My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
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Sunday 9 November 2008

Thank you.

Today in the United Kingdom, we pause for thought and with silence, remember those who gave their lives fighting for their country, or helping those in other countries.

I was with my mother at 11.00 a.m. today when we were silent for two minutes.

My mother - whose father (my grandfather) died during WW2, as a result of a not insignificant injury caused by a fire-arm exloding as he held it; this four weeks before she was due to marry my father. After two year's of marriage to a young man hardly out of his teens (serving with the Queens own Cameron Highlanders of Canada), far away from his home and family in Winnipeg, Canada, I was born. Nine month's later, my mother - became a widow. My father, having gone to Italy on a reconnaisance trip, never returned. He has rested in Italy ever since. So, my mother - like so many other wives - now with a small child and another one, my brother, expected - on her own.

I was glad to be with my mother today. Would I have coped as well as my mother's generation did? I fervantly hope I never have to put that to the test.

Whilst neither of us need a "special" day to remember those who are no longer with us, whether family or friends, I think it helps to have the common bond of remembrance. And for me, on a personal note, to think, as well, of my father's family - I family who (with exception of his brother, my uncle, and his wife) I have never met or known.

So for all those who gave their lives, regardless of their nationality, providing a service for their own country or another - I thank you.

The Soldier

If I should die, think only this of me
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Rupert Brooke

4 comments:

Jane Adams said...

What a very poignant story for a special day. Thank you for sharing it with us. The poem is very touching. I showed it to my husband who noticed that it's Rupert Brooke (not Robert as I think you have put). It's lovely that you spent 11am with your Mum. I'm in the States at the moment so I will have to have a few minutes silence to remember. Our family was lucky in WWII but my great-uncle was killed in the Somme in WWI, there are very few families that have been spared some tragedy in our wars. Thank you for posting this. Jane

Tricia Ryder said...

Jane - thanks to you (for your comment) and both you and your husband for pointing out my typo! Ooops, blush!!

Cheryl said...

Thank you for sharing your personal life with us......such a touching and moving post....I must admit to being a bit misty eyed........
It is good to remember those that gave.....

Tricia Ryder said...

Cheryl - thanks.

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