The end of hostile activity between the Allies and Germany was marked at 11am on November 11, 1918. The armistice was signed in France.
It was always hoped that this was the war which would end all wars; there were so many lessons which should have been learned; so much hope for a brave new future, of greater tolerance and man’s love for his fellow man.
Sadly, as we all know this was not to be the case.
Armistice Day is now more commonly called Remembrance Day and this Sunday, November 10 will see many countries holding Remembrance Services to remember the war dead of so many different conflicts across the world. And on Monday November 11 we should all stop at 11am and remember those who have given so much – in millions of cases their lives – and made a difference to the way in which we now live.
Since the end of World War II in 1945, there have been 250 major wars across the world and in each one many lives have been lost – both civilian and those serving in what we know as the armed forces. These lost lives are added to the numbers who are remembered each year on November 11. The exception in Europe to this date is Italy where the war dead are remembered on November 4.
As the years have gone by, we have become more aware of the frequency of war and the dreadful havoc that is wreaked each time man takes up arms against others.
Nowadays the media takes us to the theatre of war and we are shown unpalatable and heart-rending images. And schools for many years have been teaching modern history – somewhat different from the Paleolithic Age and the Tudors which I remember from my education.
Social history demands that we do know what happened in the past.
We have now reached the stage where there are few people left alive who served in World War II (1939-1945) and there are many stories that remain untold.
You may be the owner of a great deal of information, of social history which needs noting, and you may have photographs of family members who served in either World War I or World War II – or indeed both. Please take the time to ask your remaining relatives to tell their stories and name the unknown people in the photos.
Providing help
The British Legion was founded in1921, receiving its Royal Charter 50 years later when it then became The Royal British Legion. This charity provides support in many different ways to those who have served and those who are currently serving in the armed forces, as well as their dependants. Over the years, the support from the RBL includes social and emotional support as well as financial support.
Needless to say, fundraising is critical to the financial health of the Royal British Legion. Each year the RBL takes up the cudgels for tens of thousands of war veterans to receive war pensions and other essential support – surely things that should be readily available for those who gave so much for their countries.
Making donations to the Royal British Legion is simple, and is something that is not restricted to the few weeks of the Poppy Appeal each year. Take a look at the RBL website and learn more about the ongoing projects and how your donation could make a difference.
The annual Poppy Appeal is, of course, the most well recognised way in which funds are raised for the RBL. The poppy is the officially registered trademark of the RBL.
Over the years, the poppies which many of us wear – with pride – have altered, with fashion playing a part in the design of the poppies. Today there are many different poppies, some of the most glitzy worn by television and film celebrities but with more modest versions still available. Regardless of the type or style of poppy you choose to wear – the message is the same – remembrance.
But why was the poppy chosen to be the symbol of the RBL?
Flanders, in Belgium, saw some of the most intense fighting during WW I, with troops fighting in areas which were turned into acres and acres of mud with nothing growing. The poppy flower can only grow in ground which has been disturbed, and following the end of the conflict the poppy was the only thing which grew and bloomed in these areas. The poppy fields of Flanders are an emotive image for us all.
By SHEENA RAWCLIFFE
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.
Lt Col.John McCrae 1915
Over the next few weeks the Algarve Resident will publish the stories of some of those who served in the Armed Forces and who now live in Portugal.
To learn more about the RBL (Portugal) Branch visit: www.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/portugal
Message from the Royal British Legion Portugal Branch Chairman
Some years ago, before being volunteered as Portugal Branch Chairman and prior to the economic downturn, I dared to believe and suggest to the branch committee of the day that Portugal Branch membership could break through the 400 mark without any difficulty; the potential was there at the time.
However, we then entered a global financial storm and, like most, I knew there were difficult times ahead. Recognising that we needed to reef in the mainsail, secure the hatches and ride out the financial storm, there appeared to be no safe anchorage available.
In real terms, this was reflected in a immediate increase of over 500% in applications for assistance from beneficiaries in 08/09 and subsequent years which I am pleased to say has eased off considerably this year.
The constant trickle of expats to Portugal dried up and a significant number returned to the UK, to their own perceived safe anchorage.
However, I am pleased and relieved to report that the financial downturn has not been reflected in our annual Poppy Appeal or in our membership numbers, which have not only remained steady but have actually increased since 2008.
Together with the hard work of the committee, past and present, our welfare caseworkers, Poppy Appeal organisers and our collectors, and last but by no means least with the generosity of the general public in Portugal, these factors have all contributed to a resounding success; a massive thank you to all.
However, and lest we forget, we must be under no illusion that tragically, these figures have also been driven by the cost in human lives of our young and very brave service men and women in Afghanistan, sad details of which at one time were beamed into our living rooms on an almost daily basis.
2014 will be particularly poignant as far as remembrance is concerned. One hundred years since the commencement of the mass slaughter of the First World War. There cannot be a family in the UK unaffected by the dark years of 1914-18, when the brave youth of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth marched off to what can only be described as a living hell.
My wife and I both had Grandfathers who survived this war after joining the lads of the local regiment; one of which served for three years in the trenches of France without returning to UK until the armistice and, like most, he never spoke of it. Of course, there were many who did not return and, as always, at 1100 on Sunday November 10 across Portugal, we will remember them together with all those from all conflicts that did not return.
Membership is the bedrock of the RBL and from which it draws its strength when fighting for the rights of our military personnel and their families. The military covenant being enshrined in law was a massive step forward for service people that could only have been achieved via the backing of the membership, which now totals 342,000 in UK and overseas. You do not have to be serving or ex service to be a member of the Royal British Legion.
If you believe you have a spare hour to offer the Royal British Legion and would like to become a member, then please ring me 282 084 438.
Desmond Briggs BEM
Portugal Branch Chairman
