Remembrance - 11.11.11

My Son-in-Law has just signed up for the next 5 years in the Army...a brave decision to make with a young family.

We must NEVER forget any of the brave who have died for their country in all conflicts 

With gratitude....

Picture by Ruth Gregory

Speaking of remembrance, I am fortunate to have (and treasure) my grandfather's M1917 Brodie Helmet, which he wore in France and Belgium during the First World War. It has a distinctive bullet crease on one side of the top of the helmet, a near miss that gave my grandfather a headache for the rest of that day!

Here's to you, grandpa--Cpl. Edgar Faleer, 147th Infantry, 37th "Buckeye" Division, American Expeditionary Force; wounded in action at Baccarat (bayonet) in August, 1918 and gassed one week before the Armistice at Ypres, Belgium.

And here's to my Dad--Sgt. Arthur Faleer, Air Transport Command, U.S. Army Air Force (C-46 & C-47 transport aircraft); served from 1943-1944 in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

Also, here's to my late father-in-law R. D. Holton, USN; Gunner's Mate 3rd Class on the destroyer USS Shubrick (DD 639), which saw action in the Atlantic and Mediterranean and was heavily damaged off Sicily in 1943; Gunner's Mate 2nd Class on the aircraft carrier USS Bennington (CV 20), which saw action in the Pacific.

Here's to all veterans everywhere. You have our eternal thanks!

Well, I suppose I could call myself a veteran except that, in 23 years service in the RAF, I never once went to war. A tribute, I think, to the deterrant of the NATO Alliance and of the sacrifice of the servicemen and woman of 2 world wars and countless small wars.

I missed the Falklands as I was in Germany which was then classed as front-line, and I missed the 1st Gulf War as I was newly promoted and was in England on various courses when my Squadron went to bahrein to carry out missions against Iraq.

I don't make a fuss about remembering but I always do. I wear a small poppy badge all year round and my car also has a poppy sticker. The only charities I contribute to are service charities, especially after the help they gave me when I really needed it.

Now I have made a promise to myself that, should the unthinkable happen and I actually won the lottery, there would be a substantial sum diverting to the RBL, RAFA and SSAFA.

Always remember them, never forget their sacrifice.

 Andy