Every year, 1st weekend of October, up to 10,000 bikers attend a service and raise funds to maintain the memorial. I've had the honour of attending it every year bar 2 since 2015.
The Shot at Dawn memorial is truly moving. Many soldiers, suffering from what we now know as PTSD, were shot for cowardice. Their names were not included on any War Memorials. When they were all issued a posthumous pardon they all had their names added to the War Memorials to honour them. Lest We Forget!
I was moved to tears when i saw this memorial to read their stories for them to be shot for cowardice so sad. Thank you to very one who served and gave their lives for us
Each soldier was tied to a post and shot by a firing squad. These replica posts represent each of those shot dead and have their names attached at the top. Many were sergeants. Over the centuries the sergeants in the British Army earnt a very high reputation. In fact, the French Generals in the Napoleonic Wars ordered their men to aim for the sergeants, not the officers, because the sergeants knew what they were doing! Many of those shot were not cowards, they were broken (on the first day of the Battle of the Somme the British Army lost nearly 20,000 men killed in the first 24 hours - a butchers' yard). Meanwhile, the Germans had psychiatric hospitals (huts) virtually on the front line! In WW2, the RAF, the newest armed service, paid zero attention to this, as if to prove its toughness. If a member of aircrew was found to be "cracking up" they were taken off active service, demoted, posted as far away as possible from their families and LMF (Low Moral Fibre) stamped on their Service Record. This could adversely affect their job seeking in civvie street after the war. My dad said if a crew member was cracking up and they had a sensitive "quack" (doctor) on the base, they would have a discrete word. At least things have improved. This memorial is so worth a visit.
This memorial is only 45 minutes drive from my home . The thing that hits me most is not only the many hundreds of names on the wall remembering the fallen but the large area that is blank ready for the names of future fallen
This memorial also pays respect to police officers who were killed in the line of duty. I grew up with a lad named David Green who was stabbed to death in 1974 while on duty! he had not long finished his training. He was the first police officer killed in Birmingham since the second world war. His name is recorded there and his photo sits in pride of place in my living room
I was in town the night PC Green was murdered. We were walking along High Street from the New Street end when there were suddenly lots of police around and a crowd of people standing outside the Rainbow Suite. We asked someone what was going on, they told us a policeman had been stabbed.. Everyone was so shocked when we found out later he had died...
Hi, I also remember David Green I went to the same school ( shenley court ) although he was older than myself I remember him as a really decent guy, very friendly. I joined the the army straight from leaving school & would sometimes see David on the beat in the city centre when I was on leave & we would have a chat.I was posted to Germany when I got hold of a two day old newspaper & turned the page to see a picture of him after he was killed. I still often think about David & remember him as a really good bloke & decent human being.
Lots of blank spaces on the walls of that massive memorial on the top of the hill. Humbling to realise that over time these will get filled by the names of people who are now alive and those who maybe haven’t even been born yet.
There are no graves, only memorials. I few years ago, I took my friend. We got to Shot at Dawn, and his composure finally cracked. Reading the names and ages of the victims he burst into tears, and I had to comfort him. Later, he repaid this. A few months earlier my dad had died. He had served in the REME. When I got to their memorial and read that it was in memory of all who had served my tears began. I had sit on the bench built into memorial. A member of staff on her break stopped and comforted me. Bless her. The names on the wall get longer each year. Once a year a stone mason carves the new names. I saw him working one year. Look at Royal Wootton Bassett to see another aspect of how we showed our armed forces respect. Happy New Year from England.
I visited the Aboretum with my wife when we were in the UK in 2924. It is big but beautiful and there are so many things to see and occasions to just stand and reflect on the tragedy of war and the sacrifices made by the service personal and the bravery too of emergency services protecting the UK population in wartime. An amazing place with a hushed sense of history.
A very peaceful place to remember the fallen, I was lucky enough to be part of the team who helped erect the RCAF Memorial before I left the RAF and emigrated to Canada. Thankyou for the content.
I have also been there. It's an amazing place, however it is not just military. All the services are remembered, police, fire, ambulance, RNLI , along with many others, even animals that lost their lives in service to our country. As I said amazing place.
My history teacher at secondary school, Mr. Logan, was a survivor of the horrors of the Burma Railway. He kept quiet about it but another teacher told us, probably to encourage us to behave better in Mr. Logan's lessons.
