Do the members of this forum think that the 11th of November should be a public holiday? This year I visited Ypres on the 11th November also visiting Tyne Cot and several other memorials during the day. Several persons on the coach commented on the fact that many shops and businesses appeared to be closed, a public holiday? I have seen it mentioned on this forum that in Canada the 11th is also a public holiday. When I was a child in the 1950's at 11 o'clock policemen on point duty used to stop all traffic in major towns and cities to observe the two minutes silence, this ceased mainly due to traffic congestion perhaps this could restart if the day itself was a public holiday.

I believe that it is also a public holiday in the US


Liam

An interesting thought; my concern is that it would be connsidered as a day-off (like a bank holiday) rather than a time of reflection and remembrance.

The last few years has seen a resurgence of observing the 2 minute silence, inclduing in shopping centres and offices. This is a good thing to my mind; the fact that people stop for a short while and then return to normal work seems to be more poignant than a complete day off.

I have to say that I concur with Delta, if it became a public jolly the impact of those who stop at 11:00am would be lost. I think the resurgence of the public desire to give those two minutes signifies far more than a national day off.

G

A public holiday is a matter for rejoice, quite inappropriate

Well I think that if you have the whole day off you are more aware(the general populus) the great majority of people i know never bother with the 2 minutes of silence and remembrance and i fact often get a" oh yes that was today wasn't it ".Or worse don't know about Remembrance day at all
MC

Our village remembrance parade was marred by the new clay pidgeon shooting club (mostly nouveau rich brummies I may add) blasting away right through the parade. The gun shots did however make you think that little bit harder during the two minutes silence. No need for a holiday, many people will go omn a jolly thus defeating the object.

Alan

I don't believe it is a public holiday in every province in Canada but I may stand corrected. It is in British Columbia and Manitoba, but I am not sure about the other eight provinces. Regardless, it is a public holiday for all Federal civil servants and possibly all Provincial civil servants in every province. In the 70's Remembrance Day meant everything was closed and even convenience stores were limited in their hours and what they could sell prior to 11 am. Slowly but surely all of these restrictions were chipped away. Now, as you might have guessed, it is basically a holiday and all the shops are open though, for example in BC, all government buildings are closed. It generally has also come to signal the first day of the Holiday Season adverts, also known now as "Christmas" as of late.

You are right to assume that it is little more than a "holiday" to many though certainly turn-outs for Remembrance Day ceremonies were high this year and there was plenty of attention given to the meaning or message of the day on television stations etc...

Oh, and last night while having a coffee at a Barstuck's with a buddy, we were informed that they were closing early at 7.30 pm on account of Remembrance Day--wow, their devotion to recognizing the solemn nature of the day knows no bounds.

It is a public holiday in Newfoundland and, as Phil pointed out, I too remember the traffic cops stopping traffic for those minutes. (albeit it was the late 60's/early 70's ). I realize the importance of the day due to family involvement in the war while I hear quite a few others proclaiming the joys of another 'paid holiday'. Sadly it seems to be the view of many younger people that it is indeed a holiday...not a day of Rememberance. I think as the veterans pass on so do some of their relatives idea that we should remember ALL the fallen. Hopefully there will always be people like those of this and other war forums who will continue to educate others as to the true meaning of Remeberance Day.

respectfully,
shawn

In Canada 11 November is a statutory holliday and is observed as such in all proviences, or at least it should be. Yes some will view the day as a holiday and no amount of education will change that, and whats the point of trying, let them go about their ways.

I am always impressed by the numbers that turn out to the memorial services, and it seems to be increasing, the war in Afghanistan seems to have brought the signifigance of the day back into focus for many people in the country. I think the observence of a public holliday is a good thing as it frees up the people who want to take part in the various cerimonies. This year's ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa had a huge crowed, I don't know the exact number but it was upwards of 20,000. Also I don't think we should sell the youth short. One only has to look at the crowd at a ceremony, especially the National one in Ottawa to see the number of youth in attendance. I think youth are more aware of the day in recent years than they have been in a some time, again I believe our involvement in Afghanistan accounts for this.

While it may be viewed as a holliday in the typical sence of the word by some, I have seen little in the way of disrespect to the day in Newfoundland. The christmas season seems to start around 9pm on 31 October and I have never seen a sales campaigne related to the day, unlike the ads I have seen on American television stations regarding veterns day sales.

