforts in controlling things) for their willingness to dare such an adventure.  That was a few years ago and they are retired now so it was not sweet young things, they were folks who had lots to lose.  

Then it was home through the dark mist, with the camera set at the wrong position for pictures all night, to arrive exhausted and struggle to sleep as I was so tired.  I also managed to miss the Scotland v Ireland game, but I canny complain, as the boss would hit me if I did!!!  

Tired or not I was forced to shop today and was somewhat surprised to be confronted by three camels in the centre of town, not a usual experience to me. There they were giving rides to brats kiddies and stinking the place down.  A wonderful idea for Christmas and I wish they had been at the museum! However I am glad I did not have to clean up afterwards!

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The Poppies are Packed Away Now.

At eleven this morning many in the nation stood to remember once again.  Large crowds attended ceremonies around the country as the commemoration of the beginning of the Great War came to an end.  Exhibitions and events will continue, I may have one on Friday night if I stay awake long enough, and throughout the country folks are now researching their war dead and discovering surprising news about their families.

I myself did not attend anything today, I made it to the museum, realised my head was spinning from some bug and made my way back home until it ran its course and passed me by.  This did mean nothing got done but hey, that's not unusual in here is it?

We move on from the remembrance ceremonies now, soon the poppies will disappear from the jackets and volunteers will begin counting the cash collected, most likely a bumper years for the British Legion.  I leave it with this poem by Joe Lee, a forgotten yet great poet from Dundee.  He had travelled a bit, worked for John Leng & Co who published the 'Peoples Journal,' a paper he would later edit. and enlisting at 4 years of age spent most of the war with the 4th Black Watch, later commissioned into the Kings Royal Rifle Corps.  A friend of the leading literary figures of the day between the wars he worked in London as sub editor for the 'News Chronicle' and mixed with the great poets of the day.  His work was acclaimed as equal to Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sasson's war poetry yet he never achieved, if indeed he sought it, literary fame.  He has many poems, I liked this one. 

German Prisoners

When first I saw you in the curious street
Like some platoon of soldier ghosts in grey,
My mad impulse was all to smite and slay,
To spit upon you—tread you 'neath my feet.
But when I saw how each sad soul did greet
My gaze with no sign of defiant frown,
How from tired eyes looked spirits broken down,
How each face showed the pale flag of defeat,
And doubt, despair, and disillusionment,
And how were grievous wounds on many a head.
And on your garb red-faced was other red;
And how you stooped as men whose strength was spent,
I knew that we had suffered each as other,
And could have grasped your hand and cried, "My brother!"

Joe Lee.

AllPoetry.com

Joseph Lee


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Remembrance Sunday Centenary

The Great War began on August 4th 1914, the armistice coming four long years later on November 11th 1918.  To remember the fallen of this and other conflicts we met before the war memorial this afternoon.  A very large crowd attended, possibly slightly larger than last years, and correct observation was performed.  The procedure followed routine, a loud voice, hidden by the crowds, called the uniformed ones to attention. Standards were raised, the 'last post' blown then a 'stand at ease' ordered.  The vicar said a few prayers, a few words were said, then wreaths were laid, first by the dignitaries then by others in order.  All in all the usual short gathering.  However I was feeling a bit let down as I realised that this type of meeting misses one thing only - the names of the fallen! Possibly because I have lived with them for a while I find a gap, an emptiness where each individual ought to be.  No need for all names just one or two and a word on their deeds to enlighten the people. This brings the individual home to us not just a name.

    

The gathering of men in uniform used to be common when I were a lad today it is something unusual. Unless you live in a 'Barrack' town you rarely see uniformed men.  National service and of course war itself meant such sights were part of daily life not any more.  Terrorist threats have meant some units are not allowed to wear their uniform in the the streets in some areas!  I am quite surprised some of the uniformed organisations still manage to enroll so many as the costs must be high however the Air Training Corps members seen here have always been popular, possibly because they might get into an airplane occasionally.  

The police (well PCSO's) were in attendance to control the traffic for the march past, much smaller crowd than last year when several full police officers were in control.  However the local football team were playing a major cup tie at the same time, and losing 0-3 last time I heard, so that is where the constabulary would have operated.  Rarely do remembrance crowds get out of hand.  

From the rear you do not get much of a view of the dignitaries but at least the sound system is good. However I wonder about the names on the memorial and their connection to the people in the gardens.  Many will be there because their child is in the scouts/guides or whatever, others because a relative, whom they may have just discovered is named thereon.  I just wish I could have spoken to some but I recognised only two people in the throng.  

So we have remembered, poppies have been worn, memorials attended, research begun, bands have played, men have marched, and life will return to normal now.  For those in 1926 who attended the unveiling of the memorial the thoughts may have been different.  The names were of sons, husbands, friends, and family.  They left a gap, sometimes a huge gap that was never to be filled again.  Many women struggled to raise the family afterwards, many a heart mourned until their dying day, many a child had their life dented by loss, but the individual just had to 'get on with it,' there was no other choice.  The s'stiff upper lip' and many others being in similar troubles gave no opening for self pity or depression, life had to go on.  

At least here was a place to remember, many knew only the name of the memorial somewhere in France or Belgium where their loved one was commemorated, usually they could not afford to visit. At least if he lay in a cemetery the relative  felt he was taken care off but just a name among the thousands on a memorial is so cold and somewhat inhuman, a soldiers relatives require more.  Some on the memorial lie far off in Gallipoli or Jerusalem, during the second war some fell further away in Asia, others fell from the skies lost for ever.  

For us today who did not know them personally we can move on easily, only the old remember them, they cannot forget. However they too have had their life, they too have seen younger folks suffer in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, let alone the many 'small' and 'forgotten' wars since 1945. Do you realise that so many people today do not know what the 'Cold Was' was like?  To them it is a History lesson, to us it was always in the background.  Life moves on indeed!

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