We will remember them

[Colin]

Today is Remembrance Sunday when our nation comes together to remember the fallen and to ponder the hideous sacrifice of war.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njK5K_Vk5ys&feature=related[/ame]

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, 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.

3 Para. Mount Longdon

Sergeant Ian McKay VC
Corporal Stephen Hope
Corporal Keith McCarthy
Corporal Stewart McLaughlin
Cfn Alex Shaw REME
Corporal Scott Wilson
Lance-Corporal Peter Higgs
Lance-Corporal Christopher Lovatt
Lance-Corporal James Murdoch
Lance-Corporal David Scott
Private Richard Absolon, MM
Private Gerald Bull
Private Jason Burt
Private John Crow
Private Mark Dobsworth
Private Anthony Greenwood
Private Neil Grose
Private Peter Hedicker
Private Timothy Jenkins
Private Craig Jones
Private Stewart Laing
Private Ian Scrivens
Private Philip West

When you go home
tell them of us and say,
for your tomorrow
we gave our today.​

 

[Blagger]

A noble and warming gesture to those who answered the call and gave so much in return for so little, Colin. Good show.

I don't think I've ever seen anything that quite captures the spirit and gallows humour of trench warfare as they did in the final push in Blackadder Goes Fourth...

Enjoy:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IglUmgYGxLM&feature=related"]An ode to the mud and slaughter on Flanders field. [/ame]

Great grandswagger: Grenadier Guards, Passchendaele, 1917. Survived the Great War and lived right-up to the grand old age of 93. He died eating a corned beef sandwich. Most Brits will appreciate the irony of that.

 

[California Girl]

Hey, you have US Marines marching with yours today at the Cenotaph. How cool is that!

Its very touching to watch all those from the 'great generation' marching. Bless their hearts for their huge sacrifice.

 

[Blagger]

Hey, you have US Marines marching with yours today at the Cenotaph. How cool is that!

A stirring display of solidarity, California Girl. Much appreciated.

 

[editec]

21+ million deaths of
the War to End All wars​

http://www.usmessageboard.com/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_I

Allies of World War I

Population (millions) Military deaths Civilian deaths Total deaths Deaths as % of population Military wounded

Australiab4.561,92861,9281.38%152,171
Canadad7.264,9442,00066,9440.93%149,732
Indian Empireg315.174,18774,1870.02%69,214
New Zealandl1.118,05018,0501.64%41,317
Dominion of Newfoundlandm0.21,2041,2040.6%2,314
South Africar6.09,4639,4630.16%12,029
United Kingdoms45.4885,138109,000994,1382.19%1,663,435Sub-total for British Imperial Forces-1,114,914111,0001,225,914-2,090,212East AfricaaSee footnote
Belgiumc7.458,63762,000120,6371.63%44,686
Francee39.61,397,800300,0001,697,8004.29%4,266,000
Greecef4.826,000150,000176,0003.67%21,000
Italyh35.6651,000589,0001,240,0003.48%953,886
Empire of Japani53.64154150%907
Luxembourgj0.3See footnote
Montenegrok0.53,0003,0000.6%10,000
Portugaln6.07,22282,00089,2221.49%13,751
Romaniao7.5250,000430,000680,0009.07%120,000
Russian Empirep175.11,811,0001,500,0003,311,0001.89%4,950,000 Serbiaq4.5275,000450,000725,00016.11%133,148
United Statest92.0116,708757117,4650.13%205,690

Total (Entente Powers)806.05,711,6963,674,7579,386,4531.19%12,809,280

Central PowersPopulation (millions)Military deathsCivilian deathsTotal deathsDeaths as % of populationMilitary wounded

Austria-Hungaryu51.41,100,000467,0001,567,0003.05%3,620,000
Bulgariav5.587,500100,000187,5003.41%152,390
German Empirew64.92,050,897426,0002,476,8973.82%4,247,143
Ottoman Empirex21.3771,8442,150,0002,921,84413.72%400,000Total (Central Powers)143.14,010,2413,143,0007,153,2415%8,419,533

Neutral nations
Denmarky2.77227220.03%
Norwayz2.41,8921,8920.08%
Swedenz5.6-8778770.02%Grand total960.09,721,9376,821,24816,543,1851.75%21,228,813

source

Thank GOD we had that war, huh?

It's been smooth sailing ever since, hasn't it?

 

[Madeline]

Many blessings on the UK Military, the veterans and all their families.

Godspeed to you all.

 

[hipeter924]

The worst was suffered after the first world war, with the influenza pandemic (otherwise known as Spanish flu 1918 flu pandemic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) that killed not only the returning soldiers but inadvertently their families, friends, and relatives back home.

The 1918 flu pandemic (the Spanish Flu) was an influenza pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin.[1] Most victims were healthy young adults, in contrast to most influenza outbreaks which predominantly affect juvenile, elderly, or weakened patients. The flu pandemic was implicated in the outbreak of encephalitis lethargica in the 1920s.[2]
The pandemic lasted from March 1918 to June 1920,[3] spreading even to the Arctic and remote Pacific islands. Between 50 and 100 million died, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history.[4][5][6][7][8] An estimated 50 million people, about 3% of the world's population (1.6 billion at the time), died of the disease. Some 500 million, or 1/3 were infected.[5]

 

[Bootneck]

We will remember them.​

 

[Wicked Jester]

Raise a pint o' Newcastle in salute to 'em from me, Colin!

 

[Big Black Dog]

All gave some, some gave all.