In short I believe the observence of a public holiday on 11 November is a good thing. I don't believe it is inappropriate, nor do I believe it has become a time for out right rejoice in a break from work, or higher pay. There are some who will view it that way, and no matter what is done or said, nothing will ever change that, but it seems to me that a significant section of the population observes the dayin some fashion.

It is a public holiday here in British Columbia and to answer Centurion's comments the turnout this year was very good. The weather co-operated for a change and it was especially nice to see a large number of school aged children in the crowds paying their respects. I think that maybe Remembrance Day is making a come back and that people are respecting the true meaning of the day. The current situation in Afganistan no doubt has something to do with this.

Yours Aye
Mitch

It is not a public holiday in Australia, although there are ceremonies throughout the country. The day of commemoration and holiday for us is Anzac day (April 25) which is
a public holiday, having been judged the more appropriate day (don't know the reason for this and I have my own opinion).
David

I would like to see 11 November as a public holiday in UK. I don't think the argument that too many would just sieze on the idea of a day off really stacks up. Regardless of when the national day of commemoration falls there will always be those who chose not to participate and stay at home, or worse, go out and sit and rev thier engines while they are held in a queue of traffic as the parade goes about it's business.
Remembrance Sunday was, I believe, invented to lessen disruption caused in major cities when the parades and silence were held during the working week. If there was a national holiday the actual date could be honoured without excessive disruption being caused (although I do think that an hour or two of hassle is a small price to pay for what those we remember achieved for us), people would understand the significance of the day.
If there was a national holiday, I assume there would be some sort of trade off and I feel sure that Remembrance Sunday would be done away with, but if the actual anniversary was being remembered, would there be a need for an artificially selected day which was only brought in so that Remembrance wasn't too inconvenient.

Public Holiday for November 11th?
I'm all for it.

Cheers,

Nigel

Perhaps if the Rememberance Service was conducted on 11 Nov, rather than the nearest sunday, and the Armed Forces day moved from 26 Jun (an arbitory date I believe) to 11 Nov as well, a national public holiday would then be appropriate.

I agree Askar,

I've been fortunate enough to spend the 11th November in Ypres at The Menin Gate on a number of occasions. Of course, I realise that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to create the very special atmosphere that pervades not only that particular ceremony but the rest of that day as well .

However, I've always felt that holding it on the 11th helps give it an extra element of authenticity.

Harry

Why do you need the whole day, surely the 2 minutes silence for reflection is enough, if you want to take longer or take the day off as annual leave thats fine, but how does the country fill in the other 1438 minutes other than by taking a jolly? Do we force people to remember then get all uppity when they spend the day in the pub and then pi*s all over our memorials, do shops close? I can't see the major ones closing their doors for a day. In my lifetime (49years) I certainly have never seen Policemen stopping traffic except when random breath testing. If colonials or continentals want to take the day off thats the way they have always done it, and no matter what we might like to believe there are not masses of French or Belgians at their memorials on the 11th, in fact one of the complaints at Thiepval was because the hunters were shooting during the silence and the spud waggons were roaring up and down the road.

Keep it as it is and do it properly, we need a Day of Remembrance not a 'holiday' and the Sunday is the most convenient.

Mick

The Jour d' Armistice is a public holiday in France and is celebrated in towns and villages by a march to the war memorial by veterans, (regulars and irregulars) mayors and the public including children.Usually the town of village is barriered off and the local gendarmes ensure that traffic do not encroach.With towns having a bypass,it is not much of a problem for traffic but others not having bypasses,it means a detour through adjacent streets.In villages where the roads are not barriered off it is custom to treat the processions with respect so the norm is to park up until the procession has gone on its way and perhaps join those who view the proceedings from the roadside.My experience is that the celebrations are well attended.

Some might remember the British Sundays of the 1940s and early 1950s,the Jour d' Armistice is probably the akin to those far off days.

On November 11,it is traditional to have a total shutdown of commericial services and at one time it was very difficult to obtain motor fuel off the autoroutes. However the introduction of petrol station card card fuel dispensers has eased the problem in towns and it is possible to find the odd privately owned petrol station open on demand.Recently some hypermarkets have started to open, albeit it, with restricted hours,something which is starting to happen on Sundays in the tourist regions.

A public holiday for Armistice Day should be considered for the UK.I cannot see it being a problem as no doubt there would be business concessions such as those already enjoyed on Bank Holidays and Sundays but there would be cry of "on costs" to business of the holiday This would be 90 years after the end of the Great War whereas the French Jour d' Armistice celebration has been effective since 1918.Futhermore the French still have the vivid memories of the Second World War,their occupation and its toll of civilians as victims or those who took up armed resistance in addition to those who were lost in the regular forces.

