A poem for the poppy abusers:

[matthewsq]

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.


Hearing this poems makes my skin tingle every time. It makes me think about all the sacrifices, boys my age marching out to kill, or be killed. Of course though, theres always the idiots in my highschool who complain that theyre bored. But theyre lucky they dont need to complain about being oppressed by government, or working in a labour camp, thanks to these soldiers. I heard one guy talking about how he doesnt see why he needs to "wear a stupid flower to remember old probably dead dudes" I told him its because "those soldiers were more man than you, more strong than you, more intellegint than you, and they have my respect, and deserve yours too." Everyone agreed and he decided to be smart and shut his mouth. I think some teenagers I go to school with think that war is cool because of all the war video games.... They need to see the real facts about it.

Anyways, enough of my rant. Nice Poem Ned.

[Paul D]

Lets not turn a remembrance thread into a slag off Britain thread !!! otherwise the point of it is lost , the recent riots have no place here , the other problems we and many countries have should not detract from those who have and continue to make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

[Woolgar]

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.


Hearing this poems makes my skin tingle every time. It makes me think about all the sacrifices, boys my age marching out to kill, or be killed. Of course though, theres always the idiots in my highschool who complain that theyre bored. But theyre lucky they dont need to complain about being oppressed by government, or working in a labour camp, thanks to these soldiers. I heard one guy talking about how he doesnt see why he needs to "wear a stupid flower to remember old probably dead dudes" I told him its because "those soldiers were more man than you, more strong than you, more intellegint than you, and they have my respect, and deserve yours too." Everyone agreed and he decided to be smart and shut his mouth. I think some teenagers I go to school with think that war is cool because of all the war video games.... They need to see the real facts about it.

Anyways, enough of my rant. Nice Poem Ned.

That poem always gives me goosebumps too ! Thanks for posting it

Nick

[Poromies]

Here in Finland, we respect those who fought and gave their lives for our country, but the sad thing is, I feel like more and more less people think about stuff like this, that without the efforts of our grandfathers, we would be speaking russian now. Another sad thing is, that more and more of younger people (mostly younger than I am, but sometimes even older) think that all germans who fought for their country are "evil", because some stupid game Call of Duty makes them look like that. Most of my friends think that too, jokingly calling me a nazi, but they get my point.
I am also planning to buy a medal sold by the Sotiemme Veteraanit (The Veterans of Our Wars) organization, which are made from a finnish JK-254 that crashed in 1944 in Rauvanlahti. It costs 25€ and all the money goes to war veterans.

[Battery Command Post]

Lets not turn a remembrance thread into a slag off Britain thread !!! otherwise the point of it is lost , the recent riots have no place here , the other problems we and many countries have should not detract from those who have and continue to make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

I really don't think it is a slag off Britain thread, and I definitely think that this kind of thing really is the point. Remembrance Day was not started to be a day about veterans, it was a day to remember the dead, so that they would not have 'died for no reason', and to remember why they died, and what we have now as a result of their sacrifice. Talking about the negative way Britain has developed since these sacrifices were made truly is an act of remembrance, but unfortunately it suggests that it may have been 'in vain'.

This is what is being discussed here, and it's extremely relevant, because the reality is that wearing a poppy or going to a cenotaph or anything else you might do one day out of the year are just token gestures. The way to honour the dead from two world wars and all the other conflicts, is to have built a decent and solid society in the years since, and if Britain has failed in this then we really did "break faith with us who die".

It seems from this thread that every Brit that has posted on here has either left, or wants to live in a better society. That's why I left, I was disgusted with British society and attitudes. I'm British, I don't hate Britain, and I'm not slagging it off, I just couldn't live there any more.

Enough ranting I guess.. just my opinion.

