• 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
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

We Shall Remember Them

B

Beryl M

Guest


To those who fell in all wars all over the world​

We Shall Remember Them
In the rising of the sun and its going down,​
In the cold stillness of winter's chill​
In the breath of springtime at its twilight hour​
In bright summer's drowsy scent of flowers​
In the rustling of leaves - music of autumnal winds​
In the beginning of the year and when it ends,​
When thoughts bear down and we shed a tear​
When we have special celebrations we yearn to share,​
So long as we live, they shall live too, ​
For they are part of us - it's true​
We Shall Remember Them.​
 
"they Said "

They said it was the war to end all wars, but we all knew they lied
They said you'll come back as Heroes but most of my comrades have died
They said we would have the best of everything but we never did
They said they would be right there with us but the leaders ran and hid
They said it wouldn't last long: it would all be over in less than a year
They said they were suffering too, but I never saw one shed a tear
They said the Germans were the enemy, they called them Nazis or the Huns
They said they were animals, but they too were Fathers, Husbands or Sons
They said We were winning and that what we did would be remembered forever
They said our appalling conditions would get better, but of course they never
They said lots of things which they believed were true, but they were lying
They said we were all brave, but you don't feel brave when your mates are dying
They said when this was over, war would never again raise its ugly head
They said we would all live in peace, it never happened, but its what They Said
 
A Loving Brother who gave his life,for what?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Likewise my Uncle William.....RayD. It is a very sad time of the year. Here in British Columbia it is a long weekend. I always look forward to the old aeroplanes flying past our house into Vancouver in time for 11:00am on Sunday. It is a very moving fly past as is the 21 gun salute at HMCS Discovery in Stanley Park and, of course, the march past of the war veterans
at Victory Square in Vancouver and the many parades in the suburbs also.

Thanks to Beryl for those moving poems helping us to focus on how dreadful and wasteful wars are.
 
Lest We Forget

attached photo was in Palestine 1946, I swopped duty with the soldier being buried, because he had seen the film that was on in the camp that night and I had`nt. I had to help with the funeral I am centre of the 3 carrying the coffin. Was it Fate or luck of the draw.View attachment 9986
 
Geff - Fate or Luck - No matter how many times one asks 'why', the answers will never come in this lifetime. A touching piece just the same. . .

I think you should contact Dennis I believe he was in Palestine in 1947
 
Passchendaele

A minor incident during the Battle of Passchendaele, at night, October 1917


"......we gathered our equipment and assembled outside the pillbox. We were to take a Lewis gun on this occasion as it would be useful in consolidating our post if successful.

Our party numbered sixteen including our officer, Mr. Pettigrew, who had volunteered to take charge of the party and who was a man of remarkable courage and coolness. The sector that our battalion of the Sherwood Foresters was then holding was part of the Ypres salient and was in front of Menin which the Germans were then occupying. For days there had been continual artillery bombardments by both sides which made it extremely dangerous for troops on the move. Casualties usually occurred whilst battalions relieved one another. There had been fighting in this area for some considerable time so that the ground was covered with shell holes. For miles and miles everything had been levelled down and not even a blade of grass existed but here and there a tree stump showed itself. Excepting the pill boxes there was hardly cover for a mouse.

We started off and followed the white tape up to the front line as best we could, picking our way amongst the shell holes as the night was fairly dark. Almost as soon as we set off Fritz opened out a heavy artillery bombardment on the pill boxes that our battalion was occupying. Unfortunately one of our men in the rear of the party was hit by a piece of shrapnel and had to be taken back by one of our stretcher bearers. The rest of the party proceeded as fast as possible and very soon the shells were dropping right over us.

We got to the front line and there we stopped until it was time to start out on our dangerous task. We had a few hours to go and during this time we kept up our spirits as best we could and tried not to let our thoughts dwell on what was before us. Our officer and I went out to reconnoitre so that we should know the best way to take our party.

We were to take up positions around the two pill boxes whilst it was dark. Now the Germans had a strong point called Lewis House just to the right of these pill boxes where they had several machine guns and in the event of an attack would have turned them on us. However at 6.45 a.m. a battery of our guns was to open up for about five minutes on the strong point and this was thought sufficient to smash it up; after this we were to make our attack. We were also told not to be disturbed by a preparatory barrage put up by our artillery at 6 o'clock. This barrage had been kept up for some days as a division was going over the top three days following.

The officer and I after reconnoitring for some time rejoined our party and shortly after we set out. Our objectives lay to the right of the Menin Road which we followed for some little way. Then the officer gave the order to lie down there and he and I went on ahead. We reached a point about 30 yards from the two strong points and he then sent me back to guide our Lewis gun team up which were placed in one shell hole. Then I returned for about four other men who were placed in another shell hole.

It was some minutes after 6.00 then and the artillery barrage had started at six. I had gone back to fetch the remainder of the party and had to stop several times on account of Very lights going up. The ground here was literally covered with dead bodies in all positions and every now and again I would sink into the swampy ground. I remember it now as a nightmare.

