-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
Let us not forget
- Thread starter The Baron
- Start date
John Young
master brummie
Birmingham Hall of Memory ,, today and Always,,We will remember them
Service to honour our Heroes,, 11 am
Service to honour our Heroes,, 11 am
V
Vintage Brumie
Guest
I used to go to school (Gunter road, Pype Hayes) with a boy called Bobby Lamb.
He later joined the Police Force ..... married an Irish nurse - served as a CI at Wilton road, Erdington police station.
He later joined the Police Force ..... married an Irish nurse - served as a CI at Wilton road, Erdington police station.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Here in Flanders we do not forget any of those people that helped to build our future, or forget those that were part of our family. We remember all our deceased on the 1st of November, All Saint's Day, with a National holiday and on that day the burial places are crowded with those that come to pay their respects.
On the 11th of November we pay special tribute to all those that gave their lives in the war. Here we have 175 Commonwealth War Grave cemeteries that are kept in almost perfect condition and a team work round the clock in a 20 year cycle to that end.
Here are some photos taken today at my local church yard, you will notice that the Flemish don't use poppies only chrysanthemums. One is of WW I veterans and one of WW II veterans. A load of leaves fell last night but will be cleared today.
Graham.
On the 11th of November we pay special tribute to all those that gave their lives in the war. Here we have 175 Commonwealth War Grave cemeteries that are kept in almost perfect condition and a team work round the clock in a 20 year cycle to that end.
Here are some photos taken today at my local church yard, you will notice that the Flemish don't use poppies only chrysanthemums. One is of WW I veterans and one of WW II veterans. A load of leaves fell last night but will be cleared today.
Graham.
john knight
signman
Lovely photos and a credit to the people who look after the graves.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Thanks John,
here's another lovely one I took this morning of a WW I veterans grave in my local church yard. The top line of the attached badge reads; 'here rests an old soldier', then underneath it reads; 'passers by remember him'.
At this time of the year, every evening in the 7pm prime time news, there is a special program on Belgian TV about the Commonwealth War Graves in Flanders. So you see no one here will ever forget their sacrifices.
Graham.
here's another lovely one I took this morning of a WW I veterans grave in my local church yard. The top line of the attached badge reads; 'here rests an old soldier', then underneath it reads; 'passers by remember him'.
At this time of the year, every evening in the 7pm prime time news, there is a special program on Belgian TV about the Commonwealth War Graves in Flanders. So you see no one here will ever forget their sacrifices.
Graham.
lencops
gone but not forgotten
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on , blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tried, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some detail
the old Lie.
Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) This poem by 2nd/Lieutenant Wilfred Owen MC tells how it was without the glory, glory hallelujah, he was KIA on Nov 4th, 1918 at 25yrs of age. Dulce Et Decorum Est the title of the poem, is a Latin saying (taken from an ode by the poet Horace) which means "It is sweet & right to die for your country". Len.
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on , blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tried, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some detail
the old Lie.
Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) This poem by 2nd/Lieutenant Wilfred Owen MC tells how it was without the glory, glory hallelujah, he was KIA on Nov 4th, 1918 at 25yrs of age. Dulce Et Decorum Est the title of the poem, is a Latin saying (taken from an ode by the poet Horace) which means "It is sweet & right to die for your country". Len.
S
Stitcher
Guest
I have just watche and listnend as the Royal Scotts Dragoon Guards played 'ABIDE WITH ME'. Very moving. God bless them all alive or dead.
This track was apparantly recorded in Basra. I will buy the CD next time we are out shopping.
This track was apparantly recorded in Basra. I will buy the CD next time we are out shopping.
A New Brighton mother to her 20-year-old RAF pilot son in a front-line squadron in France, two days later, on November 13th 1918.
I knew Norah quite well. None of this is yet ancient history.
Chris
My own darling boy,
Congratulations!!!
We have been very anxious about you as no letter came from you since
Thursday last (to Norah) until this morning, still to Norah. I feel sure that
you wrote your Sunday letter to me but I have not yet received it, no matter
dear, Norah came up with your letter to us to our room, with a beautiful
face saying “He’s all right” and that is all we want to know now. It has
been a wonderful victory and the odds against us have been greater than
anyone knows, but right has won, and you dear laddie have done your
share (not bit) in it, and we are all proud of you. Now we shall look for the
time when we will all meet again.
