11/11/11

I was on my way to the Planning Dept at Saffron Walden and wasn’t too sure of the time, however good old Radio 2 stopped everything for the chimes at 11, and they played Nimrod.
What was a coincidence was that I was alongside Carver Barracks and at the end of the Debden runway, all was silent, I could see the soldiers standing next to their cars in the car park no doubt remembering their 2 colleagues who were brutally murdered in Iraq whilst on mine clearing duties, I waited for a ghostly Spitfire to land over my head but could only imagine it.
The war memorial service had broken up by the time I got into the town but while looking in the butchers shop window, I was aware of a tall, elegant and youthfull old boy wearing a smart black suit doing the same. The thing was, he had the most amazing collection of medals on his chest including the DFC and bar, I’m kicking myself for not saying anything, but then, on this day, he may have wanted to be alone with his thoughts, even at the butchers.
It was also the first Rememberance Day without my old man, and I’m getting tearful thinking about it now, he would never join the British Legion or wear his medals but always put his tie on out of respect for his fallen colleagues.
Sargeant Horace Robert Truman, Royal Artillery, reccomended for a top gallantry award but never receiving it due to the actions of a cowardly officer, thinking of you today.

Even more beautiful.

I’ve got a tear in my eye after reading that.

Ken.

This morning at Regent House School,Newtownards I had the ATC NCOs at the Rememberance assembly.The cadets marched in front of the Head Boy and girl who laid a wreath to commemorate pupils of the school who died during the war.One of those pupils was Flt Lt RAA Doherty DFC who was killed flying a Pathfinder Mosquito of 608 Sqn over Berlin on the 23rd of February 1945 and whose body was never recovered. We had arranged for Sqn Ldr (Ret) Tom Long DFC and bar to speak to the assembly as he had joined with Doherty in Belfast in 1939 completed training with him on Wellingtons and then in 1944 both were posted to 608 sharing the same airframe.Tom Long flew a mission over Berlin on the 20th Feb and went on leave when he returned Aubrey Doherty was gone.Tom described this to the pupils and his feelings.I watched the Pupils faces and their expressions changed from boredom to rapt atention ,when Tom stopped speaking there was a moment of silence then the hall exploded with applause.I think what got the kids the mos was when Tom said that Aubrey Doherty will always be 22 and another who joined with them would always be 19,a year older than most of those present .

Beautiful.

Ken.

From G-AMRA Daz, we had a 3 ship Dak flypast and poppy drop over Bedworth at 1104 today. Our way of saying thanks.

Tom.

Excellent – thanks for sharing 🙂

From G-AMRA Daz, we had a 3 ship Dak flypast and poppy drop over Bedworth at 1104 today. Our way of saying thanks.

Tom.

That’s a great pic – where was that taken?

Tom.

I’ve just come back from my town centre,where we had representatives from various campaigns,including some well decorated veterans.

A very fitting tribute,where,despite the windy conditions,everything came to a standstill.

Ken.

As I am fortunate to be serving in the RAF we will have a tannoy message to remind us and we will observe the silence. I will also be attending a local church service on Sunday.

90 Minutes to go and counting.

I shall stop here – Even though as it is an American holiday and I am in here alone.
I always stop.
I may even put Elgar’s Nimrod about the same time. I hear that piece of music and I always think of those who paid the price so that I can be here.
To those who paid the ultimate price – Thank you.
Gary

Hi.
I’ve just finished reading “Target Berlin” mission 250 6 march 1944, i would
like to quote a paragraph.

For one crew, bringing back an almost undamaged aircraft, the most heartrendering time came after they were safely down. Lieutenant Bob shoens
landed B17 ‘Our Gal Sal’ of the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts, one of
the surviving bombers of the ill fated Low Box of the 13th Wing B Formation.
Of the twenty B-17s which had taken off, five had broken off the mission early; and 10 out of the remaining 15 had been shot down. ‘As we circled the
airfield alone we could see a lot of empty spaces. We landed and when we
taxied to our space we found our sqd commander waiting for us. He was crying. We were stunned to learn that we were the only aircraft of the sqd
to return to the field and only one of four to make it back to England.
What do you say, What do you do when your sqd commander is crying and
wants to know what has happened? You do the same.’

The Air war in Europe in one paragraph, just about says it all really.
Sad so Sad.
Phil.

Reading that actually made me shiver – I totally agree.

Just to prove,we truck drivers have a heart as well.

http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14719

http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14715

Ken.

Hi.
I’ve just finished reading “Target Berlin” mission 250 6 march 1944, i would
like to quote a paragraph.

For one crew, bringing back an almost undamaged aircraft, the most heartrendering time came after they were safely down. Lieutenant Bob shoens
landed B17 ‘Our Gal Sal’ of the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts, one of
the surviving bombers of the ill fated Low Box of the 13th Wing B Formation.
Of the twenty B-17s which had taken off, five had broken off the mission early; and 10 out of the remaining 15 had been shot down. ‘As we circled the
airfield alone we could see a lot of empty spaces. We landed and when we
taxied to our space we found our sqd commander waiting for us. He was crying. We were stunned to learn that we were the only aircraft of the sqd
to return to the field and only one of four to make it back to England.
What do you say, What do you do when your sqd commander is crying and
wants to know what has happened? You do the same.’

The Air war in Europe in one paragraph, just about says it all really.
Sad so Sad.
Phil.

Good post very appropriate IMHO

Thank you.

Quinnie

Nearly………Quinny. 🙂 🙂

Anyhow.

I will be standing silent,somewhere,to the brave Men and Women,who,without their efforts,I wouldn’t be here today.

Lest we forget indeed. 🙁

Ken.

Good post Quinnie, very appropriate IMHO.

I’ll be most probably stuck behind my desk, but will definitely stop on the hour to pay tribute to those who gave so much.

Last year bad planning caught me in the air, but the least I could do was climb to two or three thousand feet, throttle right back and slowly overfly a few of Buckinghamshire’s disused airfields, remembering those who didn’t return to them.

I’ll be at work – where I SHALL be observing the silence, whether anyone else is or not!

Same here.

If only everyone could show the same respect all year round. I for one will be at my local cemetery paying my respect to a 23-year-old air-gunner of No.3 Group, it’s the very least I can do.

I will observe the silence where ever I may be at that time, even if driving on a motorway.
I will still pull onto the hard shoulder and exit the vehicle, Always have, always will.