Queen leads Remembrance Day ceremony as Britain stops to remember the 200 soldiers killed...

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 8th November 2009

[naturalman1975]

The Queen today lead the annual ceremony for Britain's war dead in the first Remembrance Sunday not attended by any veterans of World War I.

As Big Ben chimed 11am, the queen joined thousands of troops, veterans and civilians in the traditional two-minute silence. The silence was broken by a single artillery blast and the sound of the Royal Marine buglers playing the 'Last Post'.

Each year, thousands of poppies are placed in the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey to remember all those killed by the war.

This year the field also has plots dedicated to those killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, filled with crosses and photographs of the dead.

It was the first ceremony not attended by any of the survivors of World war 1, after the last three known veterans - Bill Stone, Henry Allingham and Harry Patch - all died this year.

[naturalman1975]

The Queen leads the ceremony at the Cenotaph.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative party leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg carry wreaths to the Cenotaph.

Prince Harry pays his respects.

Prince William remembers the fallen

Mark of respect: Soldiers watch as the Queen leads the Remembrance Sunday ceremony.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former Prime Minister John Major.

The faces of the five British soldiers who died in Afghanistan on Tuesday at the Garden of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in London.

Soldiers read the names of their fallen colleagues in the Field of Remembrance.

[plinyelder]

Great .. And we had our own ‘QUEEN’ leading our way into Communism last night!

[Cloverfarm]

We try to plant red poppies every year in the flower garden and tell the kids why.

[mware]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo

[Tax-chick]

Great pictures. Thanks for posting!

[Kolokotronis]

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.

[originalbuckeye]

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

We would do well to take a cue from Britain on this one. They ALWAYS honor their war dead in this manner. Our children and grandchildren are no longer being taught to honor those who have kept us safe and guaranteed our freedoms. More’s the pity in this, the once Greatest Country on earth.

[Cheburashka]

The Gardener, by Rudyard Kipling

http://home.clara.net/stevebrown/html/expeience_of_war/kipling_the_gardener.htm

Kipling himself never was able to visit the grave of his son, John. In the 1990's researchers identified the grave of an unidentified lieutenant as Kipling's son, but recently this identification has been challenged, so the final resting place of John Kipling is not yet settled, and may never be.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Remembrance Day

On your maypole green
See the winding morris men
Angry Alfie, Bill and Ken
Waving hankies, sticks and books
All the earthen roofs

Standing at the crease
The batsman takes a look around
The boys are fielding on home ground
The steeple sharp against the blue
When I think of you

Sam and Andy
Jack and John
Charlie, Martin
Jamie, Ron
Harry, Stephen
Will and Don
Matthew, Michael

On and on

We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them

We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them

Time has slipped away
The Summer sky to autumn yields
A haze of smoke across the fields
Let's sup and fight another round
And walk the stubbled ground

When November brings
The poppies on Remembrance Day
When the vicar comes to say
May God bless them everyone
Lest we forget our sons

We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them

We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them

We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them

We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them