they shall grow not old

[johnd]

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, 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 contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain

11/11/08

please buy a poppy
we owe them much more.


john

[joecuba]

We will remember them.

[Bibs]

Always matey.

[laser_jock99]

I will remember them.

For anyone who has not visited the CWGC site have a look here:

http://www.cwgc.org/debt_of_honour.asp?menuid=14

Found my Great Grandfather's details:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certifica...asualty=865161

So sad.

[John h]

Well said, although we do support Help for Heroes we still support RBL as much as possible. I will be at the service on Sunday and will lay our wreath at the War memorial at Barnsley, better go and polish me shoes and get me hair cut, valet the Surf, things to do people to see

Wear your Poppy with Pride

[yoshie]

As always.
Pity Mr Binyons ditty only talks of England.
Not the best choice for this forum John. imo

[MudSurfer]

As always.
Pity Mr Binyons ditty only talks of England.
Not the best choice for this forum John. imo

It took me 5 mins to find poems by Scottish, Welsh and Irish war poets - instead of moaning that an Englishman posts a poem by an English poet - this is a celebration and rememberance of fallen service men and women, not a point scoring exercise about whether a poem by an English person is the right choice for the forum - rather than moan about it, why not find one that means something to you, your country and post it - and at least try and remember why it was posted in the first place!

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
Britain mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, 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 contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond Britain's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain


....better????

Tir nam Beann, nan Gaisgeach,
’s nan Gleann,
’S i Tir nan Gaisgeach a th’ann. — Iain Rothach.

or

A Sough o' War
The corn was turnin', hairst was near,
But lang afore the scythes could start
A sough o' war gaed through the land
An' stirred it to its benmost heart.
Nae ours the blame, but when it came
We couldna pass the challenge by,
For credit o' our honest name
There could be but one reply.
An' buirdly men, fae strath an' glen
An' shepherds fae the bucht an' hill,
Will show them a', whate'er befa',
Auld Scotland counts for something still.
Half-mast the castle banner droops,
The Laird's lament was played yestreen,
An' mony a widowed cottar wife
Is greetin' at her shank aleen.
In Freedom's cause, for ane that fa's,
We'll gleen the glens a' send them three
To clip the reivin' eagle's claws,
An' drook his feathers i' the sea.
For gallant loons, in brochs an' toons,
Are leavin' shop an' yard an' mill,
A keen to show baith friend an' foe
Auld Scotland counts for something still.

The grim, grey fathers, bent wi' years,
Come stridin' through the muirland mist,
Wi' beardless lads scarce by wi' school
But eager as the lave to list.
We've fleshed o' yore the brave claymore
On mony a ###### field afar,
But ne'er did skirlin' pipes afore
Cry on sae urgently tae war.
Gin danger's there, we'll thole our share,
Gie's but the weapons, we've the will,
Ayont the main, to prove again
Auld Scotland counts for something still.
(Charles Murray)

or

I saw a man this morning
Who did not wish to die
I ask, and cannot answer,
If otherwise wish I.

Fair broke the day this morning
Against the Dardanelles ;
The breeze blew soft, the morn's cheeks
Were cold as cold sea-shells

But other shells are waiting
Across the Aegean sea,
Shrapnel and high explosive,
Shells and hells for me.

O hell of ships and cities,
Hell of men like me,
Fatal second Helen,
Why must I follow thee ?

Achilles came to Troyland
And I to Chersonese :
He turned from wrath to battle,
And I from three days' peace.

Was it so hard, Achilles,
So very hard to die ?
Thou knewest and I know not-
So much the happier I.

I will go back this morning
From Imbros over the sea ;
Stand in the trench, Achilles,
Flame-capped, and shout for me.
(Patrick Shaw-Stewart)

or

Lament for Thomas McDonagh
He shall not hear the bittern cry
In the wild sky where he is lain
Nor voices of the sweeter birds
Above the wailing of the rain.

Nor shall he know when loud March blows
Thro' slanting snows her fanfare shrill
Blowing to flame the golden cup
Of many an upset daffodil.

And when the dark cow leaves the moor
And pastures poor with greedy weeds
Perhaps he'll hear her low at morn
Lifting her horn in pleasant meads.