The Jour d'Armistice is the second French public holiday in November.On November 1st,All Saints Day (La Toursaint) is celebrated whereby those Catholic saints not having their own saint's day are celebrated. It is also the day that the souls of the dead are prayed for.It is customary for relatives to visit family graves and adorn the graves with flowers.The other feature, I noticed on the Atlantic coast was that military graves in the communal cemeteries were dressed with flowers and many were graves of RAF crews and others that the sea had given up.It is not unsual to see the work of the local population looking after British graves in communal cemeteries.

A majority of people in the UK would treat it as day off work, a minority would give the occasion its deserved gravitas.

Moonraker

Maybe I am cynical and maybe the 11th of November will be an idyllic return of the ideal that many think the old days and the impressions of the continent conjure.

Mick

The problem with sunday, now, is that it is just another day. It has less significance as a 'day of rest' and as attendence at churchs continues to fall. The religious aspect of Remembrance has less and less significance to a ever growing majority of people, and there may even be a trend emerging of people stopping during the two minute silence on the 11 Nov because they don't connect with the religious ceremony on the sunday and they see this as a way of marking their respect in the most convenient way for themselves.

The key thing then to me is summed up by 'do it properly, we need a Day of Remebrance not a hoilday' and I certainly would never suggest a holiday in the sense of lets get pi**ed and go to Margate for the day. It would involve a cultural and moral shift in this country to achieve what I think many would like to see - respect for the war dead, respect for the survivors and gratitude to the Armed Forces marked in a fitting way.

The debate used to be if there was any future for Remembrance, now it would appear the debate is how and when - which must be a good thing.

Simple answer NO, better to hold all remembrance services on the 11th November throughout the country including the main event in London. The right month, the right day and the right time. If we as a nation cannot make what is such a small gesture for those who have made and continue to make the ultimate sacrifice for us then we are not worthy of them.

Regards
Norman

Definetly a public holiday, no two ways about it for me.

Definitely not, no two ways about it.

Now that I am retired and collecting two generous state pensions, I do not want the workers slacking any more than they already do.

While we are on the subject, how about abolishing one Bank Holiday a year until they all disappear?

[quote name='auchonvillerssomme' date='Nov 13 2009, 08:43 AM' post='1304085']
Why do you need the whole day, surely the 2 minutes silence for reflection is enough, if you want to take longer or take the day off as annual leave thats fine, but how does the country fill in the other 1438 minutes other than by taking a jolly?

Hello Mick,

When I said that I felt that the ceremony at the Menin Gate on the 11th November and the remainder of that day was "special", I was NOT suggesting that it is a pattern that we should try to introduce over here in the UK. I agree with you Mick: it just wouldn't work and for the cultural, moral and historical differences that you, Askar and Frank East have highlighted so clearly. However, I do believe that it should be held on the eleventh whatever day that falls on. At the moment it's celebrated in London at The Cenotaph and shown on TV and at memorials throughout the country. These "parades" tend to follow the normal Sunday church service and, as Askar has pointed out, the number of people who regularly attend church is declining. It's true that attendances rise slightly on Remembrance Sunday, especially when so many young lads are being killed in places like Iraq and Afghanistan but unless something is done to halt the trend, fewer and fewer people will make the effort to honour those who have served and died.

I won't pretend that I know what the answer is to this particular problem. Maybe there isn't one. Maybe, as you say, we should "keep it as it is" but you go on to say we "should do it properly" What do you mean by that ?

No, Mick I don't think you're a cynic. I've followed your postings too closely over the past two years to think that. Things are happening in our society that disgust me but as Seadog has said "...if we can't make such a small gesture....then we are not worthy of... those who made and continue to make the ultimate sacrifice".

Kind regards,

Harry

Quite disgusted here in the USA, as it is a national holiday that nobody actually gets off, except for government employees. I do believe that a day off can be focused to the memory of sacrifice, and this should be the case, and the practice.

Harry I do agree with you and Seadog but there is part of me that knows that the more effort we expect from people the less they will provide. I even get annoyed when I see servicemen and women parading in combat gear, and desert combats at that.

I can imagine the T.V full of adverts in the run up to the Rememberance Day Sales. It would turn into a commercial exploitation exercise with the true meaning buried as the masses head to their nearest shopping mall.
Not for me.