FEPOW means Far East Prisoner of War. It means all of those British Military Personal who were captured by the Japanese in WW2. Early on in my career I had the honour of looking after some of the last surviving FEPOWs. The stories of the cruelty of the Japanese showed to the POW's knew no bounds. They would talk about friends that they lost during the war, mostly due to the conditions they were held in. Now I'm a retired veteran, I often go to the National Memorial Arboretum to remember the FEPOWs, as well as going to the central memorial to see the names of far too many of my friends and comrades that were lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a nice place to contemplate and remember those who went before us.
I live really close to the Arboretum and have seen it grow from very small beginnings to the great memorial it is today. They have made it accessible for children with trails and quizzes to help them understand our past. Well worth a visit you really need more than a day.
I have visited there, 3 of my friends names are on that wall. The small slits that you see by the statue of the stretcher bearers the sun shines through on 11th of the 11th onto the wreath made of stone.
My grandad was on duty for the RAF in India and far east he was a pioneer of radar ,and had a MBE for his service as well as other medals. He never spoke much about it ,but always got tearful on Remembrance Day. And the arbouritum is a beautiful place . The sculpture there is a school friend of mine sister in law.
There's a couple of WW2 documentaries that Jeremy Clarkson did covering the Saint Nazaire raid and the Victoria Cross, they're long but well worth the watch.
The Kahoma Prayer. Age shall not weary them Nor the years condemn At the going down of the sun And in the morning We will remember them. Then a two-minute silence is held and afterwards , this is said When you go home Think of us and say For your tomorrow We gave our today. This is quoted every Remembrance Sunday at every Remembrance Parade 😭😭😭
The first part is by Laurence Binyon and the full poem is "For the Fallen". It is known as the EXHORTATION when these lines are used in a remembrance service. The KOHIMA EPITAPH is the final four lines that you quoted. It was not always said along with the Exhortation, only when veterans holding the Burma Star were present, but now it has come to be used in general due to the age of those awarded the Burma Star. (Both of my parents held the Burma Star and they would be 104 now.) It is thought to be inspired by the epitaph written to remember the Greek soldiers who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE.
I would suggest you watch the film Bridge over the River Kwai. Just to give you an idea. Some allied Japanese POWs did not get released until years after the war ended. They didn't know it was finished. In UK we were brought up learning about the war, it was considered very important. My father fought, was reported dead, he was very badly injured, but through sheer strength of will lived 30 years longer that he was given. That generation was amazing, we will never see their like again. They died to give us the freedom we enjoy today and that is taken so much for granted. My father travelled by sub for a bit, and on a mine sweeper. May you enjoy a bigger, better 2025 ❤❤❤
There are many Ride To The Wall (RTTW) videos on TH-cam which shows the Biker communities annual trip from all over the country to a dedication service at the National Arboretum - a large percentage of the Bikers (myself included) are ex forces... This year there were around 7.5 thousands bikes
The central memorial you saw at the end has a gap and On Armistice Day a shaft of sunlight falls through this gap onto the bronze wreath in the centre of the Memorial.
I along with friends volunteer in the grounds of The Arboretum, it takes more than a day to visit all the memorials in 150 acres, There is no entrance fee just parking for a few pounds, guaranteed if visiting you will not be disappointed … We look forward to your visit 🌲
There are service men and women who visit on special occasions for memorial service’s etc, there is something going on most days and we feel privileged to meet so many ex servicemen and women and those still serving , if anyone gets the chance to visit I guarantee you will not be disappointed ❤
It's massive. It has a memorial where every British serviceman who lost their lives in every campaign fought since World War Two. I have three of my friends on those walls 😢😢😢
The memorials that you saw, are not the only ones that we have but that is probably the most extensive collection of memorials in one location. You could also take a look at the memorial that is dedicated to the memories of those members of RAF flight crews, who never returned from their last missions and who have never had a memorial dedicated to them in their own names, until fairly recently, when the Government eventually were forced to acknowledge those aircrews by helping to pay for a large installation down near the South coast above the white cliffs, which depicts the image of an aircraft engine swirling around but pointing up into the skies and all of their names are added to the walls . There’s also a set of associated statues depicting the crew of a bomber ready to go on a mission.
The British poet, Robert Binyon, wrote an Ode to the Fallen, which includes this now famous stanza: “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.” Lest we forget .
So many names on the Armed Forces Memorial wall and, most poignantly, that's only those who've died in service since the end of the second world war i.e. after 1945 to the present day. Brits do tend to be well aware of the sacrifices made by our ancestors which is probably a positive thing in most respects.
When my son was a boarder at Pilgrim House in Winchester, he, his fellow Winchester Cathedral choristers and Winchester College quiristers used to sing here each year to commemorate the 514 boys of the college who died fighting in WWI, the 289 who died in WWII, and the 5200 who volunteered and returned. The college has 750 13-18 yr old boys there, so you can see the number of casualties was huge.
