Before I get onto Remembrance Day and the main subject for today’s blog, I’ve got to share with you that I now know there is a Father Christmas after all.
How do I know? because he rang Jane yesterday morning and said so. When she told me I said the same that she had said to him, ‘are you the Rotary Club Father Christmas’ to which he replied, ‘no I am the real Father Christmas’ so what can you say to that? Mystifying is what I call it.
Having said that, I always wondered how Santa came down our chimney when we always had a coal fire burning, but wondering over, he obviously does exist especially when he was so adamant he was the real thing. The mystery thickens. Who was it? As he was insistent that he was Santa. Maybe we’ll find out soon as now I am really beginning to wonder if he does exist and is magical!
Remembrance Day
After that little digression, onto this weekend and what a day for remembrance it was all over the country, wasn’t it, with services being held everywhere, and how sad and touching they were too.
I turned the British Legion Remembrance Festival on TV, from the Albert Hall in London, to the sound of Tom Jones singing the most beautiful song. I think it was Bring Me Home, and what a beautiful sound it was. The words were so sad, I don’t know how the audience weren’t blubbering en-masse. His voice was just beautiful and really touched me, as we remember all the brave men who gave their lives over the last 100 years to give us the freedom and life we have now. The song was so appropriate and haunting and will stay with me for a long time to come.
At least the weather fined up for all the cenotaph services all over our island, and the sun got out here on the Fylde Coast, which was lovely. I’ve been amazed by the countless displays that towns and cities have done, whether large or small, they are all so lovely. The banks of poppies, most of which have been lovingly made by people to show they care, are amazing.
Remembering our ancestors
Here in Cleveleys, we have our own small display of poppies and it’s so heartwarming to know that so many people care about our long gone ancestors.
I for one hope that next year and for years to come, people will make so much effort to pay homage to the men who gave their lives for us, and not just this year because it was the centenary.
The lights that were lit outside the Tower of London looked wonderful, as did the ceramic poppies that were there previously. Myself, I love the displays where poppies are cascading down from whatever to remind us of what these men gave up for us.
As my regular readers will know, my own grandad was killed in the middle of the First World War, giving his life for his country. He had no need to go to war as he was exempt due to being a miner. My grandma always said that a whole crowd of miners went to war as they were so patriotic, even though it meant that women were left at home to bring their children up. In my grandmas case it was seven children, and no welfare state!
Over in six months
Apparently, they all thought that the war would be over in six months, although where they got that from I don’t know. So off they all went to serve their country, little knowing what was in store for them. In my grandads case, a bullet ultimately killed him, leaving my gran to bring up seven children on a pittance of a war pension and that was it.
My mum was the youngest when her father was killed. I should say looking at photos that she was about 18 months or so, so she never had any recollection of him at all. The eldest was thirteen and idolised her father and she took it really badly when he was killed. So much so that it affected her for the rest of her life, which is sad. My gran had to take in washing and go out wallpapering in people’s homes to put food on the table which must have been awful for her. When she developed Alzheimer’s disease, the doctors told my mum that she was tipped over the edge into dementia by the stress of being left with all those children on her own in her thirties.
There was no welfare state and children’s allowance to help her and she just had to get by like countless other widows did. She was given his war medals, and a picture of an angel in the clouds with my grandad lying out in front of them. She also had a large, brass, what resembled a penny coin, with Britannia pictured on it holding a trident and his name engraved on it.
The black edged telegram
I remember seeing the telegram that was sent to her informing her of his death. A piece of paper with both the envelope and letter edged in black, so they all knew what was inside them. She had a spent hand grenade, a spoon and fork which were joined together that he used in the conflict and not much else.
What a sad few bits to have left in place of her husband, and the same for many like her all over the country, there was no help like there is today. He and many others gave their life so that we could have the freedom we have today. I just hope that after all the modern wars which have all taken lives, that people really appreciate the sacrifices that they and their families made.
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