A Bristol Geek

Poppies on display at a war memorial

Another year has passed since the end of the Great War (as our forefathers called it at the time), and the world has again stood still for a short two minutes to remember all those who died in the name of their countries in not only that conflict but all others since.

Even if you do not agree with or support the current conflicts that our brave servicemen (and women!) are fighting in you should still stop and remember the fallen. The world was a different place in the early part of the last century, going to war was perhaps the only choice the allied countries had to defend their way of life.

Jumping back to the present day, at 11:00 this morning I was at work like many millions of other people in this world. A few minutes before 11:00 I took a walk out into Queen Square (where I work) to stand in the autumn leaves during the two minutes silence, it is a much nicer place to stand and think rather than the noise of an office (coughs, phones, watches being checked!).

As the digits on my phone changed to 11:00 I was surprised to see the workers from the building next door come outside to stand in silence together, however as I looked around there were still people talking on their mobiles and rushing to get somewhere. There were a few like me who had stepped into the cold, standing still in a defiant act of remembrance. For a few moments there was near silence (with the exception of an ambulance, but they are forgiven!) until it was ripped asunder by a bin lorry rumbling along the cobbles. Would it have been too much to ask for the lorry to pull over for a moment? Perhaps those still talking or driving were in a hurry, had somewhere to be or something to do; either way is two minutes to remember those who died really too much to ask?

If you did not manage to buy a poppy this year, or just want to give some more to help the Royal British Legion support the thousands of ex and current servicemen and women, you can do so on the Poppy Appeal website.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them. Laurence Binyon ‘For the Fallen‘ 1914.

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Another year has passed since the end of the Great War (as our forefathers called it at the time), and the world has again stood still for a short two minutes to...