I got home on Monday night (we heard the good news at Blackpool).
Marjorie and I were walking along the cliffs near Norbreck when an old
woman told us, of course we could hardly believe it and both began to
weep with excitement but when we got back into the town the crowds were
already swarming the streets. The church bells began to peal and the flags
were all over the place, by 11.30, even the dogs and cats had a red, white
and blue ribbon on. Blackpool was full of troops and the boys seemed off
their heads. I don’t know how the troops, out there, went but you will give
us all details when you come home……………..
Goodbye for now dear. Heaps of love from
Mother
I forgot to tell you that I won the first prize at Mrs. Livesey’s whist drive?
Congratulations!!!
We have been very anxious about you as no letter came from you since
Thursday last (to Norah) until this morning, still to Norah. I feel sure that
you wrote your Sunday letter to me but I have not yet received it, no matter
dear, Norah came up with your letter to us to our room, with a beautiful
face saying “He’s all right” and that is all we want to know now. It has
been a wonderful victory and the odds against us have been greater than
anyone knows, but right has won, and you dear laddie have done your
share (not bit) in it, and we are all proud of you. Now we shall look for the
time when we will all meet again.
I got home on Monday night (we heard the good news at Blackpool).
Marjorie and I were walking along the cliffs near Norbreck when an old
woman told us, of course we could hardly believe it and both began to
weep with excitement but when we got back into the town the crowds were
already swarming the streets. The church bells began to peal and the flags
were all over the place, by 11.30, even the dogs and cats had a red, white
and blue ribbon on. Blackpool was full of troops and the boys seemed off
their heads. I don’t know how the troops, out there, went but you will give
us all details when you come home……………..
Goodbye for now dear. Heaps of love from
Mother
I forgot to tell you that I won the first prize at Mrs. Livesey’s whist drive?
I knew Norah quite well. None of this is yet ancient history.
Chris
W
Wendy
Guest
Chris, the letter is just a wonderful piece of history thank you for sharing it with us.
I thought you might like to read some of the contents of a letter written by my father's cousin who lost his life at the battle of the Somme.
Date 30th June 1916
My Dear Father and Mother,
I am so sorry to cause you grief but I have given orders that this letter to be posted only in case I am killed. I am going over the parepets in the morning with the infantry Colonel 5th Sherwoods. I am acting as liaison officer between the artillery and the infantry, and have with me three telephonists who lay wires across the front line to the Germans. The attack will be made under cover of dense smoke, and with a little luck we should get across all right, but one never knows.
We have been bombarding the Hun for a week now and thousands of shells have been rained on hos trenches. We all feel tired and so are the guns: their springs are broken and we have had to have new ones. If I get through, I hope to be relieved in twenty four hours and come back.
He then sends love to family members by name especially his brother.
Your affectionate son.
Give my love to all at grandma's and all relations.
1st July 1916
I am starting in 20 minutes. Thank you so much for all you have done for me, and all you have had to put up with from me; I am sorry. My love to you all.
He died on 1st July 1916 aged 21
I thought you might like to read some of the contents of a letter written by my father's cousin who lost his life at the battle of the Somme.
Date 30th June 1916
My Dear Father and Mother,
I am so sorry to cause you grief but I have given orders that this letter to be posted only in case I am killed. I am going over the parepets in the morning with the infantry Colonel 5th Sherwoods. I am acting as liaison officer between the artillery and the infantry, and have with me three telephonists who lay wires across the front line to the Germans. The attack will be made under cover of dense smoke, and with a little luck we should get across all right, but one never knows.
We have been bombarding the Hun for a week now and thousands of shells have been rained on hos trenches. We all feel tired and so are the guns: their springs are broken and we have had to have new ones. If I get through, I hope to be relieved in twenty four hours and come back.
He then sends love to family members by name especially his brother.
Your affectionate son.
Give my love to all at grandma's and all relations.
1st July 1916
I am starting in 20 minutes. Thank you so much for all you have done for me, and all you have had to put up with from me; I am sorry. My love to you all.
He died on 1st July 1916 aged 21
Last edited by a moderator:
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Thank you for such moving letters on a very moving day.