Rob

[talltom]

i think you have summed up what everyone is thinking

tom

[Paul D]

I really don't think it is a slag off Britain thread, and I definitely think that this kind of thing really is the point. Remembrance Day was not started to be a day about veterans, it was a day to remember the dead, so that they would not have 'died for no reason', and to remember why they died, and what we have now as a result of their sacrifice. Talking about the negative way Britain has developed since these sacrifices were made truly is an act of remembrance, but unfortunately it suggests that it may have been 'in vain'.

This is what is being discussed here, and it's extremely relevant, because the reality is that wearing a poppy or going to a cenotaph or anything else you might do one day out of the year are just token gestures. The way to honour the dead from two world wars and all the other conflicts, is to have built a decent and solid society in the years since, and if Britain has failed in this then we really did "break faith with us who die".

It seems from this thread that every Brit that has posted on here has either left, or wants to live in a better society. That's why I left, I was disgusted with British society and attitudes. I'm British, I don't hate Britain, and I'm not slagging it off, I just couldn't live there any more.

Enough ranting I guess.. just my opinion.

Rob

Just my opinion as well my friend as an ex British Army serving soldier , i leave politics out of remembrance, i don't think of the mates i lost in NI , Rhodesia and the Falklands in terms of what we have now just the fact that they were prepared to stand on the wall and do what was right at the time. At our reunions we don't sit round and slag off the country we served as this devalues the sacrifice made by some of our comrades, although we all know the problems of modern Britain.

As it is everything is about opinions so if the wish is to quote John Mccrae and our most famous poem to our war dead and then comment negatively on the state of the UK i appear to be out of step here !!

[Jerry B]

Despite any faults here in Britain, I don't think I could or would want to live anywhere else. I recently moved back after 2 years living in The Nederlands and it was the best thing. After 2 years abroad, Britain is a place of beauty and mostly people are more polite and helpful than I found them on the continent and Britain is still GREAT in my mind. My Wife, an American by birth and upbringing also loves Britain and neither of us would consider moving away from Britain again.

We should all respect those who sacrificed for us and be supportive of those still doing it today, but if we do not respect our own country, why do we expect those who come behind us to respect it. Moving away is not the answer, staying put and standing up for what you think is right is the answer, IMO.

Regards and respect to all,

Jerry

[M18922]

did anyone watch that show on BBC last night? it was about veterans deeling with shell shock. and they express themselves through art....

cheers,
Pat

[Darren Lillington]

Despite any faults here in Britain, I don't think I could or would want to live anywhere else. I recently moved back after 2 years living in The Nederlands and it was the best thing. After 2 years abroad, Britain is a place of beauty and mostly people are more polite and helpful than I found them on the continent and Britain is still GREAT in my mind. My Wife, an American by birth and upbringing also loves Britain and neither of us would consider moving away from Britain again.

We should all respect those who sacrificed for us and be supportive of those still doing it today, but if we do not respect our own country, why do we expect those who come behind us to respect it. Moving away is not the answer, staying put and standing up for what you think is right is the answer, IMO.

Regards and respect to all,

Jerry

Hate to tell you mate but ask any Vet, they will tell you it wasnt about queen or country, they fight to try to keep themselvs and their buddies alive and to accomplish whatever objectives lay ahead.

Your sticking up of for England becouse you love it and thats fine, dosent mean others should share your beleifs, also your pretty much saying all that left are cowards if not traitors. We left becouse we were smart enough to see the country was on a downhill slope, falling to peices and wasnt getting any better eg. High crime rate, Employment on an all time low, the cost of living too much for the average person, terrible economy, etc etc.

The way you talk, you think the sun shines out of englands Arse. you said -

Britain is a place of beauty and mostly people are more polite and helpful than I found them on the continent and Britain is still GREAT in my mind

So you think no other country is beautiful? or has nice friendly people?, When you said Britain is still GREAT in your mind i can beleive that, you need to snap out of the dream and wake up and see England for what it is.

I don't mean to offend, im mearly putting my opinion forward but i apologize for hijacking the thread a little.

Cheers-

D.L.