petergabriel.com

Bryan Adams - Remembrance Day - Lest we forget http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXNmWoNrYQY&feature=related In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders Fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields. - John McCrae Why the Poppy? Today, fields of brilliant poppies still grow in France. A writer first made the connection between the poppy and battlefield deaths during the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century, remarking that fields that were barren before battle exploded with the blood-red flowers after the fighting ended. During the tremendous bombardments of the First World War the chalk soils became rich in lime from rubble, allowing 'popaver rhoeas' to thrive. When the war ended the lime was quickly absorbed, and the poppy began to disappear again. After John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields was published in 1915 the poppy became a popular symbol for soldiers who died in battle. Three years later an American, Moina Michael, was working in a New York City YMCA canteen when she started wearing a poppy in memory of the millions who died on the battlefield. During a 1920 visit to the United States a French woman, Madame Guerin, learned of the custom. On her return to France she decided to use handmade poppies to raise money for the destitute children in war-torn areas of the country. In November, 1921, the first poppies were distributed in Canada. Thanks to the millions of Canadians who wear flowers each November, the little red plant has never died. And neither have Canadian's memories for 116,031 of their countrymen who died in battle.

http://www.timescolonist.com/travel/2216309.bin

Memories of My Army Friend, George 744 Comm. Squadron - Pvt.(w) Miller speaking, Sir The first time I met George was in the back of an army truck as we headed to Squamish for a war games.well, in communications.it just means we set up our radios and send messages back and forth. George and I really bonded on a Remembrance Day trip to Calgary, we marched in freezing weather, luckily my mum bought me some warm long johns - really helped. George and I realized quickly that we were from the same planet, and it wasn't this one - we cracked each other up easily and at the wrong times. At the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Canadian Forces Base in Calgary, during the minute of silence George offered me a tic tac - it was stuck in its case, so I whacked it hard, and the sound echoed throughout the stadium during the silence - George and I cracked up and couldn't stop laughing, we got glares from some others - and afterwards someone said that we risked getting a write up - which just made us giggle some more George and I were just friends but we got a long great. One day back in Vancouver I noticed an obit in the Vancouver Sun - T., George age 18 died accidentally. I couldn't believe it and phoned Jericho base, and found out George had fallen off a pier and drowned. I talked with a friend Vern and he has his suspicions - he said George had a broken jaw, and thought someone punched him and pushed him into the water. I guess we'll never know the real story. Kate Bushes Army Dreamers reminds me of George. RIP George Kate Bush - Army Dreamers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWdHOm256N4

Happy Veterans' Day and THANK YOU to all who served.

I have a nice contribution, too - Mark Knopfler also has a song called Remembrance Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Rj-wODHNQ Beautiful tune, isn't it? I LOVE Mark Knopfler :-]

GH I love mark too, one of the finest guitarists around. Brothers In Arms would be a good song for today as well.