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Having visited the P.O.W cemetries on the River Kwai in Thailand, it's got to be said I was impressed and felt very humbled that even all the way over there, thousands of miles away from Blighty, the allied war cemeteries were kept nothing short of immaculate.
Very emotional stuff. What I was quite surprised at was the amount of Dutch soldiers' war graves present too. Nearly half the graves seem to be Dutch P.O.W's. God rest their souls.
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In reply to Post #18
"  "
Bullsh!t.
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15 & 16, two great posts there lads 
I think sometimes during life’s challenges we forget what REALLY matters 
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| | | mal | | Posts: 8986 |  | |
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In reply to Post #15
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| | | Jon | | Posts: 4271 |  | |
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I wholeheartedly agree Ken
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In reply to Post #15
I saw a very disturbing photo today of a protester urinating up against Churchill's statue, god only knows what is in these people's minds??!!! I feel sorry and have pity for some of our young people, they have no sense of history and seem to be obsessed with expectation and mental health, even ones from decent backgrounds seem to be unhappy with their lot, I lived through a relatively golden age of innocence in my youth were we sought pleasure from simple things, it was a happy time and I don't remember young people being as angry as they seem to be today, I never lived through the terror of a world war and can only imagine those dark times for many but I appreciate and will be forever thankful for the sacrifice those previous generations made
I have also visited many war cemetery's and memorials in France and Belgium from both wars, like you say Ken, tiny small cemetery's with no more than a few dozen graves to the huge ones like Colleville, Thiepval and Tyne Cot, I find them incredibly moving and always take the time to stand by one or two graves for a while and wonder about the person who's name is on the grave, I have a particular interest in some of the Commonwealth cemetery's like the Kiwi's and Aussie's having lived in both country's for a while, there are some very small cemetery's dedicated to them and a particular regiment and they are particularly moving, sometimes tucked away behind a building in a small town somewhere, what strikes me each time ive been is the sheer amount of cemetery's there actually are. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission do an incredible job and the upkeep of all cemetery's ive visited is outstanding
I just wish that some of the people out there protesting and demonstrating today would show more respect and appreciate what a sacrifice the previous generations made so that they could live freely to do what they are doing now, maybe some do but I hate to say that many don't!
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I was invited to fish a lake in Normandy in June 1994, the 50th Anniversary of D-Day. It turned out to be the most moving and significant outings of my life. I fished a bit but my heart wasn't in it. Instead I toured much of Normandy and visited several immaculately-kept war graves. Some were only a handful of white, polished headstones, perhaps a couple of dozen. Others were huge, a hundred yards long and the same wide.
There were English, American, French and German names on the stones. The graves were so beautifully tended they moved me to tears, floods of them.
I went to the coast, to Aromanches, to a ceremony remembering 1944 and the dead from the beaches. I couldn't stay though to the end. It (and I) was too emotional.
I went to Thiepval, the Anglo-French memorial to the war dead. Hundreds of headstones and crosses all beautifully tended. I broke down in floods of tears and literally ran back to my car.
Every time I hear or see right wing bigots spouting Europhobe nonsense I shiver inside. In this terrible political climate in which we find ourselves today, with a toxic racist in the White House and a bumbling wannabe in 10 Downing Street I see only division and hatred spreading throughout the world. It's a dangerous place we live in today.
To the haters I say only this...
Go to Thiepval and reflect on what you are saying and doing. Why spread hate when it is so much more rewarding and peaceful to spread love?
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The one that gets me is a WW1 song amazing words
LINKY POO 
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In reply to Post #1
Sitting here watching the longest day AGAIN
Great film
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In reply to Post #1
We most certainly will remember them Ken
I was supposed to be going over to Normandy next week for three days which had to be cancelled so am very upset at not being over there in this 75th year since the end of the war, and today being the 76th anniversary of the D Day landings. I was also looking forward to seeing the new British Normandy memorial at Gold Beach but sadly that will have to wait until next year
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In reply to Post #1
Moving.
When we had a sense of social conscience, community spirit, and enough trust in our leadership to mobilise it.
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| | | mal | | Posts: 8986 | | |
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In reply to Post #1
well said Ken
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In reply to Post #1
I'm sure Ken you have visited the beaches at some point, it's quite an experience especially if you suffer from extreme empathy, if only they knew then we "could be free...FREE" ..........to do what we're told
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Uppermost respect and thanks.
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In reply to Post #1
Great post
Unlike some other recent patriotic threads I hope this is better supported.
We will and must remember them
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In reply to Post #1
Heroes
Absolutely that. We should NEVER forget. The people who put their lives on the line for us. Immense bravery and courage that some of us will never or ever know
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At this very moment seventy six years ago Allied soldiers, seamen and airmen were dying on the Normandy beaches so we could be free...FREE. God bless them all.
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
LISTEN TO THE WORDS.
(Sorry for the typo in thread title  )
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