Stuart.

Rememberance day would be another public holliday that no-one could spel, like the Milennium Millennium Millenium December 31st.

Seriously, though, there ought to be another word; 'holiday' suggests festivities and recreational time, not reflection.

I'm not certain that another public holiday is what the economy needs right now.

Having said that the present government have discussed an extra holiday in the past and if we were to have another I can't think of a better choice - it wouldn't "exclude" anyone like further religious days might.

Taking on board some of the earlier posts, I feel it would have to be administered diifferently to the existing public holidays, specifically: 1. not moved to the nearest Monday (like in May and August) 2. not carried over to the Monday if it falls on a weekend (like at Christmas and NewYear).

But if people were to go out and spend money in shops, restaurants, pubs, etc, on the day...

It is indeed, unless you work for my company.

-Daniel

I think that if another public holiday was to be added to the UK calendar then I could not think of a better choice of date.

However, I share the reservations of many as I cannot help but view that, apart from an initial upsurge, it would probably not increase remembrance observance and that most people would view it as no more or no less than an extra day off work.

I believe that our current observance of Remembrance Sunday together with the additional remembrance services on the 11th when it is not a Sunday strikes a right balance.

Ian.

[quote name='auchonvillerssomme' date='Nov 13 2009, 02:10 PM' post='1304316']
Harry I do agree with you and Seadog but there is part of me that knows that the more effort we expect from people the less they will provide. I even get annoyed when I see servicemen and women parading in combat gear, and desert combats at that.
[/quote]

Now you've lost me Mick, I don't mean that I disagree with the point you are making here. As a nation, and I don't mean to castigate the millions who still espouse the values and attitudes we applaud, we seem to have lost our way somewhat. As a retired, long term, soldier of "mature age" it would be easy for people to scoff at my opinions and put it all down to the fact that at my age, I should know better.

Old age. That's my excuse, what's yours? I'm smiling while I type that but it doesn't appear to be "fashionable" to criticise the society we are stuck with today (not unless you are a reader of Littlejohn in The Mail - which I am). And yet, tragically, that's the"world" over here we live in at present. At least you have the benefit of having moved to a place where things appear to be in a less rapid downward spiral.

However, to get back to your posting. I can empathise completely with your first point ( that "the more effort we expect from people the less they will provide.") but I'm not sure I can agree with your second: that " I even get annoyed when I see service men and women parading in combat gear and desert combats". Why ? For me (not that I need it spelling out) it serves as a reminder for those who do need it that we are at war in a very real sense indeed and that those who are out there in these God foresaken wastes are fighting for US (that's 'us' not the U.S. but that's another story).

I hesitate to mention it again Mick but how would you like to see Remembrance Day "done properly"?

Harry

It has argued for a while that UK should have a Public Holiday between late August Bank Holiday and Christmas.
I concede the Economic argument,but that did not stop a previous UK Government,imposing a May Day Public Holiday.
Trafalgar Day has been mentioned,as a day of public break,from work,between Summer and Winter,i.e.Christmas.
Whether we scuttle off to the Coast,with the impending Traffic jams,to spend an extra paid day,away from Work is open to debate.The hoteliers would be happy,an extra day's business in Autumn.
WW1,is losing it's relevance,apart from Remembrance Sunday,when the Nations Greatest,take time out, at least for a camera shot,to acknowledge the debt they owe.I am referring to our Political Leaders here,not our Monarch.
November the 11th,has become symbolic,both with about the end of War and sacrifice and to Families of later generations,who have lost loved ones to conflict,and still do so, who are freely express their grief
Equally,retired Servicemen,should be allowed to parade, in their Monarch's presence,on Remembrance Sunday,both in acknowledgement to the Crown but also to remember fallen friends.
The reality,however,is that the Traders,of this Country,would make extra effort to advertise their Wares,in anticipation of bumper profits over the Holy(Christmas)period.
George

[quote name='dycer' date='Nov 13 2009, 05:33 PM' post='1304486']
It has argued for a while that UK should have a Public Holiday between late August Bank Holiday and Christmas.

quote )


The idea of another public holiday is little more than a "smokescreen". It's the last thing we need. Surely the real question that needs to be addressed is how do we redress the lack of interest that seems to permeate present day society?

Harry

What I would like to see happen is the following:-

1) All schools have the kids go to either the main service/parade in London. Or their local services.