So far everything had gone well but the artillery barrage had evidently made the enemy more on the alert as unfortunately for us they sent up several Very lights at the same time which lit up the ground all around. Although the party concealed themselves as much as possible they saw us and then the fun began. First of all they threw bombs at us and our men threw some too. Seeing that we hadn't a chance our officer gave the word to retire. The Lewis gun was abandoned. I fired one shot and then found that I couldn't reload on account of the breech being covered with mud which had got there whilst I was crawling backwards and forwards. Several machine guns were then opened out upon the party who were then running down the Menin road. Crossing one shell hole whilst endeavouring to join them one of my legs sank into the soft mud; however after a short time I managed to extricate myself and join the party on the road.

By this time dawn was creeping in and the machine gun bullets were going dangerously near us. There must have been not less than three machine guns firing at us. However we reached the front line trench not having lost a man whilst retiring down the Menin road. Here we called the roll and found one man missing. He it was discovered afterwards was wounded in the first attack probably by a bomb and taken prisoner.

It was really wonderful how we escaped being wiped out whilst retiring down the Menin road. However after I got in the trench I discovered that I had had a bullet cut my belt and take a piece out of my bayonet. Another fellow had a bullet pass through the canteen which was strapped on the back of his belt. Two very narrow shaves. However a miss is as good as a mile......"

Footnote:​
Lt. Pettigrew was killed a day or two later by a shell burst. The writer of this memoir was at his side at that time and was wounded. After repatriation he recovered and lived until his 90th year. Here is the piece of German artillery shell which very probably saved his life.​
 

All so very sad C hris - The battle of the Belgian Cross Roads Passchendaele Village was one of the bloodiest battles of all time. Winston Churchill called it – ‘a forlorn experience of valour and life without equal futility’.​
 
Passchendaele

Anyone read Lyn Macdonald's "They Called It Passchendaele" The story of the Third Battle of Ypres and the men who fought in it?

A wonderful doccument told by those men and women who were there, not some romantic novel sucked out of a writers thumb. Really terrible reading that brings water to your eyes at the horror and futile loss of young people. Our grandparents! There must be very few families that didn't lose someone in WW1.
 
Beryl M said:
We Shall Remember Them
.​
Click to expand...

When my dad was buried in Witton Cemetery in 1992, representatives of the Ex-Servicemen’s Association attended. They were not expected. They played the last post and recited the poem quoted. I was, not normally being a sentimentalist, quite moved by the whole procedure.​
My dad was an atheist, and I must admit I tend to be of the same persuasion. But seeing this, on a cloudy, overcast day moved me in a way I would not have expected. As his coffin was lowered into the ground, the clouds broke for a few seconds and a ray of sun shone down directly onto his coffin. I don’t attempt to explain it but it was a sight to see.​
My respects to the gentlemen that attended and saw an old comrade off. May your shadows never grow shorter.​
 

"They shall not grow old as we who 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."​
I am sure Paul as your dad’s coffin was lowered into the ground time stood still for you, and when the sun rained its beams of fire your thoughts blazed with hope. . .
 
Cadeau said:
Nice thoughts from everyone. My mom, Lily Webb, lost her dad in WWI and her husband in WWII, how she suffered.

https://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=4040977

I have a vase, on my desk filled with poppies, made from a Battle of Passchendaele shell, to remind me every day of the year, not just today.
Click to expand...

Now I can add a photo of that vase engraved ' Souvenir from Zonnebeke, Ypres, The Great War, 1914 - 1919.

Graham.
 
Beryl M said:

I am sure Paul as your dad’s coffin was lowered into the ground time stood still for you, and when the sun rained its beams of fire your thoughts blazed with hope. . .
Click to expand...

Yes, I am not an out and out atheist, just tend to that position. But seeing that was extraordinary.
 
My Dad was in Palestine around the same time as you Geff, here's his picture.. (middle one on the second picture)

Also can any one help with the cartoon drawn by my Great uncle Jeffrey Shakespeare (missing in action Aug 1916 - tha Battle of Delville). I want to know which Birmingham newspaper it was printed in so I can obtain a better copy.

Thanks all.
 
All the people we remember at this time of year, made this country what it was. Modern politicians have made it what is today. In my opinion Britain was better then than now.
 
I agree with you Trevor to me not giving someone the credit they deserve is an insult:

It is the Soldier not the clergyman
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Charles M Province
 
I see The Technology School In Bedminister Down told pupils the two minutes silence would take place in the lunch break so as not to disrupt lessons. In The Daily Mail today.
 
What a sad commentry Trevor - when I was a kid at St Mary's we all assembled into the hall - prayers were read - traffic stopped in the streets for the two minutes silence -

People think their life is more important than to spare two minutes silence to those who gave their lives so they might live - How selfish are they it just boggles my mind
 
Very sad. Lovely words Beryl. The Daily Mail article somewhat reflects the way that everything has to "fit in" with some sort of schedule that people follow like sheep these days.
I can remember when I was very young, say eight years old, that would be l948, standing in Erdington Parish Church on Remembrance Sunday and at the two minute silence hearing the sobs from relatives who had lost their sons in the two World Wars. I have never forgotten that or the beautiful red silk poppies that were available to buy. Followed by the subsequent Remembrance Sundays when we all prayed for peace at every one of them. Today, Britain has lost it's 300th soldier in the Iraq war. God bless all of them. I mean that sincerely. Peace has never really been achieved over the years but there is always hope.
 
Mike Shakespeare, if you look at the cartoon again and the words, it looks as though it was sent to the "Birmingham Weekly Post" now defunct, but the Birmingham Reference Library should be able to help.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top