Today is the day to remember all those of our families and relations who fought in the great wars, all those who lost their lives,

Personally, i think of my father, BEF, Dunkirk, then to North Africa, El Alemain, italy, Anzio,Monte Cassino, dysentry stopped him going on to berlin, my uncle had near 3 years on the Burma railroad,

both were survivours, but sadly dead now,

Wish i could buy a poppy here in NE thailand, i would wear it with pride,

in Australia today, heading to the memorial to pay my respects.

beats being in a bkk bar listening to all the so called sas, commandos and ninjas tell there stories that dont quite add up.

in Australia today, heading to the memorial to pay my respects.

beats being in a bkk bar listening to all the so called sas, commandos and ninjas tell there stories that dont quite add up.

Yes, its Anzac day as well, me? nowhere near BKK, small town NE Thai, what have i got here?not much, just memories,

In Chiang Mai there is a ceremony every year at the foreign cemetery, and poppies are widely available at expat bars throughout the city.

They always do a lovely service at the cemetery, followed by food and drink at Gymkhana Club.

Hopefully see some of you there, 11am start.

in Australia today, heading to the memorial to pay my respects.

beats being in a bkk bar listening to all the so called sas, commandos and ninjas tell there stories that dont quite add up.

Yes, its Anzac day as well, me? nowhere near BKK, small town NE Thai, what have i got here?not much, just memories,

have your minute,wherever you are mate,its in the heart and mind.

Remembering my late grandfather buried in Kanchanaburi and all his fellow comrades.

We will never forget.

Edited November 11, 201213 yr by stoneyboy

Rememberance Sunday

GreatWar 1914-1918

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

They shall not grow, as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Edited November 11, 201213 yr by krisb

We remember. Thank you.

i love Australia, thailands in my heart to but i just cant leave Australia.

kanchanaburi such a sad place,none of my family there,the western front,where those lovely poppies grow, many there,normandy beaches a few there,but when visiting kanchanaburi,i had such tears in my eyes,then a tour group of people from the land of the rising sun arrived to take some tourist photos,bite my tongue but only just,i could only stare at the cross and try to ignore them.

i was told that they were never taught their countrys involvement of the atrocities they committed,does that still hold true,because i would never have the nerve to show my face in that cemetary if i did know.

Edited November 11, 201213 yr by macksview

my father's two greatest influences his father and uncle,the uncle never wanted children,so my father was his surrogate son.

the uncle a professional soldier,mons star,after the war he resigned for a trip to the north-west frontier,a confirmed pacifist in his later years.

my grandfather,who when attending a job interview (in a land fit for heroes)was asked where he did his matriculation,was only able to reply on the somme,a confirmed pacifist.

3 generations later,my family still have serving or ex-serving members in the forces of the uk or australia,love our countries and never forget the sacrifice of those past and present.

macksview, I had a very similar experience at Kanchanaburi. About 11 years ago, a lady friend invited me to visit the place as I had told her that my Father had been in Burma (non-captive) and had recounted many tales of the inhumanity of the Japanese. On the day of the visit, she turned up with a bloody Jap in tow, he was a former boss of hers!

I will give the guy credit, once we visited the main cemetery he left me well alone which was just as well, I loathed his company just for who he was, I know, childish, but I couldn't help it.

I had been to many war cemeteries around the world, but Kanchanaburi did leave a lasting impression. For one, I was not aware of the number of Dutch buried there but the solemnity of the place and the peace and beauty will remain in my mind forever. It is a place for quiet reflection, where the past seems to meet the present, where unashamedly I can shed a tear for all those young lives cut so tragically short.

I was a service man for 25 years and still work for the military, but I so wish we would all be unemployed very soon. It will never happen, but we can dream.

in Australia today, heading to the memorial to pay my respects.

beats being in a bkk bar listening to all the so called sas, commandos and ninjas tell there stories that dont quite add up.

Yes, its Anzac day as well, me? nowhere near BKK, small town NE Thai, what have i got here?not much, just memories,

I am living 65 km southwest of Khampaeng Phet and I am a bit like you out in the sticks.

I am also a member of the Royal British Legion (probably the only one for 200 km).

Go to TropicalBerts website as he is the secretary of the RBL in Thailand and sign up.

http://www.tropicalberts.com/

It's worth it but a little late for today.

when i said i cant leave my country to guys, i was not implying in any way i love it more then you guys love yours, sorry if it came across that way.

i love Australia, thailands in my heart to but i just cant leave Australia.

Yes you can take the boy out of Australia but you cant take Australia out of the boy...

many of our dutch friends buried through thailand,the east indies,on and near the bridges,when the dutchies came to australia we welcomed them as brothers,the same as the poles,the czechs,the maygar,we knew what they did.

aussie flyers given shelter by the dutch/belgian resistance,the resistance not soldiers but mums and dads,we owe you a debt.

during world war 2,my grandfather gassed and wounded from the first war,and working then at enfield loch,testing machine guns (but always a pacifist,he needed a job), tried to re-enlist for the army,not accepted due to age and poor lungs,joined the home guard,yes not with captain mainwaring and sgt wilson,but their local group,part of their duty was to guard the german prisoners working in the market gardens on the lea river

(london 2012 canoeing course),the germans made wooden toys for my father and gave spare vegetables for my grandmother to use.

just simple soldiers glad their war had ended, like all glad their war had finished,like all soldiers sins,valour,regrets,joy all just memories.

Gone but not forgotten, this was today at a newly erected (this year) memorial to the Burma Railway & other Far East veterans in Camden London.

Gone but not forgotten, this was today at a newly erected (this year) memorial to the Burma Railway & other Far East veterans in Camden London.

That's very poignant roamer,thanks for sharing the picture.

Gone but not forgotten, this was today at a newly erected (this year) memorial to the Burma Railway & other Far East veterans in Camden London.

young lives lost,love and respect to them

That's very poignant roamer,thanks for sharing the picture.

Your welcome guys. Some interesting info on how the memorial came about here.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMFAXX_FEPOW_Memorial_Camden_High_Street_London_UK

I had my 2 minutes silence at 6pm last night, 11 am GMT.