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The sun was at its best, the sky pale blue and the birds chirping away yesterday at the Cenotaph in Knysna as we paid tribute to our fallen.
Today it is Remembrance Sunday. After I had finished all the breakfasts at Candlewood, my Husband and myself went down inton town and sat there in front of the Cenotaph. At 11.45 am we heard the first of the marching bands coming up the High Street. The poignant sound of the Bagpipes and all the MOTHS walking behind with all their medals on. How smart these elderly gentleman looked and how proud and dignified they all were. They were followed by the Navy Cadet Band a large number of them and how extremely well they took their parts in the Service.
Everyone took up their positions around the Cenotaph and then the Service began. The service was run by Colin, the minister at St. Georges Church in the middle of our Town. The first hymn was the old favourite “O God our help in agest past”. Then the poem which I am sure you all know IN FLANDERS FIELD by John McCraw in May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scare Heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead, Short days ago
Welived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Fl;anders fields
Take up our quarrel with the for:
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch, be ours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders field.
This was followed the Last Post, the lowering of the flag and two minutes silence in which we should all remember those young men who gave their lives so we might be free.
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
Let us all hope that this remains so.
In 1944 in Burma there is a town some 30 kilometres away called Kohima and that is were the Armies fought a battle with the Japanese which was a bitter battle . Thank goodness our forces won that battle but so many died.
At Kohima this was written and is on the Cenotaph there. So very poignant
WHEN YOU GO HOME
TELL THEM OF US AND SAY
FOR YOUR TOMORROW
WE GAVE OUR TODAY.
I think there were no dry eyes at that service. When you sit calmly and think of those hundreds of thousands of young men who were killed in the wars. How very tragic it all is. We must truly learn to live with one another, so that we can have peace everlasting.
Now I must go and greet our new Guests who are arriving at Candlewood Lodge. We are quite busy today.
We still have our special offer on at present for early December., We would love to spoil you all here at Candlewood Lodge in Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa
Candlewood Lodge 