Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance 2020 (BBC1) 9PM

[tiger76]

I hope it's OK to post this thread, any remembrance events are strictly a-political, and purely about remembering the sacrifices these brave men and women made to ensure freedom for present generations, and their ultimate sacrifices should never be forgotten.

We will remember them.

[bobinho]

Absolutely we will.

I shall visit the memorial tomorrow morning as I always have done and continue to do.

[Bosscat]

I hope it's OK to post this thread, any remembrance events are strictly a-political, and purely about remembering the sacrifices these brave men and women made to ensure freedom for present generations, and their ultimate sacrifices should never be forgotten.

We will remember them.

As Tiger says


We will remember them ......

Nuff said and if this thread bites the dust .... shame on those that do it.....

[bfcjg]

We will be paying our respect tomorrow at the cenotaph in Burnley, a simple thank you and a few moments quiet reflection.
We will remember them.

[Zlatan]

They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Lest we forget

[COBBLE]

Is anything happening in Burnley, outside the library?

[bobinho]

Shamefully, can’t find any reference to it whatsoever on the council website.

Not Even an acknowledgement that private remembrance and reflection should be observed this year.

It would take less time than the act of remembrance itself to post that up....

[ClaretPope]

The Council has said that there can be no formal gathering this year. The Burnley Branch of the Royal British Legion says:
Remembrance Parades There is NO Parade or Service this year. Both the Branch and the public are advised that it is against the Law to organise an event or take part in an event that has been organised. a Fine of up to £10,000 can be administered to those who do not comply. The NEC and the Branch therefore respectfully ask none of it's Members to risk this. Members cannot hold the RBL responsible should they receive a fine.
We would also advise everyone to lay their tributes throughout the day and not just at 11am. Avoid mass gatherings then you avoid being fined.

[Funkydrummer]

I have seen or heard it somewhere that they are asking that we stand at our front doors at 11 o'clock for a minute.

I'll be there.

[ElectroClaret]

Remembering my late father who came ashore on Sword beach Normandy, on DDay 6th June, 1944.

Lest we forget, indeed.

[evensteadiereddie]

A superb job from the BBC under difficult circumstances for obvious reasons, quite lively and, as usual, thought-provoking with due respect being paid to, amongst countless others, the survivors and victims of WW2 in the Far East.
Quite interesting to see our village's finest, Commando Gordon Payne, speaking of his experience of the Korean War.
I'm hoping at least some folks will gather, safely, at the village's war memorial tomorrow.

[Whitgord]

Echoing the sentiment above. I also was very impressed with the BBC’s festival tonight. I thought the marine who played the electric guitar was brilliant.

[nil_desperandum]

There are some village churches holding outdoor commemorations at their War memorials, including The Last Post, wreath laying and some music. It is permitted under the new regulations.

[nil_desperandum]

The Council has said that there can be no formal gathering this year. The Burnley Branch of the Royal British Legion says:
Remembrance Parades There is NO Parade or Service this year. Both the Branch and the public are advised that it is against the Law to organise an event or take part in an event that has been organised. a Fine of up to £10,000 can be administered to those who do not comply. The NEC and the Branch therefore respectfully ask none of it's Members to risk this. Members cannot hold the RBL responsible should they receive a fine.
We would also advise everyone to lay their tributes throughout the day and not just at 11am. Avoid mass gatherings then you avoid being fined.

See link below (updated Nov 5th):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... nce-sunday

[bobinho]

The Council has said that there can be no formal gathering this year. The Burnley Branch of the Royal British Legion says:
Remembrance Parades There is NO Parade or Service this year. Both the Branch and the public are advised that it is against the Law to organise an event or take part in an event that has been organised. a Fine of up to £10,000 can be administered to those who do not comply. The NEC and the Branch therefore respectfully ask none of it's Members to risk this. Members cannot hold the RBL responsible should they receive a fine.
We would also advise everyone to lay their tributes throughout the day and not just at 11am. Avoid mass gatherings then you avoid being fined.

Downing st has stated that remembrance events could go ahead this year despite the national lockdown, as long as they were outside and social distancing was observed.

So I shall be in attendance at the memorial garden and I shall avoid a fine.

[nil_desperandum]

Downing st has stated that remembrance events could go ahead this year despite the national lockdown, as long as they were outside and social distancing was observed.

So I shall be in attendance at the memorial garden and I shall avoid a fine.

This is correct.
The official guidance remains stay at home, but small-scale ceremonies are permitted, and outdoor exercise is permitted, so we will be taking our Sunday morning walk in one of the local village squares between about 10.45 and 11 today, listening to the Last Post, and joining in "legally" with the National Anthem.

