Every year, The Royal British Legion leads the Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall, London.
I wasnt going to watch all of it, but found that I couldn't really leave it. It is much the same format each year, with performances from military bands, processions and songs from well known singers.
This year, however, seemed much more 'memory based' . There were so many tales of bravery and sacrifice. We saw service personnel or their families narrating some sad and horrific tales. There were stories of pride , stories of sorrow and grief. But in all of this the resounding feeling was of hope for the future, and of never letting the memories disappear.
Near to the end, a lady. Marie Scott, an ex Wren, said
'.....we'll all be gone. and the children will have no living person to ask 'What happened to us?' or to hear about our experiences. Therefore it is so important to pass on the message ro future generations.'
I so wish that I had asked more questions of my grandfather, who served in the First World War. All I can remember is him telling me of his horse which he rode in France. Why didn't I ask more? I suppose, as a child, I took time for granted, always thinking that there would be other days.
They gave their tomorrows for our todays.
12 comments:
There is a kind of sadness in thinking that soon there will be no people who who remember the old wars first hand. One thing I am glad for is that many authors are writing historical fiction of these times. Hopefully it will help the next generations to keep the stories and lessons learned from disappearing. To hold them in our hearts. Thank you, Barbara, for your post as we "Remember" this weekend.
It’s good to experience it indirectly, even if it sometimes feels a bit ‘showy.’ But you can see what happens when we forget and don’t talk about the efforts people have made and the events they’ve gone through. Look at the situation in the Netherlands – the same thing is happening as in the 1930s (hatred towards Jews), but now it's coming from young people of Moroccan descent. They don’t truly know our history. So, I think that a day like yours in November and ours in May is extremely important now.
Blessed Sunday!
I was only 8 when my grandfather died. (I never knew mum's parents) Dad said he spoke very little about his experiences in the trenches - but the day WW2 was declared, my grandad sat at the kitchen table and wept "not again!" he sobbed. I'm grateful that mum & dad & my grandmother did share memories of WW2. (wish mum had been able to tell me about her codebreaking though!) I have tried to pass these stories on to my children, and will talk to my grandchildren as they get older.
My mother was a child in the Netherlands during WW2. They lived where the Amsterdam ship canal reached the North Sea and suffered heavy bombing as it was an important route. She didn't speak much about her childhood. From the little she did say it sounded impossibly hard, the hunger, the fear, the cold. I can understand why so many people who went through the war didn't want to talk about it afterwards.
Our veterans of WW2 are becoming fewer and fewer. My cousins and I did ask their father about the war and he said that he would rather not talk about his experiences. He is gone now as well as three other uncles who fought.
God bless.
So thankful for all the sacrifices made for our freedom. Sounds like a wonderful tribute.
So poignant. Thank you for sharing.
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It is so important that we continue to remember, even as those who fought pass away. I look at the world today and think how quickly things revert. A post to ponder - thank you, Barbara.
Always remember!
hugs
Donna
We remember but unfortunately some forget and all starts again!
I think that we didn't ask questions of our fathers and uncles when they returned from war because, even as children, we understood that they did not want to talk about what they had experienced. I remember family gatherings when the house was full and the grown ups were full of laughter and jokes. Only as an adult did I realize that they were joyful because, sometimes against the odds, they had survived.
He may not have wanted to tell you even if you had asked.
I remember hearing two young men talking about their grandmothers surviving the Holodomor. The grandmothers seemed to think it was their duty to survive and also to make sure their grandkids knew nothing about it. Some things people want to forget.
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