we will remember

[LordSiege]

on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a nation stands still, not out of fear, not out of anger 

 

but to remember 

 

to remember those who died, on the field of honor.

 

to remember is to cherish those whos names had been giving to keep our freedom and to honour those who are still with us. 

 

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.

 

we remember 

 

 

[Stauffenberg44]

What I remember is a senseless imperial war killing millions followed by a squalid grabbing of territories and foisting the blame on Germany.

I remember my grandfather wounded on Vimy Ridge 1917, probably sparing his life as he was convalesced to England to marry his sweetheart and return to Vancouver Island to start a family. He never had a bad thing to say about the Germans.

I also remember the Irish uprising "Neither King nor Kaiser!"

 

[iDuckman]

Ahem!  It was Germany that attacked and tried to grab France (and very nearly did). 

BTW, the author of 'In Flanders Fields' posted above was Canadian.

 

But that's neither here nor there.  We're not here to justify that or any war.  We're here to remember the dead.

 

[ReddNekk]

This plaque is at the Memorial and Cemetery a Kohima India, which was the site of one of the hardest fought battles of WWII. It's few words speak volumes;

 

[Snargfargle]

34 minutes ago, ReddNekk said:

This plaque is at the Memorial and Cemetery a Kohima India, which was the site of one of the hardest fought battles of WWII. It's few words speak volumes;

 

In the US we don't much hear of the battle of Kohima. This is probably because there was another little operation going on in late Spring of 1944.

[Furysghost]

1 hour ago, Stauffenberg44 said:

What I remember is a senseless imperial war killing millions followed by a squalid grabbing of territories and foisting the blame on Germany.

I remember my grandfather wounded on Vimy Ridge 1917, probably sparing his life as he was convalesced to England to marry his sweetheart and return to Vancouver Island to start a family. He never had a bad thing to say about the Germans.

I also remember the Irish uprising "Neither King nor Kaiser!"

 

He picked a great place to settle! LOL slightly biased hower...

[Gilamonster]

"There is an agony in your heart and you almost feel ashamed to look at them. They are just guys from Broadway and Main Street, but you wouldn’t remember them. They are too far away now. They are too tired. Their world can never be known to you, but if you could see them just once, just for an instant, you would know that no matter how hard people work back home they are not keeping pace with these infantrymen....." Ernie Pyle

 

Noli Me Tangere

 

 

[Furysghost]

3 minutes ago, Snargfargle said:

In the US we don't much hear of the battle of Kohima. This is probably because there was another little operation going on in late Spring of 1944.

 

Pretty well every country can say that... an epic battle that defined their troops courage and sacrifice as among the best and most honored in the annals of war history.

 

For many Canadians Ortona rings that bell one historian referred to it as "little Stalingrad" ... if you would like to know more l have a fantastic link here that is just simply stunningly well done the site is also a treasure trove for Canadian war history going back to the Boer war.

For those of you that have little idea about Canada's soldiers contributions throughout many conflicts this will serve extremely well as a reference.

 

http://canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/italiancampaign/ortona.htm

 

So many battles and so many great feats of arms and in the end a hard fought victory bought with so much sacrifice. We owe them much....

[Gilamonster]

47 minutes ago, Snargfargle said:

In the US we don't much hear of the battle of Kohima. This is probably because there was another little operation going on in late Spring of 1944.

Reminds me of a "Legendary" ditty

The D-Day Dodgers

(Nick Name taken by some of the soldiers who fought in the bloody Italian Campaign.)

We're the D-Day Dodgers out in Italy
Always on the vino, always on the spree.
Eighth Army scroungers and their tanks
We live in Rome - among the Yanks.
We are the D-Day Dodgers, over here in Italy.

We landed at Salerno, a holiday with pay,
Jerry brought the band down to cheer us on our way
Showed us the sights and gave us tea,
We all sang songs, the beer was free.
We are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy.^[2]

The Volturno and Cassino were taken in our stride
(A Canadian version goes "The Moro and Ortona were taken in our stride.)
We didn't have to fight there. We just went for the ride.
Anzio and Sangro were all forlorn.
We did not do a thing from dusk to dawn.^[3]
For we are the D-Day Dodgers, over here in Italy.

On our way to Florence we had a lovely time.
We ran a bus to Rimini right through the Gothic Line.
On to Bologna we did go.
Then we went bathing in the Po.
For we are the D-Day Dodgers, over here in Italy.

Once we had a blue light that we were going home
Back to dear old Blighty, never more to roam.
Then somebody said in France you'll fight.
We said never mind, we'll just sit tight,
The windy D-Day Dodgers, out in Sunny Italy

[Stauffenberg44]

2 hours ago, Furysghost said:

He picked a great place to settle! LOL slightly biased hower...

haha, yes I grew up in Van myself. Fave show on TV Highway to Hell. go figure.