My uncle was one of the prisoners of war who was in the far east, in world war 2, forced labour, forced marches, starvation and torture, he was one of the few to survive, but rarely talked about it. He wasn't the same when he came home, as he was when he went out, according to relatives. He refused to buy anything at all that was Japanese or related to Japan, for the whole of his life.
My late father in law was a FEPOW, he was held in Formosa and sent to work in the Kinkasaki copper mine. He said the treatment meted out was horrific. He survived 3 1/2 years in captivity. He was never the same after he came back and rarely spoke about his time, except to say you HAD to have a friend to help keep you alive. He also would never have anything Japanese in the house. They endured so so much. Terribly terribly sad.
@ the one thing my mum said about growing up around him, was you couldn’t ever say you were starving, because he’d immediately say “you’re not starving, until you see grown men fighting over a grain of rice, you’re not starving” I’ve seen things about it, and it’s hard to imagine that anyone survived it, from the things I’ve seen and read. 💔 🥲
The Japanese during the building of the Burmese railway treated the pows like shit, many died from lack of food and water, the pows were looked upon us sub-human, it's unbelievable man's inhumanity to man during the building of the raiway
sadly the Japaneese at the time still thought of the military as Samurai caste and it was the greatest dishonour to surrender, if you were taken prisoner whilst still fighting you were deemed to have earned respect, they did not understand how a regiment could be ordered to surrender as in the fall of singapore, thus they regarded those prisoners as not worthy to bear arms and treated them as sub-humans. I am glad to say they have changed. I remember attending an international submariners reunion at Versailles many years ago and the British contingent bristled when a man came into the hall that they took to be japaneese but the mood changed immediately when he turned out to be An American submariner. I asked the elder lads why they reacted so and was informed that the japaneese beheaded all submariners they captured. I thought it diplomatic to not add to that tension by explaining that that in fact was a mark of respect from them. My eyes were opened today as I always thought the national arboretum was a tiny place.
Part of me wants to read it as my uncle didn't talk about it, and I'm a bit of a history buff (WW2 a particular interest), but another part of me really doesn't want to read it, as I know how distressing I'll find it😪
What a wonderful memorial to all those brave souls who gave their lives so others could live. Thank you for showing us this beautiful & moving video. Happy New Year from the UK.
If you ever come to Europe go to Ypres in Belgium, there are cemeteries for the war dead, you will be stunned by just how big they are and how far they reach, you can't see the ends of them as they stretch so far, they are something that everyone should see because while we hear the numbers of how many died, we can't visualise how many that is. When all you can see is headstone after headstone as far as the eye can see you begin to realise just how many gave their life so that we can be here and free today, and we still haven't learned anything other than how to kill in "better" ways.
On the first Saturday in October every year I ride with 6000+ other motorcyclists to the NMA to pay our respects to the armed forces who have died since the second world wall, it's called the RTTW (Ride to the Wall) . It has become so popular that many people from all around the UK and abroad come to pay their respects, usually around 25,000 people turn up. Each of the Motorcyclists pay a voluntary donation and have so far raised in access of 1.66 million pounds which goes to the upkeep of the arboretum. Entry to the NMA is free but there is a parking charge.
What an awesome way to not only show respect for the fallen, but also bring attention to the arboretum and raise some money to upkeep it all at the same time. We might have to check that out sometime.
@@reactingtomyroots well worth a look, many videos on TH-cam. It started in 2008 with a guy called Martin Dickinson, he posted on Facebook to see if any bikers would join him on his ride to pay respects for the fallen, he wasn't expecting 3000 bikers to turn up 😂 Gone from strength to strength since then. 👍
I hope you get the chance to see it. When we get over to the UK and in that area we will definitely plan on stopping by as well. Looks like an incredible place!
I live around 30 minutes away from this Memorial Arboretum It’s just an amazing place. To sit down on a bench and reflect on those times, people who lived it and died No one wins wars What a waste of life 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🏴❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏
That’s a coincidence, we visited on Xmas eve and had a personal buggy tour for my disabled son. I think the guide’s name was Geoff and he was awarded an MBE for volunteering - very knowledgeable - and he kept my son captivated which isn’t easy on Xmas eve! He liked the mining memorials the most. Did you know 1 in 10 conscripts during ww2 were sent down the mines to work.
The Bevin Boys. It took many years for them to be acknowledged as well as having the right to march past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. Without them, many war work factories and power stations would have ground to a halt.
