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Veterans Day

• LizzieRossetti 1,545 Posts

  Thu, Nov 11 2010 3:24 PM

  AS a serving member of Great Britains Armed Forces,here is my contribution.

   

  Tattered Flag

  Creeping up the sands,comes the sea in daily drive
  Each wave a let,that lets me see my past
  Ne'er would the water let all my friends survive
  And as the tide is turning,taking back so fast
  I clasp my hands together,fingers tightly furled
  In my palm my memories,twisted,tattered,curled

  I think of days before,those where joy would gaily run
  Of all the deeds we made,promises now unkept
  The sunny days now past,I recall such unfettered fun
  Remember too those nights,evenings when we wept
  Another of us gone,taken far away,too far for us to get
  In my palm my memories,folded,crumpled,tearstained wet

  Once we stood upright,our standard crisply turned
  Snapping full of colours,our flag could not be better read
  Yet time and sickle,fey old man of death,he spurned
  Taking one by one,and early so,souls he took for dead
  The sand of shift between my toes,red sunset on the wave
  In my palm my memories,taken swift but oh so brave

  Left as if alone neath soaring lark and eagle wing
  Hair whipped across my face,looking out I see them
  Hand unstilled and at my heart,I silent softly sing
  I still remember,and fond it is as true,their spirits I still ken
  Wetness at my foot,and running down my cheek
  In my palm my memories,with me yet I am weak

  Turning landward bound,to the cliffs I must surmount
  Heavy steps that drag,without my friends to help
  Happy tho' my heart,that they of them gave fair account
  Twisting snakes about my feet,hampered with slick kelp
  Looking now then up,the quiver'd lip now stilled
  In my palm my memories,I know my grasp is filled

  Our flag that day was muted,the snap no longer loud
  Torn and split asunder,each piece anothers soul
  And yet for all of this,we stand together still,and oh so proud
  Awaiting turn at demon joust,that sinouos curtain call
  My hand is opened gentle,each finger one by one
  In my palm revealed,memories fine of those now gone
  My tattered flag our token,My piece of it still warm
  And when I go like those before,it will lie atop my aching form

  Lizzie.

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Thu, Nov 11 2010 4:06 PM

  Served in the United States Navy from 1989 to 1993. Completed a tour of service in Desert Storm.

  Thank you to all the Unites States veterans who served, and continue to serve abroad.

  Thank you to all the allied veterans who served and continue to serve abroad. 

   

  God bless you all.

• TGor 313 Posts

  Thu, Nov 11 2010 5:45 PM

  Thank you sir. God bless all who served, including NATO forces as well.

  U.S.Navy 1978 - 1981

• andypat 453 Posts

  Thu, Nov 11 2010 6:10 PM

  British army 1972-1978 served N. Ireland tour 1975 thru the hard times

   Lest We Forget

• griffygriff 597 Posts

  Thu, Nov 11 2010 6:11 PM

  last night i taped a Documentary on the battle of the Somme 1st world war. I've always had an interest in this particular battle as my late Grandpa took part in it as an Army medic, he later became a field surgeon and served in France again during the 2nd world war.

   Before i was born he had fell out with my dad, so we only met him once. He died in 1978 alone and completely broke. I always think of him during my minutes silence and it still makes me sad, i guess it always will.

   I'd like to share with anyone who's interested the battles incredible stats,  the battle started on July 1st and ended on November 18th 1916. The Germans had occupied large areas of France for two years and this battle was meant to puncher a hole in the German line of defence. The battle would take place on both sides of the river Somme in north central and south eastern France.

  The British lead the offence with the French in tow, by the end of the first day the British had suffered 60.000 casualties, the worse one day loss in its history. By the end of the battle the total count of casualties was 1.5 million. None of the objectives were accomplished and only a total of six miles was gained.

  This was also the first time a Tank had been use in combat...other notables in the battle were battalions from the British Commonwealth, namely New Zealand, Aussie, India, Canada, Newfoundland, south Africa. This battle had a huge affect on the British culture, with up to75% of the men not returning home to their  Villagers and Towns. 

  For those 5 month's in 1916 " ALL WAS NOT QUITE ON THE WESTEN FRONT"

• duffer66 700 Posts

  Thu, Nov 11 2010 6:28 PM

  U.S Navy, 1954-1958. U.S. Army Airborne, 101st, 1960-63. Active member of the Adopt A Vet program, we adopt vets who are in nursing homes that have no family or means of income and provide them with whatever needs they have to live more comfortably knowing there is someone who cares. Oh what joy I get when I see the smile come on there face.

• buttweed 64 Posts

  Thu, Nov 11 2010 7:28 PM

  Thank you for caring DAV,Vietnam Era,Thanks all who have served previous and after me

    USN Heavy7                                                                                                                     Buttweed

• rainman692 54 Posts

  Fri, Nov 12 2010 1:30 AM

  Thanks to all who served and are serving, albeit a little late.

  U.S. Air Force 1990 - active

• TicoChief 1 Posts

  Fri, Nov 12 2010 1:36 AM

  Thank you, Father. You said what I feel, in words that I could never find to put on paper.

• luckysump 638 Posts

  Fri, Nov 12 2010 6:25 AM

  In the UK newspaper today 12 november 2010,  a Group of People who's Religon was not Church of England were Marching with Banners Saying British Soldiers will Burn in Hell and chanting during the Rememberance Day parade.

  I'm not going to reduce myself to their level but would like to ask them if they enjoyed their FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

  I for one am Glad that the Civillized world took a stand towards Tyranny in its many Forms, shapes and sizes, many paid with there lives and to those young Men and Women of Wars present and past I SALUTE YOU and thank you all for my freedom...

  GOD BLESS YOU ALL