Forum Topic

Remembrance Day

Just a reminder to everyone about the Remembrance March and Service tomorrow morning at the Isleworth War Memorial.We had a fantastic turnout last year and it would be great if even more attended tomorrow for such a special day.The Legion is just off South St and we will be setting off about 10.45am and returning at approx 11.40am.

Paul Fisher ● 6776d11 Comments

Sorry if I misunderstood you there Vanessa, but it appeared to me that somehow you were ignoring the role of those from other ethnic groupings. I may have been wrong there to which I apologise, but I feel as strongly as you do over this as you can see from my text, so although you are right I think you agressive response whilst understandable should have on reflection been a little less forceful. We are on the same side after all.

Colin Vaughan ● 6770d

Excuse me but I thought that was the point I made, that because so many faiths were present at The Cenotaph they DID NOT see the services as only Christian, the point I was answering was that someone had said holding the main commemorations on a Sunday might be seen as essentially and mainly Christian. I am well aware how much gratitude we owe to people from all creeds and nationalities, and don't remember saying anything to the contrary. Please read responses properly.

Vanessa Smith ● 6770d

I think that the presence of other faiths Vanessa is simply that it was not only White Christians that took part in WW1&2. There were many from the Indian sub Continent for instance that did so. Indeed when I visit my Daughter on the South Coast, there is a memorial at Barton-on-Sea that I pass on my walk, commerating the convalecent home for Indian Troops who took part in WW1. Some might well have been Christian, but many were Hindu and Sikh.Its not just a Christian thing Vanessa. The sacrifice of lives in war transends everything else.The presence of others therefore is nothing new its always been there, maybe we recognise that more now, and so we should.To die on a foreign field far from home is something that we here in Britain should feel humble about.

Colin Vaughan ● 6771d

Judging by the number of faiths represented at The Cenotaph I doubt the commemoration has anything to do with  people thinking it is mainly a Christian thing, if indeed they do. True the service is Christian but as you have rightly said with State and Church joined that is not going to change just yet, however I think the fact that services are held on a Sunday is for more practical purposes, but I do hope we are not going to go down the road of P.C. yet again. It may be that as veterans get older and fewer someone will have a re-think, but by and large it is an occasion that is hitting just the right note and is simple and understandable and always incredibly moving.

Vanessa Smith ● 6773d

Richard and Vanessa, I'm with you in thinking the occasion becomes diluted and confused with two dates and that some kind of audible sign needs to be given at 11 o'clock whenever it is to be done.I suspect the origin of a return to the 11th came from a fear that the younger generation would lose understanding of the occasion and that their parents wouldn't pass on the habit of the 2 minute silence.  If you have it on 11th, you can hold the silence in school.  Perhaps the 60th anniversary rather brought home to former service men and women now in old age that the majority of the present population has no memory of the last World War and that schools could take on their mantle in teaching remembrance.I would think that putting it on Sunday encourages the perception that it is a Christian observance and not for everybody, but with Christianity as our established religion and the Queen being head of it, I can't see that changing.  Those 'valeurs republicaines' of the French can be jolly useful sometimes.

Susan Lawrence ● 6774d

I think if there is to be a two minute silence on the 11th as well as the Sunday then we should get it done properly via the local authorities and Chamber of Commerce to co-ordinate businesses. As it was we were in Kingston on Saturday and saw and heard nothing of the silence which I thought was pretty disrepectful, there would have to be a klaxon or something broadcast - not beyond the wit of man I would have thought, but the current mish-mash is not on. Let's either do it properly or scrub it and stick to the Sunday.

Vanessa Smith ● 6774d

The Heston and Isleworth Rotary Club website has some colourful pictures of the parade on Sunday last at the Isleworth Memorial.oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Jim Lawes ● 6774d

RichardIt is the norm down under in New Zealand and Australia to have two minutes silence on the actual day (11th) and for the first few years here I couldn't get used to not stopping at 11 on the 11th.I for one am pleased now the practice of taking time out on the day has become the norm as well as the official day.It is only two minutes after all - it takes a lot less time to die from a bullett or bomb, as 4 more Britains found out over the week end.

Stephen Browne ● 6774d

What do people feel about the attempts to have a 2-minute silence and other events on the 11 November as well as on Remembrance Sunday?  It seems to me that it is confusing and diluting the impact of the occasion.  Either we should concentrate on Remembrance Sunday, or have a public holiday on 11 November as the French do (and which I experienced in Paris this weekend).  Trying to get everyone to stand still and silent for 2 minutes in the middle of (usually) a busy working day is never going to work, in my view, certainly not when the nation's official homage is on another day.I would prefer to stick to Remembrance Sunday, though the French practice of excluding all religious content from such official ceremonies is one that I approve of. 

Richard Jennings ● 6775d

Jim Lawes ● 6776d

Hope that 'the' banner will be down for the day.  I will be at the Guildford parade again this year as son is taking part - the Mayor of Guildford and their party look very splendid in all the finery.Have a good day.

Sarah Felstead ● 6776d