2) All TV Stations at 11am to either show the 2 minutes silence in London, or stop broadcasting for 2 minutes, with a message of remembrance.

3) Broadcasts on TV during the day of documentaries regarding the wars and current conflicts, to educate the less educated.

Let's make it a day about what has happened and why this day exists.

If it was made a holiday the same thing would happen as has here on Anzac day. If it falls on a Sunday everybody is screaming for a holiday
on the Monday to make up for it. And, of course it has been achieved.
David

I sense that there is hesitation not to link remembrance of the past with the service of our Armed Forces today - would I be right?
I'm not saying that is wrong, there is a fine line between commemoration and glorification and that may be behind some peoples reluctance to make more of either Remembrance Sunday or a reinvigorated 11 Nov. It would be easy to point out that soldiers don't make wars - politicians do - and it is wrong to condemn those soldiers for any percieved mistakes in current foreign policy

Anyway in our world everyone has the day off on the 11 Nov, we get up change into our 'sunday best' and head off to our local cenotaph at about 1030, because all shops are shut, with those who've served resplended in medals, bowler hats and rolled umbrellas. The wreath is layed by a local lad recently returned fom operations, rather than some small minded local politicain. After the ceremony, which everyone takes part in, flowers are layed at CWGC graves throughout the country, and old soldiers regale the less fortunate who have never served, with tales of daring do (in the pubs which are allowed to stay open, because where else can old soldiers bore the pants off everyone. Believe me old soldiers never die - but the young ones wish they would!). The children attend street parties where little flags are flown and jelly and ice cream are served (in Nov?) In the evening we all watch her Majesty at the main ceremony in London, then after a lecture to the children on God, service and the Country, we all go to bed with a cup of horlicks.

In the real world, some ar*ehole has pi**ed over the local memorial on the way home from the pub on the Saturday night, the local scout troop can't appear because the scout leader was arrested after an investigation by the police into some disturbing images discovered on his computer, the ceremony has been cancelled anyway due to a group of anti war in afganistan leftwing apologists protesting that red poppes glorify war, and real soldiers shoudn't be there because they are imperialist lapdogs automatons; because children are present, everyone who wanted to attend hasn't filled in and return the CRB check in time. The padre who was going to speak refused on the grounds that soldiers presence at the ceremony and the statue on top of the war memorial was to militaristic, and the real heros are those who didnt go to war, because they were much more clever than the poor downtrodden, exploited fools who went off to war. The local community hall was double booked anyway, with the one legged lesbian transgender bisexual outreach group creche having priority, so tea and sandwichs had to be cancelled......blah, blah, blah.

Personally I would love children of today to be taught ' if you can read, thank a teacher; if you can read in English, thank a soldier' - but I'm baised.

oh, and moi, cynical?

QUOTE (britman @ Nov 13 2009, 07:27 PM)

What I would like to see happen is the following:-

1) All schools have the kids go to either the main service/parade in London. Or their local services.

2) All TV Stations at 11am to either show the 2 minutes silence in London, or stop broadcasting for 2 minutes, with a message of remembrance.

3) Broadcasts on TV during the day of documentaries regarding the wars and current conflicts, to educate the less educated.

Let's make it a day about what has happened and why this day exists.

Hello Britman,

I can't argue with any of that. I particularly like your final point : that it should "be a day about what has happened and why this day exists". Mind you someone would oppose the idea on the grounds that some minority group or other would be offended or have their "human rights" transgressed!

Harry

I don't know if this is directly relevant but what we've been discussing here is the attitude of members of this country's population vis a vis the sacrifice of those who died in two world wars and are still dying today in places like Afghanistan. The focus has been on how one could make the annual Act of Remembrance more significant than, perhaps, it has been in the past.

Today, perhaps because of the lousy weather here in the North West, I've sat in front of my TV and watched sport. At the beginning of the RU international against Argentina I was impressed by the way that every man, in BOTH sides, sang their national anthems with real gusto. In fact, at least one of the Argentinian players was in tears while he did so.

Later, I watched the beginning of the England vs Brazil game on ITV and the difference was quite pronounced. The Brazilian team sang their anthem with the same sort of fervour as the rugby players who preceded them but that can't be said for the the eleven players who made up the England team. Some of them didn't even open their mouths !!!! These are people, people like Wayne Rooney who, incidentally, was England's captain for the match, Wes Brown of Manchester Utd and James Milner of Aston Villa. They are paid a king's ransom for kicking a football around on a Saturday afternoon and yet they showed a complete disdain to the traditions of the country that nurtured them. They are supposed to be role models for the youth of today. If people like this can't even show any interest in the society to which they belong, what chance have we got to "educate" the rest of the population that those who died for us are worthy of their gratitude.

