Remembrance - Never in vain

Every year around Remembrancetide the same old sad people trot out their, "Why not tell people their sons died for nothing," cobblers. They witter on about how awful bomber command were and take pleasure in the fact that they have never received recognition for the fact they took to the air and put their lives on the line in pursuit of peace (and in obedience to orders).

Well, here we are 11/11/11 and at 11:00 I will be gathered with many others to pay our respects to all who have served in wars and conflicts throughout the world and will be thanking those who have died in the pursuit of peace, the same peace that lets some drone on in the way I have outlined above, and yes, even to burn poppies (but don't be surprised is someone takes offence!). The reality is that when one nation seeks to subsume another into its nation, or remove a people group, or act against others in ways that are wrong and where the art of politics fails, it is to the men and women of our armed forces that we look for a remedy.

War is never glorious - and that is not the message of Armistice Day or Remembrance Sunday - but the fact that scared people go and do heroic things, overcome fear to make a stand and do what is right (in a right way), then these people deserve to be paid their due respect and thanked.

In the words of the Kohima epitaph:

For our tomorrow, they gave their today"

So let us pay homage to them and live well in that truth!

Pax