Veterans Day

[moonshadow]

Dillon's remark on the "purple thread" called my attention to Veterans day, which is this week!

It's interesting that in that very thread there are references to recent wars that were fought on the global scale (Nazi Germany), that had it NOT been for our (the allies) victory, I'm not sure if ANY of us would be freely wearing skirts, purple, or anything else we wanted for that matter.

So it's never to early to offer up a heart felt "thank you" to those here who have served. In fact, any day of the year is appropriate.

It's just a simple fact.... we simply could not wear skirts and heels without cammo pants and boots on the ground.... so thanks again.

If there are any veterans here, please stand up and be recognized!

[dillon]

As we remember the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month*, let's recall the way in which the resolution of that conflict set the stage for the next. By the conclusion of the second world war, we had learned far better how to recover from war, but not much about how to prevent them. I wonder if we will learn enough from our current wars so that the consequences may not plague future generations? I fear we are only now beginning to experience those consequences.

* The Armistice was actually signed around six in the morning on November 11, 1918, but was not announced until eleven. Men died needlessly in the trenches during those five hours.

One of my ancestors lost his life only a month before the armistice: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2 ... as-lee.php

[Big and Bashful]

Apologies if I have posted this previously, but one of the most poignant songs I have heard about and Rememberance war is a song by a wee Scot called Eric Bogle. The song is about soldiers in a massacre in the First World War (although I read recently that it was written about Vietnam and then changed to somewhere more relevant to Europe at the request of his record label, Not sure whether I believe that).
Every time I hear this song it reduces me to tears at the thought of the waste of humanity in the name of war, I'm tearing up now just thinking about the song. For me it sums up the sentiments expressed in Remeberance / Veterans day in a way nothing else does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8YLUZgzEnE

[Uncle Al]

THANK YOU
B&B for the remarkable song linked above

Uncle Al

[Big and Bashful]

THANK YOU
B&B for the remarkable song linked above

Uncle Al

My pleasure Al, He has a couple more on similar subjects, you must have heard of a song called No Mans Land, otherwise known as the Green Fields of France, (Sitting beside the grave of a young soldier musing), covered by many singers. On his latst CD he has another moving song about the horses which survived, only to be shot rather than taken home after the war ended, oh, now I'm getting emotional again.
Eric's songs cover so many subjects, happy as well as sad with a fair amount of humour sprinkled around as well. Dearch Youtube for No Mans Land, I'm sure you will recognise it.
I must search myself for some lighter moments and cheer myself up!

[dillon]

Yes, Thanks, B&B. I had heard that song some twenty years ago, I think, and it also made me misty-eyed. Perhaps you are familiar with this one as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTXhZ4uR6rs

[dillon]

And one more, for us Yanks, if you aren't crying by now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdjnAFqapg4

[Big and Bashful]

Thanks Dillon, I hadn't heard either of those before, the other Bogles I mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1VD84SLW8I

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hniMrGeF4us

and one of his happier songs to round off:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mOHvUUzgn0

and I still love this for a Christmassy war song, much happier than Eric's!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HkJHApgKqw

[TheEnforcer]

Heres something on the heavier side:
https://youtu.be/o_l4Ab5FRwM