Friday, November 11, 2011

Armistice / Remembrance / Veteran's Day 2011


I think I said all the important things last year at this time.

Even so, let's remember where this all started: Armistice Day, 1918. I'm obliged to the Daily Mail for publishing a series of photographs of the World War I battlefields as they are today. Here are a few examples. (Click the images for a larger view.)



Landscape near Verdun, France, still showing the effects of bombardment




Part of the Somme battlefield, looking towards the Thiepval Memorial in the distance




The Beaumont-Hamel battlefield today. Trenches and shellholes can still be clearly seen.



There are many more images at the link.

In the USA today, we honor all who have served. In much of the rest of the world, the original meaning of Armistice Day is honored, along with all those military servicemen and -women who died in war. May they be forgiven their sins, and rest in peace.

Peter

4 comments:

trailbee said...

To Peter, OLD NFO and blogging participants, I'm adding my thanks for the incredible efforts and far-reaching consequences.
A thought: What would it be like to be on the losing side? We are so lucky. Thank you!

Old NFO said...

Thanks to you for your service too Peter!

Noons said...

Their sacrifice will always be remembered.
Always.

Anonymous said...

A number of years ago I took a train from Mannheim to Paris and noted that the route does not go straight. It curves around the WWI battlefields, because it was too dangerous to lay track there. The unexploded ordinance from WWI remains a problem in parts of France and Belgium to this day.

LittleRed1