Norman

11 11 11

Was just about holding it together at my desk – watching BBC online then Henry Allingham did it for me. Lucky there’s a box of tissues here and no-one watching me. Highly emotional week.

Here’s to Henry, that’s the spirit.

Norrette

Yes, hugely moving.

Norrette, I agree a very dignified and respectful homage to those who both served and those who died. The situation with Henry Allingham was handled with great dignity and respect and in a strange way added to the occasion. To also see those brave men and women who accompanied the veterans was indeed a privilege and in my opinion the whole ceremony was a great credit to all concerned and to this nation of ours. Don`t worry you were not the only one who needed a tissue in fact you would have to have no emotion whatsoever if you were not moved by what unfolded in front of your eyes.

Norman

A beautiful ceremony this morning.

The readings of the letters sent from the front were most touching and read with great feeling.


Henry Allingham paid the greatest tribute this morning, it was a privilege to see it.

It was all just so 'right'.

I feel just the same. A hugely moving ceremony.

I heard the gun fire from my garden at 11am, my dad always told us to listen out for "guns"

so even more moving and sad this year as lovely Dad passed away in March,

Remembering with pride and honour X

You know that sometimes when it’s right it is right and today was one of those occasions. The Beeb has taken a few knocks lately but today’s programme was beyond criticism

London girl: best wishes

Norman

I've just had the great pleasure of leading a remembrance ceremony at the War Memorial inside our church with some of the children from the village school. About 25 kids.

They have been learning about the theme of Remembrance over the past week, and I was asked at rather short notice (yesterday!) to come along and talk to them about the War Memorial, which I was very happy to do of course.

They were magic! Although very young (5 – 8 year olds) they were very attentive and observed the silence perfectly, with two of them reading the two "little poems". (It helped that I could tell them that Laurence Binyon lived and is buried in a nearby village they know well.)

To turn the names back into people, I brought along copies of photos of five of the men on the memorial and told them where they and others had lived, who was married in this church, who was Mr So and so's uncle, that sort of thing. Then we walked round to see the grave of the RAF pilot in the churchyard.

Was really nice. And almost completely unplanned!

Greyhound, those things which are unplanned but just occur naturally are the best and mean the most. We do underestimate the young folk’s ability to understand such occasions when all that is needed is to take the time to explain what is happening and how we are all a part of these events. This once happened to me at Tyne Cot when the remains of an unknown soldier were being interred. The British school party who happened to be there at the time behaved with decorum and respect when we explained the circumstances surrounding the occasion.

Norman

My 11 am was marked by me standing in a small office looking out across West Belfast.

I thought about my own mates and I thought about my granddad's mates, the men of whom I know from my War Memorial web site, and the men whose medals I look after who never made it home.

They will never be forgotten.

Nigel

I also needed tissues.

Seeing these three survivors of WW1 paying their tribute made this so poignant.

God Bless Them.

I work in a busy South London College, as the time moved towards the 1100 hour, there was the usual screams and shouting from the students.
However, as the clock hit the hour the college went very quiet and the 2 minutes as observed fully.

I didn't think it would be observed in my office - was already making plans to disappear at the appointed hour - but they ran the fire alarms and everyone stopped working and the guns went off at nearby RAF Uxbridge. Perfect.

Norrette

My Gt Granfather and his brother both came from Islington, so i thought this year i would go back to their home town and the memorial at Islington Green to lay my wreath their.

My Gt Gt Granparents would of certainly attended at this memorial and their wife's, children, and my own Dad as a young man, so it was full of emotion following in their footsteps, the two brothers lived in the street across the road from the memorial, it was sad to remember these two men walking down those roads for all those years before they went off to war, and 90yrs later i would be their for them.

It so amazing, i too was so surprised at the way the young children including some little 5 year olds in the rainbows, behaved so respectfully.

It was a long wait and after all the groups marched in with the band they must have had a hour standing in the bitter cold, yet they made no complaint.

