Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether summer clothe the general earth
With greeness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.



Thursday, November 09, 2006

Remembrance

1918 - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month when the guns finally fell silent ending the carnage that was World War 1.
Remembering all those who have given their lives for their country.





1914-1918

Harry Hindley Simpson 1879-1916
Ist Bn Lancashire Fusiliers



Great Uncle Harry
Fatally wounded in the hell that was The Somme. Died 20 August 1916

Double click on photo to read.



1939-1945

Harold Harrison 1911-1942
Royal Air Force



Uncle Harold
Died in the Far East and buried in the Jakarta War Cemetery, Indonesia - so far from home.


They shall not grow old
As we who 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 shall remember them

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

A touching tribute to two lovely young men who left us too soon. I recieved a package in the mail today from my father's cousin. It contained documents and photos from WW 1, including an account written by her father about seeing his younger brother blown apart, just feet from where he stood (Somme) and the guilt he felt because he was unhurt himself. We can't begin to imagine what they experienced.That young man was my great uncle Ralph, buried at Theipval.

Anonymous said...

I particularly like the photos - they make these men real.

Anonymous said...

It is wonderful of you to honor these great men in your blog. It is because of heroes such as these that we have all that we do.

Kelli said...

Such a lovely tribute, Rowan.
Kelli

Anonymous said...

Thank you for remembering. Very moving.

Anonymous said...

A lovely tribute, Rowan. Lest we forget.

Tea said...

What a lovely tribute Rowan. The pictures make it all so real and personal.

tea
xo

rel said...

Rowan,
The poem is so simple in it's truth, and for me eases the pain of the loss.
I do like it very much.
rel