B.B.C. Armistice Day Coverage--Is that it??

[rancid badger]

Unable to attend my local Remembrance Day Service this morning, I switched on the TV to catch the BBC's coverage.

I have to say; I'm absolutely DISGUSTED with the pathetic lip service they have paid this morning to the memories of the fallen.

A picture of big ben striking 11, then a few shots from around the country and a few of Prince Philip, with the trumpeters doing their bit, then.........nothing!

Scarcely 3 minutes in total and then straight back into the mindless day time drivel, that they-the BBC-obviously consider to be far more important, than honouring the people who fought and died, on our and their behalf!

I'm not interested in the "God Bothering",( of any description) figuring out all the lies and deception involved in that side of things, many many years ago, but to treat today with such disrespect is unacceptable.

What a shame the BBC couldn't just sweep it all under the tarmac in the car park, eh?

Is this really all the BBC controllers think, of the people who actually secured their freedom to broadcast as they do?

Absolutely shameful

Regards

Steve

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Sounds bad, I do wander at there priorities some times?

I had my moment I the green house, Hoping that there will be a service in Brodick on Arran this Sunday. Last year we were in Kirkwall on Orkney.

 

[sandbender]

I had my two minutes in the kitchen looking out the window, quite alone in doing so though, other countries have different days for their remembrance events.

 

[Limaed]

It's probably too Politically Incorrect for them......or maybe they didnt want to offend the Chinese.

 

[British Red]

He did not grow old as I am growing old,
He remains, perfect in the fading photographs.

And yet

He did not live a perfect life nor die a perfect death.
He was no hero, no perfect superman.

He trembled as the shells and screams surrounded him.
He did not die raised up to glory but hurled down in the mud.

And yet

He did not run, he did not hide.
He faced his fears and fell.

I cannot comprehend how he stood.
I will never know how he died.

And yet

Perhaps I do understand the why of it.
He died so that I do not have to know.


What grieves me most is that I do not know his name and cannot thank him by it

Lest we forget

 

[Toadflax]

A couple of us went down to the War Memorial in Oxford. Barely 30 people there for the two minutes, while traffic whistled past us. Then again, there will be a parade there on Sunday.

However, a few others from work said that they were going to do the two minutes silence in the office.


Geoff

 

[gregorach]

They've been showing a 5 part series of programmes called "Remembrance Week" on BBC1 (one every day), there's a 12-part series called "Time to Remember" on BB4, there's a programme about Wilfred Owen on BBC4 tonight, there's 1 hour 45 minutes of Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph on BBC1 on Sunday (and another hour of it on BBC2 later), etc, etc, etc...

OK, there wasn't more at the precise time you wanted it, but hardly anybody is watching TV at 11am on Thursday anyway.

 

[Ryan Woods]

very sad indeed. I was surprised when we didn't pay our 2 minutes of respect in class today.

British red, is that a personal poem? I haven't come across it before. Most poignant.

 

[Melonfish]

we always observe the 2 minutes in work, heck even the train station this morning had a 2 minute silence.
i reckon the beeb had a little thing on today because they'll be covereing parades on sunday.

 

[Tadpole]

Does it matter? You remembered, I remembered, the office where I work remembered, the other 15 company offices, and 200 shops remembered, we all remembered, even the young staff (the kids) who weren’t even alive for the Falkland’s remembered. The BBC did a huge amount throughout the weeks leading up to it.

We remembered and in doing so honoured those that gave/give their lives so we can live in a society with the freedoms that we chose to exercise today.

 

[Craven1980]

I have to admit, it is a bit of a joke, especially with everything that is/has been going on at the moment in the Gulf/Afganistan/Iraq/Iran and so on. Our boys and girls are still dying for our freedoms, and who cares, right. Well i do. In my office this morning our 2 minutes silence consisted of constanly ringing phones, i understand that the whole world cannot stand still, but even if it did, is 2 minutes really too much to ask for?

I am proud to be British,
Where at least i know i am free.
And i won't forget the Men (and Women) who died,
Who gave that right to me.


Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this day passes -
Remember there is an army of defence and advance that never dies and
never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the
British spirit and from the generations of British youth.

 

[durulz]

Hmm...raises an interesting question about when it is time to let go and move on.
For example, do any of us hold that 2 minute silence for those who died (am I the only way who dislikes that annoying euphemism 'fell'?) at Waterloo? Or at the battle of Hastings, etc?
No.
So when do we stop 'forgetting' (not an ideal word choice, but I hope you know what I mean)?
Is living memory to do with all? Which means WW1 will soon fall off the list of wars we commemorate (assuming that children of those who died also count in the 'living memory' category).
Very tricky.
I certainly don't feel people MUST be emotionally blackmailed into holding the silence. And I can certainly understand why those directly affected by war, or those who take an interest in such things, would want to honour that silence.
We are fortunate enough not to live in a time of total war. Though, unfotunately, some do. So it is not surprising that many will have no knowledge of what happened (is happening). I would imagine that many current and ex-services personnel don't really care what public remembrances take place, and they will be happier having their private services remembering friends in the way that pleases them.
And all my respect and admiration goes to them.
Not much more you can ask, really.

