OT: Veteran's Day Across The Pond?

It's called Remembrance Day in the UK. This morning at 11 AM (6 AM Eastern Standard Time), the BBC showed a live ceremony from the First World War Cenotaph (monument) in London featuring the last three surviving World War One veterans (one is 112 years old!). The three gentlemen were then wheeled in their wheelchairs by an honor guard to the Prime Minister's residence, No. 10 Downing Street for a reception. Gerald Owens

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote: : : surviving World War One veterans (one is 112 years old!). The three : Damn - seeing two centenials. That is impressive.

And, it must have been very disquieting to survive with so many of your childhood acquaintances gone far before their time.

Bruce

In Britain and most Commonwealth countries, November 11 is known as Remberance Day. This is the day that the Armistice was put into effect in WW1, on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. It is celebrated to commemorate the end of WW1, and the fallen in all wars, and the veterans and their sacrifices.

No Bruce, there were three...

Henry Allingham, aged 112, Harry Patch, aged 110 and Bill Stone, aged 108.

The nearest Sunday to Nov 11th is known as Remembrance Day, when the nation comes together at war memorials in each city, town and village across the land to pay respects to the fallen. The Royal family and Government lay wreaths at our national war memorial, the Cenotaph, which is in Whitehall, almost at the centre of London. This ceremony is televised on the BBC to huge audiences world-wide.

However, over the past 10 years, there has been a real effort to mark the

11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Most people will stand silent for two minutes wherever they are, in schools, factories, stores or in the street. people will stop their cars and get out to stand in silence.

There are some who won't, but they're fast becoming a despised minority.

Yesterday, I stood with my colleagues in Whitehall and took part in the event described above. It was intensely moving and, as a veteran, I was glad I'd made the effort to be there on the 90th Anniversary of the end of WW1.

I understand from another forum that there was a good response too in the USA, with people taking part in other activities marking the silence. I spoke to a military colleague today who is out in Qatar. He told me that they had been joined by the Aussies where they were and that others he'd been in contact with had held ceremonies out in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So yes, Brits of all ages, races and creeds do commemorate the Act of Remembrance.

Chris

On 12 Nov, 04:14, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote: The three

Tea and biscuits served by Gordon Brown - for pity's sake, haven't they seen enough suffering...

Cheers,

so what are the usual war movies that the BBC shows on this day of rememberance, Dam Busters, etc...

Craig

snip

Here in the U.S. we're down to only one surviving WWI veteran: Frank Buckles. He's only 107 but lied about his age and enlisted at 16. He took part in a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. There is another gentleman living in the U.S. now who is also a WWI veteran, but he was born a Canadian, and served with the Canadian army. I think he is their last living WWI veteran.