This music seems so much better now I don't associate it with Ben Affleck, such a well done tribute, the producer should be proud.
So I just came home from leading out a Remembrance service at my local high school, the usual format, my branch members not in great numbers, I was helped oot by an Air Cadet and the local Sgt. mountie Bob, they comprised my colour party.
I changed some things up in my address this time, I read to them the tribute on the ANZAC memorial in Gallipoli, and compared it to our well known poem by John Mcrae.
I and my colour party had previously discussed the protocols of saluting the flag and our national anthem, it was nice to have a mountie on board who wanted to follow regimental order, I told him that I would salute the flags as they dip while "Last Post" played, and he could'nt because he would be the person holding the flag, no problem there, further that during "God Save The Queen" he would salute prior to picking up the colours.
I was somewhat surprised at the end of the service when the student MC'ing the event asked the rest to stand while we marched off the colours, I thought Ooops, he forgot the ending, no problem, I queued the piano player and said will you play "God save the Queen"?, she nicely replied "I don't know that part", no problem, I'll lead out myself, I started, Sgt. Mountie Bob saluted, I sang nearly all alone while the student body cooperatively murmured along.
Later while speaking with the school principal she told me that the kids don't know "God save the Queen" because it isn't used much anymore....
. When did I get this old?
Here's the other good part. We have a number of new folks here now who've arrived from England, one of the ladies is a teacher's aid at the school, I pointed her out to the school principal, joking I should have asked this lady to lead out, because she'd know the words quite well to her old national anthem, the lady replied she didn't know it that well either, as they don't use it that much now either, she said they are'nt all so patriotic as us .
I don't think that's the whole truth is it? And is "God Save the Queen" becoming part of our past?
BG
P.S. Best regards to you UK folks who are quite patriotic
