Lest We Forget

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month marks the end of the First World War, and on Armistice day we pause at this time for a two minute silence to remember all those who have died in conflict. At Cheltenhams Cenotaph wreaths of poppies were laid on Remembrance Sunday in a sober ceremony where the fallen were remembered. Lest We Forget.

Remembrance Sunday

Today is Remembrance Sunday. The day the Country stops at 11am, for two minutes, to remember all those who have given their lives in battle. Originally called Armistice Day, to mark the end of the First World War at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918, it was renamed Remembrance Sunday at the end of the Second World War. In the UK, and other countries around the world, Poppies are used to mark this day. The photo is part of the Field of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Cheltenham.

On the 11th of November 1918, 90 years ago, the Armistice was signed at 5.00am in a train carriage in the Forest of Compiegne in France, and came into effect at 11.00am. At 10.57am Canadian Private George Lawrence Price was killed with a single bullet to the chest while on patrol in Canal du Centre. He was the last soldier to die in action on the Western front.

The number of First World War casualties was over 40 million - 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. This huge number includes civilian and military casualties. The UK lost 885,138 Service men and women. Our Service men and women are still killed today during Service for their country. There has only been one year (1968) since the end of the Second World War when a British Service person hasn't been killed on active duty.

We owe these brave men and women our freedom and gratitude. Lest We Forget.
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Remembrance

I was originally going to post this photo of Cheltenhams War Memorial two weeks ago to commemorate Remembrance Sunday but due to the sudden and tragic death of my step-father I haven't been posting for a while. I would like to dedicate this post in remembrance of him. Mark, aged 53, was killed in a road traffic accident in the early hours of Saturday 10th November and leaves behind a shocked and devastated family. He was a man who lived life to the full and loved sport, running, music and real ale amongst many other things. His passing is an immense loss to family and his many friends, but all of the many happy memories of Mark are helping us all through this difficult time. At present I'm spending alot of time at my mums house so future posts will be intermittent.