 

[British Red]

Remembrance Day and the Two Minute Silence have been observed since the end of the First World War, but their relevance remains undiminished. When we bow our heads in reflection, we remember those who fought for our freedom during the two World Wars. But we also mourn and honour those who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts. Today, with troops on duty in Afghanistan and other trouble spots around the world, Remembrance, and this two minute tribute, are as important as ever.

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/the-nation-remembers

 

[para106]

Hmm...raises an interesting question about when it is time to let go and move on.
For example, do any of us hold that 2 minute silence for those who died (am I the only way who dislikes that annoying euphemism 'fell'?) at Waterloo? Or at the battle of Hastings, etc?
No.
So when do we stop 'forgetting' (not an ideal word choice, but I hope you know what I mean)?
Is living memory to do with all? Which means WW1 will soon fall off the list of wars we commemorate (assuming that children of those who died also count in the 'living memory' category).
Very tricky.
I certainly don't feel people MUST be emotionally blackmailed into holding the silence. And I can certainly understand why those directly affected by war, or those who take an interest in such things, would want to honour that silence.
We are fortunate enough not to live in a time of total war. Though, unfotunately, some do. So it is not surprising that many will have no knowledge of what happened (is happening). I would imagine that many current and ex-services personnel don't really care what public remembrances take place, and they will be happier having their private services remembering friends in the way that pleases them.
And all my respect and admiration goes to them.
Not much more you can ask, really.

It doesn't raise any questions at all for some. For me, it's about showing respect for those who have, & those who are prepared to give their lives for those who really couldn't care less & take their freedom for granted.

 

[locum76]

EDIT: we did observed the 2 minutes silence at work. That was enough. I defer to what Dunc said about all the other rememebrence stuff on the beeb this week and I refrain from other rants.

 

[dave53]

i remembered my dad today who passed away recently 22years in the RAF and a merchant seaman before that may he rest in peace regards dave

 

[wingstoo]

My Grand father on my dads side was "on the battle front" in the First World War, he was captured after getting stuck in the mud whilst leading the horses pulling an artillery piece, he came back a different person, so I am told. He could never put anything in a cage after being in one himself. He later became a Policeman during the Second World War at the local armaments factory.

My Uncle lost his Wife and Daughter to German bombers during "The Blitz" whilst he was at sea as a Submariner, he was torpedoed twice and escaped from both sunken subs.

Another Uncle had his arm broken when a Spitfire prop bit back when he was turning it during maintainence work, he was conscripted into the RAF, other uncles had "Reserved occupations" back home.

I now have two friends out in Afghanistan, I reflected for the two minutes silence today on all the above and how they dealt with their time at war.

On Sunday morning I will be standing at the War memorial with all the others, come rain or shine, and will thank those who, willingly or not, fought for their own and others lives.

This is something I have done every year for at least the last 34 years, and hopefully will do for the next 34 years.

Wings

 

[Sniper]

It is true, I believe, that there are so many people who think like you Durulz, unfortunately. So many youngsters (not that I'm suggesting you personally) nowadays think that this great show of respect and the act of remembering those who "fell" on the battlefield, giving their lives in the noble cause of freedom, think that the world somehow owes them a living and the old codgers who died in a long ago war which they read about at school, no longer matters and we do not need to honour those brave men and women. It's a tragic sign of the times to watch and listen to these ungrates but that's why people have willingly given their lives, so that they are allowed to choose. For me as a veteran of the "troubles" in Ireland and the Falklands war, I remember those I knew personally who "fell" in the line of duty but also pay my respects and thank the millions of others who died in the miriad of conflicts our services have been involved in giving me the right to choose to be grateful and to show respect to those heroes. Problem is when the population stops remembering, this will allow the same thing to happen all over again because everyone will have forgotten the hardships and the loss and the grief, but while I still draw breath I will honour them and remember them by holding a couple of minutes of my year, every year, back from the greedy and the impatient to do just that.

 

[Matt.S]

I was working indoors all day and listened to a lot of 'rememberance' programming on Auntie -- BBC1 and R4. The scope was quite impressive, including some of the more forgotten conflicts and contributions -- Women's Land Army, Auxilliary Home Guard (the secret British Resistance/guerilla troops), Korea, West Africa, press in Bosnia, RAF Regt in Afghanistan...

very sad indeed. I was surprised when we didn't pay our 2 minutes of respect in class today.

British red, is that a personal poem? I haven't come across it before. Most poignant.

Apologies if the question seems blunt, but what stopped you standing up at 1100 and sitting down at 1102?

The poem is For the Fallen by Binyon. What are they teaching kids in schools these days?

 

[wingstoo]

the old codgers who died in a long ago war which they read about at school

Sadly Sniper they were not "Old codgers", they were young men in the prime of their lives, who were cut down and never got to see old codgership like those who don't "get it"

Wings, fortunately getting to be an "old codger"