11/11

[Pint 23]

11/11

In the UK it is Rememberance Sunday, this usualy falls on the nearest sunday to the 11th of November, which marks the end of the first world war.

 

In London Scouts will be forming an honour gaurd, in front of the Queen, whilst the Prime minister, other representitives from the comonwealth countries, and other officials file past, which Scouts have done siince 1922.

See here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/remembrance/history/scouts.shtml

 

As well as in the UK, Scouting survived as an underground movemnet in Nazi ocupied europe, with Scouts and leaders operating under unimaginable conditions, putting their lives at risk

theres more on that here (long but very interesting read)

http://www.pinetreeweb.com/left4-1.htm

 

 

At a local level up and down the UK, Scouts will be taking part in local rememberance day parades ( usualy organised by local branches of the Royal Brittish legion) to honour, and remember those affected by conflict, in not just the First and Second world wars, but all the conflicts since then, right up to today.

 

 

"They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them."

 

[scoutldr 732]

In the US it is now known as Veterans' Day. Originally Armistice Day to commemorate the end of WWI...on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month...the "war to end all wars"...

[Eamonn 61]

Pint,

Many years back when I was a Venture Scout in Fulham (Greater London Central)I remember being part of the Remembrance Day services at The Cenotaph.

London in November is not the warmest of places!!

Looking back, we maybe were not the best turned out of units, some of us had long hair. We couldn't march to save our lives.

But still the older ex-servicemen were kind to us. I think they appreciated the fact that we were there.

Some of the active servicemen did at times look at us and shake their heads, as if to say" Man where did they get this lot!"

Of course at that time the guys and girls who had served in WWII were a lot younger. Many were happy to share with us, where they had been and what they had done.

We of course were young and very idealistic.

At night on the news we seen pictures from the war in Vietnam.

In London there were demonstrations, marches and rallies to Ban The Bomb.

We were young and thought we would solve the problems of the world. We thought we had the power.

Still when we stood in the cold with these old brave men, we knew that we owed them a lot.

We still do.

The number of people who lost their lives during both great wars still horrifies me.

Every night on the evening news they give the count of how many more servicemen have paid the ultimate sacrifice. At times it's just to easy to only see the count and not think that these mostly young men are the sons, brothers, husbands and loved ones of people just like us.

Eamonn.

[CA_Scouter 11]

For our meeting tonight, I've invited some local veterans to attend and briefly speak of their service to our country.

 

After that, we are going to have all the scouts personally shake their hand and thank them.

 

Thought it would be a nice gesture.

 

We are also raising the colors at our local rural cemetary today, as there are a significant number of vets interred there.

 

[Pint 23]

Did you actualy take part in the main service at the cenotaph in London?

 

Our local parade went quite well, with one of the best turn outs for many a year, with only a handful of Scouts not present, and some of those had other commitments in the parade and church service.

On the Saturday there was a practice for those carrying the flag, and their escorts in the local parish church where tey were shown how to carry the falg, dip the flag and so on, the weather outside was dull overcast and damp.

 

On the Sunday we met in the Car park of the Brittish legion before we all assembeld for the parade to the Church with the usual church service minutes silence at 11:00am and then another smaller service outside the church at the local war memorial, where people layed poppy wreaths as the local Town (brass) band played some music ( im not sure what it was but its usualy played at the wreath laying bit)

 

After the wreth laying service the parade re-assembled and we paraded back to the legion, and as soon as the parade finished we all went inside and had a few drinks at the bar (over 18s only )while the Town band payed some more music.

 

Having local verterans involved is a fantastic idea, and we may try that next year, possibly asking the Royal brittish legion if anyone would be intersted in talking to the Scouts.