(Frances Ledwidge)

[John h]

As always.
Pity Mr Binyons ditty only talks of England.
Not the best choice for this forum John. imo

In all my time serving Queen and Country I have never ever met a Jock who has moaned about Mr Binyon's poem, on the contrary as brothers in arms we all shared the same sentiments on the Eleventh Hour

Oh well that's life I guess

[yoshie]

It took me 5 mins to find poems by Scottish, Welsh and Irish war poets - instead of moaning that an Englishman posts a poem by an English poet - this is a celebration and rememberance of fallen service men and women, not a point scoring exercise about whether a poem by an English person is the right choice for the forum - rather than moan about it, why not find one that means something to you, your country and post it - and at least try and remember why it was posted in the first place!

I dare say I could have found Scottish,Irish or Welsh poems as well.

But then that wasn't the point.

[johnd]

I dare say I could have found Scottish,Irish or Welsh poems as well.

But then that wasn't the point.

yoshie i do not mean to disrespect you or your country this was chosen as it is the best known.
many countrys from the Commonwealth gave so much .

the RBL help all not just the English .
john

[Bibs]

I cannot believe where this thread has lead - Does it matter what race, religion, nationality you are, anyone who is prepared to give their life for something they believe in an make 'someplace' a better 'place' to be, has my respect. Regardless.

I am Welsh an proud of it but never saw anything in that poem other than it's true meaning.

Just confirms my thoughts on the human race.

[yoshie]

I cannot believe where this thread has lead - Does it matter what race, religion, nationality you are, anyone who is prepared to give their life for something they believe in an make 'someplace' a better 'place' to be, has my respect. Regardless.

I am Welsh an proud of it but never saw anything in that poem other than it's true meaning.

Just confirms my thoughts on the human race.

Okay, I did not respond to John to cause trouble nor did I last year.

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...highlight=grow

I fully support his call to us all to remember, I will be at Church Sunday morning with my 13yr old lad in full unifrom as part of 867 squadron ATC.
He will be in a small minority of 13yr olds at services on Sunday.

England gave a massive sacrifice in both wars, but so did many other nations.
The poem is a wonderful picture of the horror that is war, but in my opinion detracts from a call for us all to join together, by talking of only one countrys loss.

I did not mean to upset anyone, I only expressed a view that more inclusive exression of rememberance would have been more appropriate on a forum used nationally and internationally.

[muller1]

Rememer

I am proud to be British, and Scottish.
The brave men who went to war were SOLDIERS FIRST AND LASTLY.
They were fighting for US.
Many of them LIED about their age just so they could GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR US.
What do we do with this precious gift they gave us we ARGUE, FIGHT, ANNOY and FORGET.

I think everyone in the UK, England, Scotland Wales and the REST OF THE WORLD should be made to stand in the trench area of the Somme and in one of the many cemeteries and just look at the number of white crosses in row upon row upon row.
They were young men who had nothing to give apart from their life which they gave up without question JUST FOR US.

AND JUST LOOK WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THEIR GREAT SACRIFICE.

Just think about it.
I am over 65 years old and not a lot makes me weep except when sitting in one of the war cemeteries looking at the number of people who died JUST SO I COULD WRITE THIS IN A FREE COUNTRY.

I WILL REMEMBER.

Mike

[darkdezigns]

I am proud to be British, and Scottish.
The brave men who went to war were SOLDIERS FIRST AND LASTLY.
They were fighting for US.
Many of them LIED about their age just so they could GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR US.
What do we do with this precious gift they gave us we ARGUE, FIGHT, ANNOY and FORGET.

I think everyone in the UK, England, Scotland Wales and the REST OF THE WORLD should be made to stand in the trench area of the Somme and in one of the many cemeteries and just look at the number of white crosses in row upon row upon row.
They were young men who had nothing to give apart from their life which they gave up without question JUST FOR US.

AND JUST LOOK WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THEIR GREAT SACRIFICE.

Just think about it.
I am over 65 years old and not a lot makes me weep except when sitting in one of the war cemeteries looking at the number of people who died JUST SO I COULD WRITE THIS IN A FREE COUNTRY.

I WILL REMEMBER.

Mike

well said,i think the sadest part is if something similar happend today,most would lie to get out of it,

[soramad]

well said,i think the sadest part is if something similar happend today,most would lie to get out of it,

and ain't that a fact