The September 11 attacks

[pushpinpussy]

21 years ago since Osama bin Laden orchestrated the attacks. How times flies. I'm sure everyone can remember where they were when this happened. I was staying at a friend's house in Knowle just outside Solihull when we were receiving texts to put the news on quickly. i still didn't believe it was happening even though we were watching live events. shocking

[gandhisflipflop]

I was paying football as it was the school holidays. I came home for a drink and stayed in for the rest of the day. Saw the second plane go into the second tower live on tv.

[CleggHall]

......but did this justify the war in Afghanistan?

[Burnley1989]

......but did this justify the war in Afghanistan?

No in hindsight, hopefully lessons have been learnt

[claretburns]

It was 3 days before my 9th birthday and it was the September holidays. I remember we were fishing (me, my dad and brothers) when my dad got a call and we suddenly packed everything up. Not understanding what was happening I had a right sulk on walking back to the car and on the way home. We got in the house with my mum stood in living room watching the news, about 5 minutes after getting home the 2nd plane went into the 2nd tower.

Even as a sulking 8 year old, I didn't understand the full severity of what was happening, but I understood this was bad and silently sat on a chair for the next few hours.

[TheFamilyCat]

Even now, 21 years later, I still can't quite believe the images of the planes hitting the towers and subsequent collapse.

[bumba]

It was 3 days before my 9th birthday and it was the September holidays. I remember we were fishing (me, my dad and brothers) when my dad got a call and we suddenly packed everything up. Not understanding what was happening I had a right sulk on walking back to the car and on the way home. We got in the house with my mum stood in living room watching the news, about 5 minutes after getting home the 2nd plane went into the 2nd tower.

Even as a sulking 8 year old, I didn't understand the full severity of what was happening, but I understood this was bad and silently sat on a chair for the next few hours.

You must of been fishing pretty close to home to receive a phone call then pack up and make it home within 12 minutes to watch the 2nd plane hit 5 minutes later haha

[claretburns]

You must of been fishing pretty close to home to receive a phone call then pack up and make it home within 12 minutes to watch the 2nd plane hit 5 minutes later haha

We were, my dad had his mobile on him for the call but we were fishing in a river at the bottom end of my parent's land, about a 5/10 minute drive to the house.

[1882Clarets1882]

We were, my dad had his mobile on him for the call but we were fishing in a river at the bottom end of my parent's land, about a 5/10 minute drive to the house.

A 5/10 minute drive on your land !!!? Why, thank you for your reminiscing your Highness!!

[Top Claret]

At work and popped home for a minute to see how the electrician and carpet fitter were getting on and they were sat watching the TV, I joined them and didn't go back to work

[Top Claret]

We were, my dad had his mobile on him for the call but we were fishing in a river at the bottom end of my parent's land, about a 5/10 minute drive to the house.

Are you king Charles 111 by any chance?

[Swizzlestick]

We were, my dad had his mobile on him for the call but we were fishing in a river at the bottom end of my parent's land, about a 5/10 minute drive to the house.

In which wing of your house did you watch the coverage?

[AlargeClaret]

......but did this justify the war in Afghanistan?

Probably not . As history has shown this really isn’t a country to go to war with , it never ends well .

[ElectroClaret]

I'd just finished a 6-2 shift and was sat in my car at traffic lights about 2.10 listening to Simon Mayo on Radio 2, when he broke the news about the first plane hitting the WTC.
Went home and watched the tv in horrified fascination.

[andyh]

I was at work and remember the shock of the first tower collapsing as being an even bigger shock than the plane hitting.

[brunlea99]

I was working at JP Morgan Chase in Bournemouth - a very sombre few days there.

[bobinho]

I was in Hohne, northern Germany. Watched it on the telly in my married quarters and I remember saying to mrs Inho “the world changes today”. Didn’t realise how prophetic that was.

[Hipper]

I was paying football as it was the school holidays. I came home for a drink and stayed in for the rest of the day. Saw the second plane go into the second tower live on tv.

School holidays on September 11th?

