11:11:11

[DaveCox]

At this time of the year we all tend to be a bit insular, but we should remember all those who gave their lives in the pursuit of peace: UK,Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, USA and many more. Rememberance has no regard for race, religion or politics, it is sufficient that they stood side by side in time of need

I stood silent at 11:00, did you/will you?

[Michael R.]

that is for sure

[Jordan Baker]

Just got back from the ceremony in Hamilton. Lots of people crowded around. The band was playing "Abide with me", wreaths were being laid, then the Lancaster flew by and seconds later the clouds parted and the sun beamed down onto everyone. It was a nice service.

[Robin Craig]

Stopped offset discing the field, shut the tractor off, got out of the cab and stood with cap off motionless for the minute.

Local radio station then played "Remembrance Day" by Bryan Adams.

R

[Little Jo]

Hi Guys

Yep I did my bit at the local RSL, medals and all.

Cheers

Tony

[Dennis Gelean (RIP)]

we are a little town in northern B.C. with Snow. At our Cenotaph
we started with a horn band until it was time for the bugler. The honour guard and parade were piped in. The Prayer was said by a ex-military Padre. A prayer in Wet'suwet'em and also translated into English by a elderly Native lady.
42 wreaths were laid. Our 204th Babine Sea Cadets are stellar in their duties.
Most of the townfolk were in attendance. I had display's all down Main St. and thru my display at the MLA office had the privilege of having 2 sergeants of the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group drive my M37 with out chains straight up on my proving grounds. We Shall Never Forget Picture on my Face book.

[Ryan]

At Ford Australia we stop every year for a minutes silence. Production comes to a halt.

[Private_collector]

The Rememberance Day ceremony in Gympie was a shambles. I was very upset about it and still am.

This year was sadly to be an EXTRA special occasion because one of our local servicemen had been killed/murdered in Afghanistan and his family were present and came up to lay a wreath at the ANZAC flame, after those laid by the official party. Now amongst their heartbreak and grief, the family of Corporal Ashley Birt will have memories of a very average ceremony.

The whole thing was running ahead of time, then either the bugler didn't front or CD wouldn't work. Ode was recited, no Last Post and No Reveille to follow. The ceremony ended roughly FIVE MINUTES BEFORE 1100hrs. Then there was something that put a lump in my throat, a great number of the crowd stood still and waited for the town hall bells to ring at 11AM, then dispursed silently.

To add insult to injury, the memorial plaques of recently deceased ex-servicemen/women that were to be attached to the wall in our memorial lane were LOST in transit between Melbourne & Gympie, and had not been found by Rememberance Day. These were ordered by Gympie locals to honor their family members. Corporal Birt's plaque has a seperate and special place on the main entrance to the Memorial Lane, and this plaque was not among those lost, thank God!

Anyone passing through Gympie, make sure you come see our Memorial Lane. It is lined with large murals made of individual pieces of hand painted & fired mosaic. From memory, I believe there are currently 12 of these, and plans are in place for future additions. We are extremely proud of this beautiful tribute!

Lessons will be learnt from this year and we will do better in 2012.

Lest We Forget

[Ed Storey]

Nice and sunny and warm at the Remembrance Service here in the Middle East. No sign of snow and no chance of clam chowder or beer at the Legion afterwards.

[Keith Webb]

That's very poor form, Tony - I hope the organisers do learn from the experience, and what a terrible thing to add to the grief of the family.

In our case I was at work and at 11 I could hear a bugle from the school over the river so we (people from my business) gathered on the balcony for the minute of silence, broken only by birdcalls and the juggling of throttles of the unseen formation of what sounded like the RAAF Museum's Winjeel and CT4 doing a pass over the shrine on the other side of the city.

By the time reveille sounded I realised we had been joined by a couple of other people from businesses which sub-let space from us.

[hrpearce]

The new principal at the state school the boys atend had a remberance assembly with a minutes silance, something the last two principals didn't do. Unfortunatly I was driving a semi on a narrow road so I couldn't stop.

[Howard]

In the minutes leading up to 11:00 at work things went bezerk and absolute chaos rained down. Much to my own embarrassment all of this activity caused me to forget what time of day it was.... Until my work colleague heard the bugles sounding the last post on the radio (which I could not hear from my position)...
We all immediately stopped our activity (six of us in the office) until the minute was over.
This sort of surprised me because the colleague who called for the silence has never outwardly expressed reverence for our servicemen/women.
As each Remberance Day & ANZAC day passes, there are fewer & fewer veterans within our small community. It is good to see that it is not only a select group who are determined to keep their memory alive. I have noticed an increasing number of people gain a deeper respect for those who serve compared to when I was a young bloke 20/30 years ago.
Lest we forget.
My son Sid has just told me their school paused for a minutes silence, too. Excellent.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Howard

In the minutes leading up to 11:00 at work things went bezerk and absolute chaos rained down. Much to my own embarrassment all of this activity caused me to forget what time of day it was.... Until my work colleague heard the bugles sounding the last post on the radio

Hi Howard,

I was in my workshop Friday morning and lost track of time, then heard Big Ben chiming on the radio from another unit in the yard. Stopped work and stood between two old WW2 warhorses to reflect, and thinking what scenes they might have been in.