A day of very mixed emotions; one of joy that the war ended this day and one of sorrow because we know that nearly everyone's family had lost someone by the 11th November 1918.
My own mother's dad, my grand dad John Sheldon, didn't quite make it as he died a POW on the 23rd Dec 1918.
Today in Ypres at the Menin Gate they played the Last Post, this has been played more than 27 000 times since the end of WWI. Also there were thousands of British people attending the ceremony.
I have the case of a shell that was fired at the battle of Ypres and it always stands somewhere in our house, with poppies in it, to remind us not just today but every day. It is crudely engraved by a soldier ' Souvenir from Zonnebeke, Ypres, The Great War 1914 - 1919'. I often wonder if this poor man didn't know that the war had finished in 1918?
Graham.
A day of very mixed emotions; one of joy that the war ended this day and one of sorrow because we know that nearly everyone's family had lost someone by the 11th November 1918.
My own mother's dad, my grand dad John Sheldon, didn't quite make it as he died a POW on the 23rd Dec 1918.
Today in Ypres at the Menin Gate they played the Last Post, this has been played more than 27 000 times since the end of WWI. Also there were thousands of British people attending the ceremony.
I have the case of a shell that was fired at the battle of Ypres and it always stands somewhere in our house, with poppies in it, to remind us not just today but every day. It is crudely engraved by a soldier ' Souvenir from Zonnebeke, Ypres, The Great War 1914 - 1919'. I often wonder if this poor man didn't know that the war had finished in 1918?
Graham.
lencops
gone but not forgotten
Malta GC Memorial, hope its ok to post it on this thread. Len. https://website.lineone.net/~remosliema/index.htm
Bernard67Arnold
master brummie
I am hoping to get into Derby tomorrow (Fri),The 2rd Battalion The Mercian
Regiment(Worcesters + Sherwood Forester) are marching through the City
on their return from Afghanistan, my old regt; The Coldstream Guards have
just started a six month tour out there in Helmond.Yesterday the Mercian
lads were presented with medals by Prince Charles, their Colonel in Chief
at Sandringham House. Wheather or not you agree with the War, and I most certainly do not, our lads need the support of everyone in the land.
May well have some pics eventually (35mm), bye Bernard
Regiment(Worcesters + Sherwood Forester) are marching through the City
on their return from Afghanistan, my old regt; The Coldstream Guards have
just started a six month tour out there in Helmond.Yesterday the Mercian
lads were presented with medals by Prince Charles, their Colonel in Chief
at Sandringham House. Wheather or not you agree with the War, and I most certainly do not, our lads need the support of everyone in the land.
May well have some pics eventually (35mm), bye Bernard
Bernard67Arnold
master brummie
Thousands of people lined the streets of Derby yesterday to welcome home the Mercian Regiment after a Tour of Afghanistan.About 450 soldiers
marched through the City, led by Private Derby , the Ram who is their mascot. I have never seen so many folk in the City centre since the Brian
Clough days, The Regiment lost five members during their last tour The
people of Derby really gave them a warm welcome, every corner of the City was jam packed with people, cheering, waving flags, well done Derby
Cheers Bernard
marched through the City, led by Private Derby , the Ram who is their mascot. I have never seen so many folk in the City centre since the Brian
Clough days, The Regiment lost five members during their last tour The
people of Derby really gave them a warm welcome, every corner of the City was jam packed with people, cheering, waving flags, well done Derby
Cheers Bernard
W
Wendy
Guest
Bernard I am pleased to hear that the town and I expect many others turned out to welcome the lads home!
George1468
master brummie
Hi John, Beware when you come to visit. The whole area around Alrewas and Burton on Trent is above a high water table. If you can, come in the Summer. I was there last Thursday, we had a marvelous time, it's full of interest but was very muddy. Put your wellies in your luggage. Regards, George.
George1468
master brummie
Hi Stitcher, They are a brilliant band.. Make sure your CD contains 'Highland Cathederal', Regards George
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
For those of you that are interested in WW I. Today there was an article in the 'Flanders Today' newspaper about the fantastic award winning ‘Flanders Fields Museum’, Ypers in Belgium. I'm also including a link to the museum web site; listen to the audio player in the bottom right hand corner it's very moving.
https://www.inflandersfields.be/
Graham.
https://www.inflandersfields.be/
Graham.