I was working at a school cutting grass in a tractor, listening to a cassette of music. A member of the PE staff stopped and told me. I'd vaguely heard of the twin towers but quite frankly I didn't know much about them. I continued cutting grass but turned the radio on and listened with interest but not taking in the full meaning of it. When I got home and saw the images on the TV I was stunned. Incredible.

Television has brought us a lot of images but these have to be the most spectacular and memorable I've ever seen (of course the moon landings should be up there but somehow they didn't feel so vital even if they are more historic). I hope I don't see anything worse.

[gandhisflipflop]

School holidays on September 11th?

I was working at a school cutting grass in a tractor, listening to a cassette of music. A member of the PE staff stopped and told me. I'd vaguely heard of the twin towers but quite frankly I didn't know much about them. I continued cutting grass but turned the radio on and listened with interest but not taking in the full meaning of it. When I got home and saw the images on the TV I was stunned. Incredible.

Television has brought us a lot of images but these have to be the most spectacular and memorable I've ever seen (of course the moon landings should be up there but somehow they didn't feel so vital even if they are more historic). I hope I don't see anything worse.

Yes I was off school. I remember it being plain as day in my mind. May have been a half term but definitely not in school.

[wilks_bfc]

Was in work at Queens Park Hospital with just myself & a colleague.

Remember Mark & Lard show breaking the news and then Chris Moyles afternoon show starting and them not really knowing what was happening

[Claret Till I Die]

It was school half term. My youngest was born a month before and I'd taken a weeks parental leave to help out as my eldest was off school

[claptrappers_union]

It was a Tuesday

[Rileybobs]

It was school half term. My youngest was born a month before and I'd taken a weeks parental leave to help out as my eldest was off school

Half term in the second week of September? It was my second day of sixth form college, so the school term had just started for me, may not have started yet for some.

[ksrclaret]

Yes school holidays were different back, going back earlier after the summer break and then having a September half term. I was away at the time because of the half term. Very dark times.

[claptrappers_union]

I was at college at the time, and I don’t think we’d officially started because I’d been to Asda that morning buying pens and so on. I was in my bedroom putting everything into my new bag when the news was breaking.

I remember my Dad ringing the home phone from work asking what was happening.

[wilks_bfc]

Yes school holidays were different back, going back earlier after the summer break and then having a September half term. I was away at the time because of the half term. Very dark times.

Also worth remembering that different areas in UK had different holidays then.

Nelson holiday times were different from Burnley’s and both were different from my cousins in Liverpool

[Claret Till I Die]

Half term in the second week of September? It was my second day of sixth form college, so the school term had just started for me, may not have started yet for some.

In Burnley the school holidays used to start on the first Monday in July, lasting for 6 weeks then back with a week at the second week in September. Nelson had 5 weeks at Summer & 2 weeks in September which from memory were the first two weeks.

[Hipper]

Yes I was off school. I remember it being plain as day in my mind. May have been a half term but definitely not in school.

Could it have been one of those 'Baker Days', when you would get a day off so teachers could have training?

[Goobs]

Walked into Epcot got about 10 yards past the gate before being confronted by a line of staff informing us the park was being evacuated.
Got the monorail back to the car park only to find out all busses had been seconded to evacuate the staff.
Made the long walk down the drive to the main road and found a petrol station where I was trying to work out how to call a cab when a local spotted us and offered a ride back to IDrive.
She was waiting to hear from her son who worked in the twin towers. She got a call just as she dropped us off to say he had not gone in to work that morning.

We spent the rest of the day watching the news unfolding on the TV in our hotel room.

So surreal.

[IanMcL]

Yes I was off school. I remember it being plain as day in my mind. May have been a half term but definitely not in school.

Sounds like truant!

[bfcjg]

How fast time goes. I had a colleague at the time whose son was in New York on holiday at the time on on his itinerary was a trip to Manhattan to include taking a trip to the Towers, her differing emotions from frantic phone calls and utter relief when he was contacted and confirmed he was safe and no where near the incident where quite profound to witness.

[Clowbridge89]

It was definitely September half term. In Burnley we used to go back to school at the beginning of August and had a week off in September. I’d just started in year 7.