[Dark Cloud]

My grandfather was a twin and both he and his twin brother were fighting at The Somme in summer 1916. His twin brother was killed and my grandfather was badly injured and brought home. As with all servicemen who died over there at that time, his twin brother was buried on or near the battlefield. All his life my grandfather wanted to return to France to visit his grave, even though he wasn't sure where it was, but he died in 1967 and never got his wish. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site is excellent and these days they have a picture of every single recorded grave in a very one of the hundreds and hundreds of war graveyards all over over northern France (and indeed the world). A couple of years ago I used the web site to track down my Grandfather's twin brother's grave and I took my 87 year old mum (my grandfather's daughter) to France to visit it. It was a most moving and humbling experience and my mum cried over the grave, especially realising that no family had ever visited that grave in the 100 years it had been there. The CWGC employ local gardeners to tend every single grave in every single graveyard and they do an unbelievable job as everything is utterly immaculate and that in itself is very moving to see. We stayed near Albert and found that the whole area around The Somme is extremely fertile and agricultural and so has remained largely unchanged, unspoiled and undeveloped, meaning there is so much still to see. The iconic places you hear about and which have gone down in history as synonymous with the horrors of war are there to be visited and pondered and reflected upon and when we went it was May and the weather was beautiful and the whole area was picture postcard stuff which was ironic given the mud and total devastation we see on newsreels. The Somme section of the front line in 1916 was only about 14 miles long, so it's very easy to drive along it and stop and see and to take in. It's an extremely emotional and very, very sobering experience and it seems to give an extra meaning to "remembrance" and having a relative's grave to visit just made it all the more so.

[bobinho]

This is correct.
The official guidance remains stay at home, but small-scale ceremonies are permitted, and outdoor exercise is permitted, so we will be taking our Sunday morning walk in one of the local village squares between about 10.45 and 11 today, listening to the Last Post, and joining in "legally" with the National Anthem.

Well done sir, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I have fully complied with every stage of this lockdown, right from the start, and continue to do so, but today my “exercise” consists of a walk down to the memorial garden, aiming to get there just before eleven o clock. It’s one thing I refuse to compromise on.

Lest we forget.

[conyoviejo]

Remembering my grandad who was killed in WW1 and all the other brave soldiers from both sides who lost their lives due to no fault of their own during both World wars. Also to all the brave animals who lost their lives contributing to the war efforts.I will be paying my respects at 11 am .. R.I.P. to all those brave souls who gave their lives to protect their country and fellow people.

[wilks_bfc]

Will be remembering my grandad who along with his 5 brothers who all fought in WW2 and all returned, one via a Japanese POW camp, which was some achievement.


This was from my grandads return to Normandy when we took him in 2012

[bobinho]

A very good turn out at the memorial garden, religious leaders, local dignatories and the RBL all in attendance along with ex servicemen and women.

As solemn an occasion as it is, I feel rejuvenated and all the better for attending. I’m glad there was something in place, despite the lack of notice and information. Well done to those involved in the organisation, and well done to those who attended.

[ClaretTony]

I’ve paid my respects this morning at home. One thing I’ve not been able to do this year is purchase a poppy.

[clansman]

It’s the thought that counts Tony. Both last nights televised service and today at the cenotaph were strange but very poignant and moving.

[HunterST_BFC]

+ BBC2 10.45
"They shall not grow old"

Everyone should see this...

[nil_desperandum]

A very good turn out at the memorial garden, religious leaders, local dignatories and the RBL all in attendance along with ex servicemen and women.

As solemn an occasion as it is, I feel rejuvenated and all the better for attending. I’m glad there was something in place, despite the lack of notice and information. Well done to those involved in the organisation, and well done to those who attended.

Very similar at Worsthorne.
Fantastic bugler - very poignant, the clock striking 11, and even a "choir" singing "I vow to thee" and National anthem.
There was a very good attendance, but all households, seemed to be keeping a good distance.
With pretty mild weather (for November) and no rain, it was one of my best experiences of the past few months.

[HunterST_BFC]

+ BBC2 10.45
"They shall not grow old"

Everyone should see this...

Just a bump for thread for this at 10.45

[Terry Cochrane]

The falling of the poppies from the roof of the RAH gets me every year. Such a very poignant moment of the year.

[tiger76]

Observed the silence at home this year, maybe it's because we've had a small taste of what those generations experienced, but it was especially poignant this year, bizarrely the quietness even at the Cenotaph was moving and haunting in it's own way, despite the reduced numbers it was important that this tradition carried on as normally as possible under the current circumstances, a shame that such a momentous anniversary the 75th since the end of WW2, and also the 80th since the Battle of Britain couldn't be marked by a larger attendance, but alas that can't be helped, and as others have stated it's the thought that counts, and our continuing recognition of the sacrifices that those mostly young men, but also a large proportion of women gave for us to enjoy our present freedoms and peaceful existences.

It's even more important as the war time generation gradually diminishes year on year, that their memories are kept alive through their younger family members and the current generations, there does appear to have been a greater awareness of this over the past decade, whether this is due to the amount of major anniversaries idk, but it's vital that this is sustained, and I'm sure it will be, even though the number of living WW2 veterans will naturally decline, it's important to mention that Remembrance Sunday isn't only for the 2 great wars, it's also for the many other conflicts throughout the centuries, hence why some of the music was military marches like "Men of Harlech".