Carol x

At 11 this morning I attended an Outdoor Remembrance Service at the MoD establishment where I work. This is a voluntary event and was well attended (many more than last year).

We are currently in the process of raising funds for a memorial sculpture to be placed in the piazza which is a central place on the site, which opened in 2000. This will be the focal point of next years service.

Pipers Lament, Last Post and Reveille all well executed with lament appearing especially poignant. The only blemish being a small private plane flying overhead for some of the time.

Dave

At 11.00am I was in the front room of my parlour next to my window display of WW1 - WW2 militaria. At 11.00am I stood up and bowed my head in remembrance of all those who gave up there lives so I could sit in my warm office and drink tea my thoughts went out to those men, among them my nephew Pte Thomas Haggerty Royal Scots KIA 3-3-91 Iraq.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning WE WILL REMEMBER THEM


Dan

Good man , Macrae

Norman

I to felt very moved watching this mornings service, bless him you just want to shake their hands.

Heather

RIP Thomas Haggert.

There is a pretty good chance that I met your nephew Dan. I belonged to a REME team which was tasked to carry out a mod programme on the Warrior fleet prior to the start of the ground war. The Royal Scots were our first 'customers', followed by the RRF and then a composite Guards battalion.

Good blokes one and all, with some very imaginative and generous 'Compo Kings' amongst them.

Not one is forgotten.

Nigel

Special thoughts for those recieving telegrams 90 years ago today, of the loss of loved ones at the front and of those who would die of their wounds in the days and weeks to come.

Deeply moved by these old men,nearly too much.
I thought Huw Edwards very good.
Thought having Johnson Beharry VC there,a nice touch.

I had the privilege of being at the Cenotaph today. Got closer than on Sunday when the nearest me and eldest daughter could get was Parliament Square. Virtually opposite the Cenotaph but so many Officer Brass there could only just see, so big screen was a relief. Huge clapping when they came out, and also from all the officers etc. Very moving, guy near me wearing his GSMs from Bosina etc was wiping his eys, as was i.
Skipped work but what the hell

I had to be there, to remember my great uncle who didnt come back, and my grandfather who did. AND for all those we must remember!

Andy

I spent the two minute silence holding hands, head bowed, in a circle with 30 Reception children, two have fathers in the Marines. For four and five year olds to manage this without a murmur I thought was fantastic. Yesterday they had seen the final reharsal of the school's Remembrance assembly which included a re enactment of the 1914 Christmas truce. I was suprised today how much they had understood and remembered.

I was there today as well, an incredibly emotional day. I was struggling to keep back the tears most of the day.

Michelle

Any photos Michelle?

Norman

Plenty of photos in my mind! Wayne had the camera, and didn't take any. I also went to Westminster Abbey to pay my respects to the Unknown Warrior.

Michelle

"Wayne had the camera and didn`t take any?"

Give him a good smack Michelle (if you have not already)

Best Wishes
Norman

For those who missed the BBC broadcast from the Cenotaph or wish to view this excellent programme again click on this from BBCi Player:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fk...f_a_Generation/

Norman

A very deeply moving day. Watching Henry trying to stand and lay his wreath got my tears rolling and then to see dear Harry Patch with head in hands and obviously very moved got my tears flooding out.

May no one ever forget these men and the men & women before them who have passed away to a better world

Wayne

I was privileged to be there - having arranged a West End meeting for noon - so only skived for 35 minutes.

The sum shone semi-warmly on us. Monty frowned across at us and Alanbrooke glowered down Whitehall towards Haig. There was that sense of a big occasion.

The vets were clapped warmly and Henry's efforts to stand drew a collective worried response from the crowd who willed him to succeed as the clock ticked down towards 11. As has been said, his warrior spirit ultimately lost the battle against his mortal frame but everyone just admired the gesture - no one begrudged the approaching 4 minute silence that followed. Not too many dry eyes in the house.

More applause as the great men went off to meet the frocks. Wouldn't have missed it for the world. Very special.