Unlike it appears most UK based contributors to this forum, I didn’t manage Flying Legends this weekend. Instead I joined a few thousand people who gathered in the centre of Hull to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of WW2. The veterans themselves appeared few in number, despite living in a city of nearly a quarter of a million. Nevertheless we cheered in appreciation for what they did.
If only we could really see what they saw all those years ago. Even to them the past must now appear distant and in total contrast to the events on this Sunday afternoon, in Queens Gardens, Hull. I think (I hope) that the appreciation showed by today’s children, some of whom presented medals to a select few, was genuine in as much as they could try and understand what happened sixty years ago.
Despite recent events in London, I don’t think my generation or those born in recent times will ever understand the real and present danger the Nazis posed to this county. I cannot understand the brutality in taking a single life. Therefore, how am I suppose to take in the holocaust or the blitz? I take it as gospel that what happened did take place, but present life is so distant as to make the past as unreal as any work of fiction. I guess that’s why some of the veterans themselves appeared to be somewhat bemused with what was happening today – compared to the 1940s.
For some the treat of the day was a flypast by a BBMF Spitfire, which arrived at 4.40pm – bang on time. I was surprised there was no RAF presence – not even veterans from the RAFA or representatives from RAFBF. I don’t think the RAFA even had a standard bearer?
What was less impressive than PM631 was the lack of information – I was given three different times for the two minutes silence, which I subsequently missed, due to a pre-arranged photoshoot with a local musician. The collection of preserved military vehicles was appreciated. I had an excellent conversation with a solicitor who displayed his 25 pound gun and limber. Apparently despite owning a deactivated gun, it’s still classed as a fire-arm and he could (without good reason) receive a mandatory three years sentence for displaying the weapon in public. At least he won’t need to call a solicitor if arrested.
In all, I’m glad I did something – was part of the celebrations – enough to say I remembered the 60th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
So, what of tomorrow? Do they, the veterans, like us, now wait for god? Maybe they’ll battle on with their reunions. I hope so. Last Remembrance Sunday there was only 26 surviving veterans from the Great War. In twenty year’s time there will only be a handful of men and women who remembered at first hand the Battle of Britain or North Africa or Burma or Normandy.
Yet, despite their presence today, I simply didn’t have the courage to talk to these men and women – a quandary – since I should be making a DV documentary on Bomber Command. Accordingly, I’m supposed to be interviewing a number of RAF veterans – if I can find any locally? Maybe I’m frightened I might ask the wrong question? Maybe it has something to do with loosing both sets of my own grandparents – when (as now) I was too preoccupied with life to just stop, sit down and listen to what they had to say.
As a child I was obsessed with Airfix models and war films. These days as most of you know I’m as ever transfixed with trying to save Driffield aerodrome. Maybe my lack of confidence has got the better of me. Or perhaps it’s because, unlike most of my own generation (those I know from school or the ATC) I’ve gone bugger all with my life – more so when compared to what these grey-haired men and women did 60 years ago.
So, despite the ridicule of others I will keep fighting for RAF Driffield and for more funding to secure our aeronautical heritage, because I’m not god and because the men and women who sat in today’s sweltering heat deserve better – to be remembered through what they leave behind and also from where they served our country.
By: Moggy C - 12th July 2005 at 08:55
.. it felt wrong ..
Snaps.
About sixty years before two young men had been lounging in Lloyd Loom chairs on a dispersal somewhere in the South of England, waiting with apprehension for the loathed telephone ring that would launch them into the desperate struggle once again.
The conversation was, as ever, desultory.
“Well, how would you prefer to die them Jamie?”
“How about, in a comfortable bed with clean white sheets at the age of eighty with some nursing popsie to hold my hand?”
“Hah! Fat chance of that old boy”
Moggy
By: JDK - 12th July 2005 at 03:11
Funnily enough VJ Day’s a damn sight more important in Australia than VE Day. And that’s not forgetting the vast numbers of Australians fighting in Europe in all services.
I can quite see the reason for the celebration in ’45 of the end of the European war, but I’ve always been puzzled and annoyed with the assumption in commemorations since ‘well that’s that then’. There was a lot more fighting to come. No wonder the British boys in Burma saw themselves as ‘The Forgotten Army’.
Philip – if you don’t ask, you’ll never know. Stop finding excuses and have a chat. At least you’ll have some idea of what they’re talking about.
By: Andy in Beds - 11th July 2005 at 16:40
The date issue was also discussed extensively here as I recall.
However, interesting to have a veteran’s viewpoint on it.
Moggy
I just rang Dad and asked him.
He said it wouldn’t have hurt to have had two separate days but he hadn’t given it much thought.
