My grandfather served in the first world war was called up on the first day as a former regular and six weeks later was shot on a "quiet day" in the first battle of the Aisne. He survived, which says something for his determination, friends that reached out to help him and some sort of luck.
He came back from war an invalid and lived an impaired life through till his death. He died before I was born so anything that I know has been passed to me. Lest we forget then has a special significance to me.
Today at the war memorial in Pontefract I stood with two or three hundred others to hold that two minutes of thought... Lest we forget.
The challenge is now greater than ever before as this is the first year where we no longer have people with us from the pals generation that fought in the Great War to end all wars.
In another way there is a new generation who are learning about the act of Remembrance. There are new families faced with grief, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters who are faced with the loss of a loved one.
In the council chamber this afternoon we talked about the sacrifice of Rifleman James Backhouse and Bombardier Craig Hopson, local lads whose families and communities grieve for them. We intend to see that there are lasting memorials to this latest generation who put themselves in harms way and collect a wage from the nation.
With the death's of Henry Allingham and Harry Patch their generation is left behind, James Backhouse and Craig Hopson gave their tomorrow for our today and we need to ensure we will remember them.
He came back from war an invalid and lived an impaired life through till his death. He died before I was born so anything that I know has been passed to me. Lest we forget then has a special significance to me.
Today at the war memorial in Pontefract I stood with two or three hundred others to hold that two minutes of thought... Lest we forget.
The challenge is now greater than ever before as this is the first year where we no longer have people with us from the pals generation that fought in the Great War to end all wars.
In another way there is a new generation who are learning about the act of Remembrance. There are new families faced with grief, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters who are faced with the loss of a loved one.
In the council chamber this afternoon we talked about the sacrifice of Rifleman James Backhouse and Bombardier Craig Hopson, local lads whose families and communities grieve for them. We intend to see that there are lasting memorials to this latest generation who put themselves in harms way and collect a wage from the nation.
With the death's of Henry Allingham and Harry Patch their generation is left behind, James Backhouse and Craig Hopson gave their tomorrow for our today and we need to ensure we will remember them.
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