[gandhisflipflop]

Sounds like truant!

Possibly, I know I was off school on that day

[ClaretAndJew]

I was also off school that day. Ivy Bank. I didn't start skipping school until 2002.

[beeholeclaret]

As “Claret till I die” said above we had the “September holidays” which is what they were called. September hols were never known as “half term” as that was reserved for end of October / start of Nov. It’s all changed of course and fits in with national curriculum so everyone goes away at same time nowadays as opposed to being spread over 10 to 12 weeks period.

[BurnleyFC]

Watched it unfold on the TV in the army canteen and even as a young, relatively fresh out of school squaddie, knew the **** would be hitting the fan for us further down the line.

[JarrowClaret]

Was in a tent in the Oman desert had just landed for a major exercise with the RM as enemy, they finished the ex and deployed to Afghanistan.

[NRC]

I was running on a treadmill watching the news (sound off).

I had been there a week earlier meeting with a realtor about taking office space there. Sadly he was present when it happened.

[NottsClaret]

I was working in Manchester at the time, the office manager said some idiot had flown his plane into a building, by accident. When it became clear what was going on, some people evacuated from the CIS tower in the centre. Seems ludicrous in hindsight, but that's how panicky the world was for a moment.

Booked a very cheap holiday to NYC a few months after.

[kentonclaret]

I had just taken delivery of a new TV and during the setting up process of scanning the channels there were scenes of skyscraper towers on fire which appeared to be scenes from a disaster movie. Only upon completion did it become clear that it was in fact the news channel.

[Woodleyclaret]

We were in the Crab and Lobster having our after school drink with Aussie staff
Someone started yelling at us to shut up and come over to watch the news on the pub tv.
There was deadly silence as we watched the terrible events unfolding.

[Taffy on the wing]

Picasso museum Barcelona......"We're sorry about your towers" people kept saying.
It was only when we got back to the hotel that it made sense.

[groove]

......but did this justify the war in Afghanistan?

It did at the time, and that's why it happened.

[Belgianclaret]

Watched CNN live after news broke & saw second plane collide & towers go down live…
Never to be forgotten

[Swizzlestick]

Had been out and about in the morning and early afternoon - think I’d be in the books at the library so was totally none the wiser. Found out via Chris Moyles, of all people, on his then afternoon show. Knew something was going on because they were only playing slower songs (not unlike now) with no breaks - weirdly I’ll always remember one of them being “Twenty Four Seven” by Artful Dodger feat Melanie Blatt. Odd the minute things you remember. Anyway, he just said something about I suggest you switch the news on and saw both towers enveloped by smoke.

[Claretmisterg]

I was at work when my manager at the time asked if I’d heard that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. He was a bit of a joker so I was waiting for the punchline but he said no it’s really happened and brought up a live news feed on his PC where they were discussing possible causes. Then we saw the second collusion happen live and it became clear it was a co-ordinated terrorist attack. It was absolutely surreal.

[Fez]

The BBC reported WTC 7 had collapsed 26 minutes before it actually did that day.

[bpgburn]

I was at work when my manager at the time asked if I’d heard that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. He was a bit of a joker so I was waiting for the punchline but he said no it’s really happened and brought up a live news feed on his PC where they were discussing possible causes. Then we saw the second collusion happen live and it became clear it was a co-ordinated terrorist attack. It was absolutely surreal.

Similar in as much as I was working and got a text from a mate who was a bit of a Joker saying "have you heard about the World Trade Centre?" I said no go on also expecting a punchline but he said " Get the news on". By that time both planes had hit so at first thought it was a fire, had the sound off as was in the office, then they started to show the clips of the planes hitting, just surreal.

[Clowbridge89]

I was also off school that day. Ivy Bank. I didn't start skipping school until 2002.

Sounds like we were at Ivy Bank at the same time

[Swizzlestick]

The BBC reported WTC 7 had collapsed 26 minutes before it actually did that day.

Read an article about this - was just a mistake based on some misinformation (ironically) from CNN. Imagine it’s an easy thing to happen with a fast moving, significant news story (especially with the then limited internet capabilities).