Lord Nelson in the cabin of the Victory.
Posted on 09/13/2001 11:54:36 AM PDT by MadIvan
A special Changing of the Guard ceremony has taken place at Buckingham Palace to honour those killed in the terrorist outrage in America.
In an unprecedented move, the military band played the American national anthem first. When they finished a large and emotional crowd burst into applause.
The Duke of York, representing the Queen, and US Ambassador William Farish stood solemnly side-by-side as others in a crowd of well-wishers - eight deep at the Palace railings - waved flags, clapped and cheered.
The two men stared grim-faced ahead as the anthem gave way to a two-minute silence.
Then the band from the outgoing Number 7 Company, Coldstream Guards, played a selection of sombre US music.
It included Hymn for the Fallen, written by US composer John Williams and used in the final credits of the film, Saving Private Ryan.
The Queen could not make it as she was in Balmoral, Scotland, but she will be attending a special ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral in London on Friday.
Another Royal, the Prince of Wales, was the first person to sign a book of condolence at the US Embassy in London.
He wrote his name in the volume in a gesture of sympathy and solidarity with the thousands of victims of the atrocities in New York and Washington.
He called at the embassy, in Grosvenor Square, central London, on the way back from a visit to Somerset.
After signing the book, the Prince spent about seven minutes talking to staff, many of whom know people affected by the tragedy.
A US embassy spokesman said: "It was a very simple, solemn occasion. He was joined by Ambassador William Farish and his wife. There was a signing ceremony and a formal handshake."
Meanwhile both British and American mourners gathered around an impromptu memorial near the embassy in Grosvenor Square.
An American flag was draped around a tree while scores of bouquets were laid around it. There were many messages of condolence written along with the flowers.
Many mourners were unable to control their grief as they remembered the victims of the devastating terrorist attack.
Andrew McGee, 32, from London said: "The attack was a tragedy. I love Americans and when I saw the pictures I just could not believe it. "I despise the people who did this and I am still in shock really".
Lloyd's remembers
Lloyd's of London, the insurance market, rang its Lutine bell and held a minute silence as a mark of respect to those killed in the US terrorist strike.
The bell, which was salvaged from British Frigate HMS Lutine in the 19th century, was traditionally rung to signal news of a missing ship.
It has been rung to mark other tragedies such as the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
There was a minute-long silence which will end with the bell being rung a second time. A spokesman for Lloyd's said they were ringing the bell as a mark of respect to the victims in the US.
He said that as a market Lloyd's had several broker offices in the World Trade Centre.
Residents of Lockerbie, the Scottish town which was devastated when a jumbo jet exploded over it more than a decade ago, spoke of their horror at the US terror attacks.
Many townspeople forged close links with the scores of American families whose relatives were killed when Pan Am flight 103 was blown out of the sky in December 1988.
Phil Jones, the chief executive of Dumfries and Galloway Council, said flags would be flown at half mast on all local authority buildings in the area this week as a mark of respect for the American people.
"The people of Lockerbie are appalled by these acts of terrorism in America.
"The scale is unimaginable but the individual trauma of the relatives of the victims is known and fills local people with deep sadness.
"We received comfort and support from America following the Lockerbie air disaster in December 1988 and we want to let them know that they are in our thoughts now and in the difficult times ahead."
And in an area that is used to terrorism, Ireland is to hold a national day of mourning on Friday.
God speed to the Royal Navy and God save the Queen!
If we are together nothing is impossible. If we are divided all will fail.
I therefore preach continually the doctrine of the fraternal association of our two peoples, not for any purpose of gaining invidious material advantages for either of them, not for territorial aggrandisement or the vain pomp of earthly domination, but for the sake of service to mankind and for the honour that comes to those who faithfully serve great causes.
Here let me say how proud we ought to be, young and old alike, to live in this tremendous, thrilling, formative epoch in the human story, and how fortunate it was for the world that when these great trials came upon it there was a generation that terror could not conquer and brutal violence could not enslave. Let all who are here remember, as the words of the hymn we have just sung suggest, let all of us who are here remember that we are on the stage of history, and that whatever our station may be, and whatever part we have to play, great or small, our conduct is liable to be scrutinised not only by history but by our own descendants.
Let us rise to the full level of our duty and of our opportunity, and let us thank God for the spiritual rewards He has granted for all forms of valiant and faithful service. Winston Churchill, 1943
Just a reminder from dear old Winston. Regards, Ivan
Lord Nelson in the cabin of the Victory.
Illustrious will serve as the flagship for Argonaut 01, which sees 24 ships and two submarines of the Royal Navy deploy to the Mediterranean and the Gulf, where they will participate in Saif Sareea II. Two other Argonaut task groups have already sailed; a squadron of mine countermeasures vessels left on 14 August, followed by the amphibious task group centred on the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean and the assault ship HMS Fearless, carrying Royal Marines and soldiers of 3 Commando Brigade. The RFA Fort Austin accompanying the amphibious force conducted a major rescue operation in the Mediterranean on 2 September.
In Oman, Omani and British teams have been hard at work through the summer preparing for the arrival of over 20,000 British personnel and heavy equipment such as Challenger 2 tanks and AS90 self-propelled guns. These will exercise with a large force from the Royal Omani Armed Forces from 15 September to 26 October. They will be supported by the full range of airpower, with Tornado F3, Tornado GR4, E-3D Sentry, Nimrod, VC-10K tanker and C-130 transport aircraft deployed ashore by the RAF, Illustrious' Joint Force Harrier air group afloat and RAF, Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm helicopters. A major asset has proved to be the RAF's new C-17 heavy airlifter, which has been able to deliver up to 100,000lbs of cargo per flight direct to Oman.
LINK
We're very lucky...we needed a task force and we have one already assembled and heading off in the right direction. Of all things to have ready to go!
Regards, Ivan
God bless America
and God bless you & yours
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