London Remembering

Remembrance Time

This past weekend some of us were in London. It happened to be during the time of celebration of Remembrance Day, for three days starting Friday. It is something like Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Everywhere were paper poppies, in lapels, on dashboards or as wreaths -

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
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead, short days ago 
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields. 

War is such a horror, but the British do well in dignified remembering and honouring their fallen.

We were impressed with small parades, security presence, pomp and circumstance, and all the friendly and polite people.

All the hordes of pizza deliverers had to wait behind the marching band and horses, but it was a short parade.

We sat in on the memorial service in Westminster Abbey on Sunday. It was very fine: quantities of uniforms, caped and bedecked dignitaries, processions and recessions, good King James English readings and prayers, excellent organ and choir, Psalm 46 set to a psalm tone based on "A Mighty Fortress," familiar hymns, no sermon ( as Maria said, they might have got that wrong), a trumpet fanfare that had soldiers in tears, and ended with the congregation singing "God Save the Queen," with Bach for the Postlude.

A part of the ancient Abbey

Inside the Abbey after the service

This fine fellow sat near us, alone, in full dress. Many, many people were wearing their medals, or those of late husbands. Taxis gave free rides to service members. all weekend.

World War II paratrooper, in Westminster Abbey.

It was not all somber. We enjoyed the sights and sounds and tastes, and walked A LOT.

At Buckingham Palace

Saint Paul's Cathedral

More next time.