He quite enjoyed watching it on TV yesterday though.
He also likes Dakotas.
He’d be much happier if the NHS would hurry up his replacement hip though!
(I wrote the last bit but it’s starting to really hurt him now)
Cheers
Andy
By: Snaps - 11th July 2005 at 16:36
Moggy, it affected me deeply – no one should die alone, but it was a special moment for me, he said thank you to me and squeezed my hand……..me a student nurse that only wanted to thank him for what he had done for us – it felt wrong as I felt that I was a no-one in comparison to this man. He was thought of yesterday when I watched the Hurri do her display 🙂
By: Moggy C - 11th July 2005 at 16:32
I asked if I could sit with the patient. I was very glad I did as we spoke a little more and when the time came for him to go to sleep one last time he was not alone.
Oh, Snaps. That has just brought tears to my eyes.
Moggy
By: Moggy C - 11th July 2005 at 16:30
The date issue was also discussed extensively here as I recall.
However, interesting to have a veteran’s viewpoint on it.
Moggy
By: Snaps - 11th July 2005 at 16:25
In his mind this weekend was chosen so that polititicians and the royals would not have their holidaying , and for the sake of saving a few quid by not having two events, in May and August, at the time of the real anniversaries; I have to say I agreed with him. Still, maybe our rulers don’t think these men are worthy of that sort of expenditure just to say thank you. – Nermal
Nermal, this point was something that we discussed in our household. We could have boycotted the event (in protest) or attended it, which we chose to do. It did not stop us from doing our own private remembrance thing in May and we will do the same in August.
We will remember them.
By: Nermal - 11th July 2005 at 16:09
Last Thursday I had to photograph a desert veteran who had fought up through Italy; me asking if he was a real-live D-Day Dodger brought a big smile to his face. But when I asked if he was going to attend this past weekends events he was very bitter to say the least: his only brother died fighting in the Far East in early August, with the real end of hostilities in sight, whilst his own shooting war effectively ended in May (although his best mate got knocked down whilst celebrating, drunk, on occupation duties in Germany after Japan surrendered).
In his mind this weekend was chosen so that polititicians and the royals would not have their holidaying , and for the sake of saving a few quid by not having two events, in May and August, at the time of the real anniversaries; I have to say I agreed with him. Still, maybe our rulers don’t think these men are worthy of that sort of expenditure just to say thank you. – Nermal
By: Snaps - 11th July 2005 at 15:17
Will share a moment i had with a veteran that moved me very much.
I was on care of the elderly placement and a guy was very ill and had made the time to sit with him. Time came to notify his family that the end was near for this gentleman. He said to me, look in my wallet so I did, in front of him. There was a photo of a hurricane taken in wartime, and on the back were the words “My Bird”. Sadly the family didn’t want to come to the ward and I asked if I could sit with the patient. I was very glad I did as we spoke a little more and when the time came for him to go to sleep one last time he was not alone. Afterwards the other patients told me that they had often chatted about the war when they couldn’t sleep, and that they liked it that I was really looking forward to going to Flying Legends – I had to promise that I would take in some photos for them, (as some of them would have been going) which I will do!
As a nurse I enjoy caring for all of the patients, but when it comes to veterans, well they will always have a special place for me in my heart, and an extra smile or just taking 5-10 minutes to talk to them is my small way of saying Thank You, for everything they have done.
By: Arabella-Cox - 11th July 2005 at 14:49
Andy is right, in that many really don’t see what they did as ‘anything special’. But one thing that I’ve learned over the last couple of years is that these men (and women, don’t forget they also served) are all approachable if we have the right attitude. Bow and scrape towards them, and they’ll undoubtedly think you’re a bit odd. Sit and listen to them over a beer (key word – listen) and you’ll do two things; you’ll learn a massive amount about ‘the little stories’, and you’ll also be allowing them to talk and maybe open up for the first time in years. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of veterans I’ve sat and talked with, and each one has left me intensely humbled by their own humility and humanity. They are all my heroes. But if I ever told them that, they’d all tell me to sod off. 🙂
By: Andy in Beds - 11th July 2005 at 14:33
In twenty year’s time there will only be a handful of men and women who remembered at first hand the Battle of Britain or North Africa or Burma or Normandy.
Yet, despite their presence today, I simply didn’t have the courage to talk to these men and women
Phillip
I think the majority of World War veterans would be amazed that you would be afraid to talk to them.
The two I know (one RAF, one Army) seriously can’t understand what all the fuss is about.
Recently the army one (my Dad) was asked by someone to write down some recollections of events back then.
“What the bl**dy hell would you be interested in that for” was his response.
Cheers
Andy
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July 11, 2005 at 2:27 pm