This was the day.

[waksupi]

He lifted his head to look over the muddy parapet of the trench. The morning was cold, with a freezing, drizzly rain. He watched as a rat gnawed at an exposed bone in front of the trench. He didn't know if it was one of his fellow dough boys, or if it were a dead French or German soldier. There had been so many killed.
The firing had continued all morning. And it had finally, slowly, came to an end, leaving an eerie silence, with only the rattle of his comrades gear, and the tromp of feet.
Slowly he rose to his feet. It was the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

[Dean D.]

Thank you for posting that Ric.

I hope everyone takes a moment to reflect at 11am today.

[DCP]

The War to end all Wars

Thanks so much

Miracle of Christmas

It was nearly 100 years ago and it was a simpler time and yet the world had erupted in major conflict which would come to be known as World War I, The Great War and The War to End All Wars. (Little did they know)
It was Christmas Dec 24 1914 an unofficial truce began. Officers and Soldiers on both sides of the trenches had been exchanging Christmas Carols, the German’s Silent Night and the English with English Carols.
Then a German Soldier came out of his trench with a white Flag lighted by a candle lit Christmas tree and ventured into NO MAN’S LAND. One by one Soldiers from both sides joined him; they came without weapons and met hand to hand. They exchanged gifts of Chocolate, Brandy, Cigarettes, Cigars, and Photos from home. They had joint services and burials of their brothers from both sides in the middle of NO MAN’S LAND. In one such service they all recited the 23rd Psalm. They even played Football (Soccer) by lighted Flares.
These men never faced each other again on the field of battle, a few days after Christmas they were moved from the front because upper command found they had become too “friendly” with the enemy
In the midst of brutal combat a Miracle of Christmas had truly happened.

[koehn,jim]

Thank you to all who served, they have made our liberty possible.

[gnoahhh]

"Bless 'em all, bless 'em all, bless 'em all,
the long and the short and the tall.
Bless all the sergeants and WO1's*,
Bless all the corporals and their bleedin' sons.
So we're saying goodbye to them all,
as off to their billets they crawl.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all!"


*Warrant Officer, British Army

[FLINTNFIRE]

Always makes me think of the poem In Flanders Fields

[DCP]

Many gave all
All gave some

Please thank a Veteran


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.


For our tomorrow
They gave their today

[JeffinNZ]

"Bless 'em all, bless 'em all, bless 'em all,
the long and the short and the tall.
Bless all the sergeants and WO1's*,
Bless all the corporals and their bleedin' sons.
So we're saying goodbye to them all,
as off to their billets they crawl.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all!"


*Warrant Officer, British Army

My late father use to sing that and I know it word for word. Thanks.

I get very emotional about WWI especially. It was a rude awakening for our nation at the hands of incompetent colonial masters.