Has Remembrance Day lost it,s meaning ?

[dazzer6666]

I don't think it's bound to become weaker. As generations come and go, and the direct links are lost it will change. Weaker, no. Different, yes.

It will a bit because we don't have the sheer numbers of people directly impacted that we had with older generations (wonder what is happening to RBL membership for example), but been quite encouraged to see so many poppy sellers out this year and the efforts being made.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Shame the poppy sellers aren't allowed to give change. Mrs Earle wanted to give £2 for a poppy, but only had a fiver. Seller wouldn't give change so Mrs Earle didn't buy poppy. (bought one later when she had change!). But seems an odd way to attract charitable donations. I thought it was only car parking machines where no change given!

If you look carefully they have sealed boxes, so it's not a case of wouldn't give change, but being unable to give change.
My Dad was a life member of the British Legion, and sold poppies every year. As said above, it's being observed more now than it was 30 years ago.

Being pedantic it's Remembrance Sunday, with the 11th called Armistice Day (unless they coincide).

 

[Return of the Rev]

Mrs rev has found out last week her great uncle was shot down during the battle of Britain and he has a memorial at the crash site.Looks like a few trips to pay respects will be in order,they also have witnesses to the crash.Lucky my uncles and mum survived the war and not going to forget them soon. My sons will also remember.God bless all who fought and fell.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Always try and watch Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph and observe 11.00 on the 11th of November. Much to my chagrin I missed it yesterday, getting involved in something at work and missing the time. ( The first time for a long time ) I have stopped my car at the roadside in the past and stood beside it. Years ago, all traffic came to a halt at 11.00 on the 11/11, wherever it was. Outside of the cenotaph and war memorials, it was starting to become a thing of the past but thankfully, it has been revived in many areas.
It will remain with me as long as I'm alive and can pay tribute to the fallen from my family. My Grandfather, in a forward movement, found one of his brothers, lying mortally wounded. He subsequently lost his other brother. He himself, was wounded three times, hospitalised and sent back to the front line, on each occasion.
These type of stories are commonplace. They were sacrifices above and beyond the call of duty. Lest we forget.

 

[ExmouthExile]

Sadly, Remembrance has become another victim of political correctness, and even sadder that people fall for it. The other day I saw an altercation between two people because the leaf on his poppy wasn't in the 11 o clock position. Who cares? At least he was wearing one!

 

[lost in london]

No ideas but I will never forget. Great Grandfather in the Boer War & the first. A grandfather in the trenches and then subscripted to the RFC at it's formation. On the maternal side a Grandfather and Uncle with extensive Naval service in ww1. Nothing is irrelevant until all directly effected descendants are expired or literally don't care. I wear their medals and awards proudly on my chest until I die.

Genuine question - is it normal for someone to wear their relatives' medals?

 

[Perfidious Albion]

I have found an uncle, shot in WW1 ( I am that old) the lad was only in his teens . Grandad died in it too. We all have service relatives.
I don't want to knock the sincere remembrance of others but I wish the politicians had really not forgotten the lessons of the Wars. The same mistakes are still being made. It is as if that the services glorify the horrible events rather than denounce them .
I am obviously seeing it differently to others

 

[Hiney]

I am open to the idea of nearest Sunday to the 11th of November (as now) but no businesses are allowed to open until noon. Or even later. Drop all the football poppy shirts and gimmicks. Any ideas ?

Aren't those 'gimmicks' designed to raise money? Lots of clubs auction the poppy shirts for the British Legion.

That's a good thing isn't it?

 

[alfredmizen]

No it hasn't.

 

[JJ McClure]

I don't think it's lost it's meaning. I think it's actually grown in meaning. With the recent conflicts more people are both aware of and affected by the sacrifices of our armed forces and are showing their respect accordingly. The turn out for the Remembrance parade in Burgess Hill was great to see.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I have found an uncle, shot in WW1 ( I am that old) the lad was only in his teens . Grandad died in it too. We all have service relatives.
I don't want to knock the sincere remembrance of others but I wish the politicians had really not forgotten the lessons of the Wars. The same mistakes are still being made. It is as if that the services glorify the horrible events rather than denounce them .
I am obviously seeing it differently to others

It's not the job of the services to glorify or denounce events. They remember. Now politicians, on the other hand.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Believe it has lost its meaning to a degree. How many people stop whatever they are doing at 11am on 11 November.

I was working in a rehab and a group of clucking junkies and shaking alkies observed it perfectly at their own request.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Whilst there are currently wars in the world then no. And even if that ever happened (which it wont) then still no.

 

[El Presidente]

I think the 'Lest we forget' part of Remembrance Day is honoured greater than ever.

Sadly the 'Never Again' element, which was also central following the two World Wars, has been forgotten.

 

[daveinprague]

Means nothing to some. Not sure that the young are so connected to it as some of us older folk were when we were younger.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/618716/teen-girls-tear-apart-Remembrance-Day-display-Wilmslow-video

 

[dazzer6666]

Earlier post refers. I wouldn't wear them, but immensely proud to be the custodian.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I think it's bigger and better observed than it was 30 years ago that's for sure.

Indeed it is. Mind you, thirty years ago it was an event for millions of veterans and not all of them wanted to celebrate it. These days, it's mainly an event for non-combatants. Non-combatants "remember" very differently.

 

[Easy 10]

Hasn't lost its meaning for me at all. My great grandfather was killed in WWI. We went to visit his grave at the war cemetery in Rouen and laid a wreath there a couple of years ago, which was an incredibly moving experience.

I always give to the poppy appeal. However, the knowledge that the Royal British Legion are paying one of their freelance managers more than £2,000 a WEEK (and that's just the one I know of who we placed there...there will certainly be an army of them) doesn't sit well with me. I'm not saying the RBL is another Kids Company, but just like the NHS, a lot of these large charity organisations seem to equate to cash cows for an awful lot of senior management.

 

[pasty]

Something that has appeared very obvious to me this week is the number of people that appear to have stopped wearing their poppy since Sunday.

Yes, Remembrance SUNDAY has gone, but Remembrance DAY was yesterday. Don't take your poppy off just because the Sunday has passed. Some f-wit in the office actually asked me yesterday why I was still wearing one

 

[Questions]

I agree with what Lord Bracknell said earlier. When I was young I remember the rememberance being more directed at the First World War and not quite so much for the second. Even a lot of the memorials listed the war dead from the 1st world war only. I'm presuming that has or should have changed. I'm not writing this from total ignorance - my father was in Burma and India through the 2nd world war. He didn't talk about it (but I knew things) and I don't ever remember him standing outside the Worthing town hall on rememberance Sunday. Don't think he ever wore a poppy either.