There is definitely a raised interest in the Rememberance now, probably due to current conflict bringing it home to the younger ones who have friends out there.

regards, Richard

[Jon Skagfeld]

Here, in the small village of Chatsworth near Owen Sound Ontario, we had about 3" of snow overnight.

By morning, the roads were clear but whilst marching into the Cenotaph area, it was a bit difficult maintaining step. Since there's no words of command as to to "Mush while wearing mukluks and snowshoes", we slogged on anyway.

Looks like the whole village turned out. Like Jordan said, just toward the end of the ceremony, damned if a beam of sunlight shone down!

Good omen, good parade, good eats afterward.

[Little Jo]

Hi All

Some very interesting comments comming through and from what I read a few hiccups as well.

Here in South Australia Adelaide radio reported the day before 11-11-11 that the government hospitals, apart from the repatriation hospital, would not observe the 11 o'clock minutes silence and the hospitals could not use their internal speakers to commemorate the event as some people would get upset. This caused a huge backlash on talkback radio resulting in the government changing their instruction and allowing the hospitals to observe this historic moment. It appears they had recieved "One" complaint.


LEST WE FORGET

Cheers

Tony

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Two of my kids were present for the wreath laying ceremony as airforce cadets, both found how difficult it is to stand still for a length of time, they had to stand down before they fell down.
Over the years Remberance Day seems to have dwindled, while ANZAC day grows ever bigger and I believe that it is the focus for most Aussies.
Twenty plus years ago any workplace I was in would shut down for 11.00, and the week before hand Poppy Sellers were allowed on site. In my experience this is now quite rare.
Just checked with the young generation trying to push me off the computer, they are not aware of the significance of the Poppy......Well I can rectify that much.
Rich.

[Bob McNeill]

Quite a large crowd attended, with several schools sending reps to lay wreaths. maybe 40 vets and 10 current servicemen. only drama, the council supplied mike and speakers didn,t work, but the message came thru, a good show.

[sapper740]

The Vietnam Veteran's Association Chapter 920 held a very moving and well attended Veteran's Day ceremony on the square in Denton, Texas. We parked our HMV's along the northside of the old courthouse while Bill and David Trantham brought out part of their extensive collection of functional weapons to display; MP34, MG42, M60, M2HBAR, Russian AK47, M16A1, and M79. The Denton County Sherrif's Department graciously volunteered to guard them during the ceremony. A piper played Amazing grace while Bobby Hawke flew his Huey overhead as poppies were handed out to all present by members of the Ladies Auxilliary, VFW Post 2205. Not only did I meet a fellow Canuck there, but he is a RCAF vet originally from Vancouver, my old home town. Small world.

CHEEMO!

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - my RSL has its own Memorial Gardens and this is where we hold our ceremony. Every year we have a Catafalque Party from 16 LAD and the exclusive use of a Lone Piper. Our local Primary School children feature heavily in our ceremony and every year they provide poetry readings, a choir and they all plant individual small white crosses. Everyone then adjourns to our clubrooms for refreshments.

Bob

[malcolm erik bogaert]

went for my annual stint outside my town hall yesterday..weather not half as bad as last year but despite what the media say...tins this year where only half full as compared to 2010...recession must be hitting home regards malcolm

[Marc Montgomery]

great remembrance songs by Cdns
1-Terry Kelly - A Pittance of Time (true story-see youtube video)
2-Bobby Watt-Remembrance Day (alb- Watts Next)
John McDermott (Eric Bogle written) Green Fields of France
Michael Mitchell (Bogle) And the Band played Waltzing Matilda (alb=Lest we Forget)
5-Roland Majeau (Sk?) Soldier's Cry (see youtube vid)

[maple_leaf_eh]

I found my son's elementary school principal about 3 weeks ago to tell her I would be available to speak at their assembly - if I was invited. The designated teacher found me last week, and I forwarded an approved National Defence powerpoint presentation for the occassion. Ordinarily servicemen and women are not supposed to speak in public. There are Public Affairs officers for that job, except under the conditions of Operation Connection. The military goes out of its way to solicit and support uniformed speakers to go to schools and groups, and spread the word. Connecting Canadians to their military is considered a very good thing.

The school assembly started at 0935. Another school dad, a reserved LCol on paid education sat beside me at the front. The classes placed their wreaths across the front the stage. Songs were sung. Poems recited. And then I rose onto my hind legs and spoke. The first thing I asked was for show of hands for who had a military relative. The principal, the secretary, many parents and lots of kids. I talked about how to learn who to remember and who are veterans. Simple and age appropriate for 4yr olds and up.

Then my wife drove me downtown in time to catch the run up to the national services at the National War Memorial downtown. Straight forward service, timed to the clock strike. The Act of Remembrance in English, French and a First Nation language I didn't recognize. Gun salutes, CF18 and Griffon helo flypasts, followed by Vintage Wings' Corsair and Mustang. The one prayer I look forward to is by our local rabbi. A stirring speaker whose choice of words always stirs me.

Ottawans get the solemnity of the occassion; two jokers were arrested in Toronto for disturbing the peace during the Mayor's speech.