My Remembrance Day 2019, and a thank you to all our veterans.

Discussion in 'General' started by RRTB, Nov 17, 2019.

  1. RRTB

    RRTB 145 Fd Regt (Berkshire Yeomanry) RA

    On Monday past, my old school Campbell College Belfast held its annual Remembrance Day service. Campbell has a long military connection, including two WW1 Victoria Cross recipients, and Remembrance Day is respected in every way by the School, just as it rightly should be.

    Old Campbellians (OCs) are invited to attend the service alongside the boys currently attending the school. I was delighted to see that the prefects were ensuring that every single boy was wearing a poppy - indeed, they were not accepting any excuses whatsoever for a refusal - and that all branches of the forces were represented either by currently serving or retired servicemen, as well as the members of the school's Combined Cadet Force. One of the young men in the Campbell College CCF was wearing his Great Uncle's "Pip, Squeak and Wilfrid", which was a nice thing to see.

    One of the things I read some time ago was that we should all show gratitude to the servicemen and women who served (and serve) our country. Among the OCs on Monday was an elderly gentleman called Bill who was in a wheelchair. He was wearing the Defence Medal and the British War Medal on his left chest. I decided to go over to him, introduce myself and thank him for his service.

    Well, his face lit up, his eyes brightened and he thanked me back. I think he got a bit of a surprise, perhaps - I wondered if anyone had ever done this to him before. I felt honoured to be able to shake this man's hand, knowing that he had been personally involved in WW2. I also wondered what hid behind those medals - where had he served, what had he done or experienced? but unfortunately I had no time to have a real chat with him before we were called into the Central Hall for the service.

    There are many members on this wonderful website whose names I see. I know many of them have served our country. I was lucky to meet Bill and be able to thank him personally. I am highly unlikely to meet any of the members of this forum, but to all of you who have served, I would like to say this: thank you for your willingness to serve and thank you for what you went through for us so that we could have our freedom.

    RRTB
     
    bamboo43 and Charley Fortnum like this.

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