Respect for the Fallen.

[postman]

War, this is a story told to me by my neighbour.A local factory in Hunslet Leeds 10 was bombed,but sadly so were a couple of streets.One chap came home to find his house gone along with his wife and children.Trying to find them he took off his coat.When he was being helped and consoled he noticed someone had stolen his coat.The only good thing was some of the smaller bombs or marker bombs came down attached to parachutes,this material soon vanished to be used by the local ladies.

 

[numbnuts]

I've just found my poppy, (I think you suppose to buy one every year )
I'll wear mine tonight at church, it's All Souls and we will light a candle for all the parishioners who have died this year, could be a long Mass.......as only 13 turned up last night for All Saints and that was a Holy Day of Obligation

 

[Dogtrousers]

As a lad I had a biscuit tin in which I kept (amongst other rubbish) conkers - they were always much better next year, and a poppy - saved money having to buy one every year. I was a forward-planning kind of kid.

 

[Moon bunny]

I had a close relative who used to drive trains carrying supplies into London from the docks at Southampton. He drove past many engines destroyed and just pushed off the track so they could get the line running again. They were always on the lookout for German planes because goods trains on that line were secondary targets for planes that had anything left to drop.

Anyone know if the sacrifice of those railway workers, of which my relative in grateful for not being one of, ever got any recognition for sacrifices made? Day after day they ran the gauntlet and the odds of survival on certain runs was low. Does anyone remember them or are poppies only for those who carried guns?

Some of the companies, for instance the LNER had a medal they presented to particularly brave employees, they also had memorial books and in some cases memorials erected, but mostly for those whom enlisted in the forces. I’ll have a nosey around at work on Monday and see what I can find.
There is a memorial plaque on York station to two men killed in an air raid.

https://collection.sciencemuseumgro...l-london-north-eastern-railway-roll-of-honour

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Many stations in Holland have a memorial plaque for the station/train workers who died in the war.

 

[Reynard]

Some of the companies, for instance the LNER had a medal they presented to particularly brave employees, they also had memorial books and in some cases memorials erected, but mostly for those whom enlisted in the forces. I’ll have a nosey around at work on Monday and see what I can find.
There is a memorial plaque on York station to two men killed in an air raid.

https://collection.sciencemuseumgro...l-london-north-eastern-railway-roll-of-honour

There's a memorial plaque in the centre of Littleport to commemorate the bravery of two men who lost their lives when an ammunition train caught fire near Soham in 1944 - the fireman of the train (who hailed from Littleport) and the signalman in the box where the cargo eventually exploded.


View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sludgeulper/3366497536


There's also a plaque in Soham too.

The train's driver and fireman were both awarded the George Cross for their actions in saving many lives after detaching the burning waggon from the rest of the train.

 

[dicko]

When I was a kid playing with my mates in a plowed field in Wiltshire we found a rusty incendiary bomb, we didn’t know it was, dug up by a tractor (1951 time). We took it home and played with it. We were spotted by a grown up who called the RAF who sent a bomb disposal team ( red mudguards in the truck). They took it away and blew it up.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I saw a poppy seller in the local Tesco this evening. I asked her if she had been selling poppies and poppy related stuff elsewhere as I hadn't seen her this year. She said she'd been in Tesco nearly every day, but usually leaves around 5.30 to 6.00. So that's why I hadn't seen poppy sellers in there, as they leave before I go in which is usually just after 6pm. I must say she had an impressive row of medals on her! I bet she had about 15! 🧐

Edit... I forgot to mention, she also told me that this was her 45th yest of selling poppies.

 

[Saluki]

Today I managed to lose the poppy on my bag. New poppy at that. I shall replace it tomorrow. I have my poppy on my bag all year round and change it annually. It does get a bit tatty after a year anyway and seems a bit disrespectful to have a tatty poppy.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

When I was a kid playing with my mates in a plowed field in Wiltshire we found a rusty incendiary bomb, we didn’t know it was, dug up by a tractor (1951 time). We took it home and played with it. We were spotted by a grown up who called the RAF who sent a bomb disposal team ( red mudguards in the truck). They took it away and blew it up.

My gran and mum used to live next to the Woodhead railway line, a regular target for the Luftwaffe. One day she found a large chunk of metal that she used as a doorstop until the bomb squad came.

 

[dicko]

My gran and mum used to live next to the Woodhead railway line, a regular target for the Luftwaffe. One day she found a large chunk of metal that she used as a doorstop until the bomb squad came.

There used to be shells in loads of houses we used to visit in the late 40s and 50s it was a common sight. Polished shell case ashtrays were the norm too.

 

[dicko]

Yep

Yes, Mrs wears hers on her handbag strap.

 

[DRM]

Around Flanders the farmers still find loads of WW1 shells while ploughing, they collect the things & put them by the front gate ready for bomb disposal to collect on their regular collection visits

 

[wiggydiggy]

It's not just casualties from weapons I like to remember, I think I have posted these images before in a ride thread but this is a small memorial to the victims of the 1916 Bradford Low Moor Munitions Explosion.





As I never have change to buy a poppy when I seen them recently I've just ordered some online, also they sell poppy shaped bike reflectors so I got a couple of them too

 

[Accy cyclist]

I was given about 15 postcards from WW1 about 40 years ago. They were very elaborate, some with ribbons and silver or gold gilt on. The messages to loved ones back home were quite poignant! The officers and soldiers although writing about their fears for battles ahead of them also tried to reassure loved ones back home that life in the trenches wasn't as bad as it was made out to be...even though it was, or even worse. When I parted from my lady friend of the time, I left the postcards behind in her flat and never saw them again. I can't remember if any of the cards I had that were sent back home all those years ago were from members of the Accrington Pals. 🤔

http://s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/somme-battle-anniversary-accrington/index.html