For the Guys, in all Wars and Conflicts, who never came Home and to those who did. For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres. There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. 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. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England’s foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night; As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain, As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain.
No poppy collection around our village this year, so I donated here Poppy Appeal | Armed Forces Charity | Royal British Legion N.B. If donating using Gift Aid, it's a 2 stage process and you still need to enter your personal details after what you might think is the end to complete the donation.
Snorky. Nice picture of you and Mum? I gather you, your family lost a loved one during the wars. Please believe me. My thoughts and feelings are always with those who hold such sad memories.
Hi @Mike Allen Thanks for the kind words. That's me and my grandma. She's 88 now bless her. Her uncle Sammy was in the Norfolks and died over there. He's her mum's brother. We also took her to one of her cousins graves in France on the Belgium border. Here are a few piccies: Top left is my dad's gt uncle George Portess, top right is our Sammy Riches (gmas uncle), bottom left is Sid Durrant and bottom right is Len Durrant (my grandmas cousin). 4 of the cousins went to war and only 2 survived. Sammy's older brother Arthur came back but had awful stomach ulcers from stress and died in 1927. Gt Gt Uncle george was killed in Ypres and he was part of the field Ambulance and I've visited his grave several times. Len is buried in Berlin after he was captured and seriously injured and I've also visited his grave there. They're all my heroes.
I’m sure we’re all familiar with the following. Yes, it’s probably a naive notion, but to my mind, a wonderful one. Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today... Aha-ah... Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion, too Imagine all the people Living life in peace... You... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world... You... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one