Harry

Hate the idea of a public holiday. It will be controlled by politicians, and therefore a complete ____ up. Also everyone will demand it be moved to a Monday when the day fell on a Sunday - defeating the object of its being Armistice Day.

I like Britman's suggestion (post 36). When I was still working in a School, we had an Armistice Day Assembly, at which the names of fallen past pupils were read out. This was one of the so-called "bog standard comprehensives", and it always went off well. We were fortunate to have a particularly good head of history who led the assembly and made it interesting. This could be an alternative to Britman's point 1 on school days.

Jim

I think one must be realistic.
I was taught by Teachers,who had either served in WW2,or may have done National Service.
History,at that time, comprised British early 20th Century History ending before August 1914 and European History ending September 1939.
There were School Assemblies,every morning,but Armistice Day was never singled out.
George

There must be many teachers on this site who have an opinion on what is taught in school today and how things are presented to the pupils. I would be interested in hearing their views - would any like to come off the fence and express a view, I promise its not really that dangerous in here, and you wont get shot , much ????

Askar,
That is a bit of an unfair question.
The School Syllabus is imposed from above.
Teachers can emphasise,what is important to them in a given Subject.
But surely the main emphasis is to give the student a well rounded education,without bias.
George

Dycer

I'm not asking teachers to espouce the party line, I'm asking them to give their real views on this forum. I could say (in my job) that we have a wonderful joined up approach to the war in AFG, and that all three services are doing their bit, fully funded and fully committed, we are quite happy with the lack of helicopters etc, etc, etc .... but my own opinion is - underfunded, under resourced and the RAF couldn't hit a barn door if they were firing from within the barn

You get my drift - this is an open forum and you are free to express an opinion without fear of repercussion - or so I hope, otherwise I've wasted the last 34 years, and the very people we revere on this forum died in vain.

Askar, Dycer

I seem to have started something inadvertently here. The current GCSE history syllabus (if I remember correctly) is largely modern history and includes WW1, Russian Revolution, Cold War etc. The students have a grounding in the facts and also have to do some interpretation of sources etc. Some schools (like mine) also take history students on battlefield tours to Flanders and the Somme. Obviously not everyone studies history, nevertheless this provides a basis for an Armistice Day assembly having some relevance.

I know that the sceptics amongst you will point out that schools used to be required to have religious assemblies, and did not adhere to that, but an Armistice Day assembly led by a suitable person could work as a viable alternative to attending a local service. Maybe a requirement to do either or.

Jim

britman,

I wish I had written that!

Ian.

Would gladly swap 11/11 for any other seemingly unimportant public holiday. We need to keep this spirit alight and the new generation seem willing to carry it forward

I just read 'A Pictorial History of World War One' by Ed Jablonski. It may have been printed in 1979 but still has pictures that show the stark realities of war. Maybe Britman's idea #2 could be a tv broadcast of a piper playing Amazing Grace while these (or similar) pictures are shown. I guess in this age of graphic violence shown on video games and movies the pictures wouldn't cause quite a stir unless.......people should be educated to the fact that the pictures are REAL, not CGI or other special effects. I may sound a bit cynical but I think there is a lack of awareness in a lot of people when it comes to the realities of war as compared to the pictures supplied to the school books, etc. Take this with a grain of salt everyone as I am just a person who realized that I was never educated about the truths of war, just the basics of when it began, ended, etc.
Sorry for wandering off the original topic!

shawn


edit: The Amazing Grace part is just a personal favorite.

QUOTE (Canning @ Nov 14 2009, 10:07 PM)

Askar, Dycer

The current GCSE history syllabus (if I remember correctly) is largely modern history and includes WW1....... the students have a grounding in the facts and also have to do some interpretation of sources etc.
Jim

Hello Jim,

I know a student who studied modern history (amongst other things) before going on to university to read archaeology (she's just started her third year). In a conversation I had with her just before she sat her 'A' level examinations I happened to mention that I was interested in World War 1. Her reply left me speechless. She said: "oh, we're doing WW1, it's really interesting. At the moment we're studying Montgomery's campaign against Rommel in North Africa"!!!!!!!

I nodded sagely and withdrew.

Harry