Hi all,
i know we have a date for remembering sister's that have been taken from us over the year's which is very important to remember, but please spare a thought for all the thousands of soldiers who layed down there live's over the years and are still doing so around the world, so that we can live hopefully a safer life. Wear your poppy with pride........love JJ xx

The eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

one of the strangest places of rememberence i've every been honoured to be part of.. during my time 'on the lines' at toyota's plant here in derbyshire..

this massive monument to modern japan.. sitting totally silent for the two minutes, yes we remembered our dead, former enemies standing sideby side. the one thing i'll never forget is the look in the eye of one of my japanese trainers, whos father had served on their side during the war, he remembered him with great proudness, as he should, but felt ashamed for doing so.. and yet here he was, with the british, honouring the dead by remembering them.

theres a point here somewhere, once the killing has stopped, once the words have stopped flying, it says a lot that he could stand here and be proud of his father, a man he hardly knew, proud that he was prepared to serve his country

yes a lot can be said about the japanese during the war, but even today they show a dignaty i wish i could emulate.

i spoke later to ui-san about this, he said after visitng hiroshima as a child he never thought he'd feel as strongly as that again.

He planned a visti to the wreak of the arizona, i don't know if he ever did, but i kind of hope so, i think it would mean a lot to him.

for all this i'm thankful the experiences that other have been though are just that, the expeirences of others. for that i am truely greatful, and for that i will remember.

I quite agree with you JJ,i'll be wearin mine with pride that sunday.I too have lost good friends due to war,one of them in the falklands.I have a cousin that's out serving in iraq at the moment,i think he's in basra but i'm not sure.One thing i will do when i attend our local service is take my grandad's war medals with me.When he passed away i inherited them cos i was like the oldest of his grancchildren.When i think that he fought in italy and north africa,it makes me feel proud that he left me his medals.They are now,and always will be my most prized possesion of all.So come sunday i'll be able to pay my respects and remember him with fondness.Love and xxxxx maria