I'm glad you guys got to visit. It looks like an amazing place, we hope to visit it one day when we get in the area. I'm going to see if we can get a hold of Geoff when we visit, maybe he can keep Sophia entertained as well. :)
@ yeah it’s quite near to us - he was great and apparently he’s called Tony not Geoff. He is chair of the local British legion branch too. My wife has a better memory than me!
@@djs98blue the new miners memorial is wonderful. Place my crosses there for my Grandfather and dad. On it official opening. I love that they have put a Davy Lamp on the side.
My brother served in the 14/20th kings hussars they were a Calvary regiment but drove tanks in the modern era. They were merged several years ago and are now the kings royal hussars
As a British army veteran, this is the place where i failed to utter even one word, it is so moving just being there, the site is over 150 acres and has over 400 memorials, we took 2 full days to see them all and pay our respects, this video does not really do justice to the place as you cannot rush around like these were.
I went there with mum/daughter and grandsons thinking it would be about trees (I love trees from all over the world). I was initially disappointed (trees not well labelled and immature) then appreciated the sculptures and thoughtfulness... there is a river flowing through and the Friends/Quakers was very calming. Lots of walking though.
That was sobering! My Parents, uncles and aunts were involved in WWII They all suvived which was incredible other than my dad's brother! On his first bombing raid he did not come back! I tell you the next event as a dear uncle was like and older brother to me! He used to come with os on our boating hols along the whole of the south coast of England! He told me of what it was like to do torpedo runs against the enemy ships! he said you could see the crew running around the decks! Just as he said that we heard a plane coming in at almost the height of the flying bridge of my dad's boat at the precise time my uncle told me his experience! It actually was a RAF plane and it had to go up to miss us! It was so spooky to have had that experience! My mum nearly got killed when a V2 landed less than 60 to 70 feet from a wooden hurt she was in experience Peanut butter for the first time! I had an uncle that was a POW he had steel plates in his back! Another uncle was in the siege of Malta! I really brakes my heart to see the suffering that went on back then! May they all R.I.P and thank you for there services throughout history!
My Welsh great uncle survived building the Burma railway along with his friend, and were the only survivors in his platoon. He was held at Changi Goal , part of which was shown in the video. A very peaceful but moving place to visit.
The names of four of my great uncles from WW1 are engraved there. Obviously I never knew them, but it is heart wrenching to think of the families that visit the Arboretum in the hope of seeing a family name.
I go on a pilgrimage every year to honour the fallen from my old regiment. We also have a service for those that have passed in the past 12 months. One year I hard a guy say, one time that will be us. It hit me to the quick. The soldiers you see will be from different units every time. It is a very peaceful place. We have our service on Saturday morning and after the local branch of the Royal British Legion, is open to us. In the late afternoon we have a garden party there and in the night we have entertainment inside the club. Much alcohol is consumed.
From National Memorial Arboretum (Alrewas, Staffordshire) "The National Memorial Arboretum is the UK's year-round centre of Remembrance and home to over 400 symbolic memorials. Situated across a 150-acre site, amongst 25,000 maturing trees, the memorials pay tribute to those who have served our country, including the Armed Forces, civilian and emergency services, and UK charities. The Arboretum features a contemporary visitor centre, events building, two children's play areas, woodland walks, land train tours, buggy tours, exhibitions, restaurant, coffee shop and learning centre. Events and family activities are available. Entry is FREE but, as a UK registered charity, donations are welcomed. Car parking costs £4 per day when booked in Advance. Booking is recommended to guarantee entry.
As someone who visits at least twice a year once as part of the Ride To The Wall and just as a normal visitor, I'm always finding new things. The Armed Forces Memorial is the centre of the Arboretum.
It continues to amaze me at how much creativity, dedication, detail and respect we can put into honouring history. Not just our own history, but all history. "For a nation to be truly humble, it must recognise that it isn't the only nation." - Me, today, 01/01/2025
10:14 that is a commando dagger (the thin bladed knife), which is the badge of the Commandos (worn to this day by Royal Marine Commandos), in a circular wreath of laurel leaves - laurel dates back to Roman times as a symbol of Victory and Honour which is why it's so used by western militaries.
Happy New year all …. I live not far from here … and attend Ride To The Wall every year RTTW… and have a few mates names on that wall, and what gets you most , is the blank plaques, waiting for someone’s name ..
Yes mate I'd be blubbering all the way around that beautiful place - thank God we have the Arboretum to remind the feckless what patriotism and love for your country actually is as well as care for your fellow citizens - 🏴🇬🇧
I lived in the nearest village to The National Arboretum for fifteen years (just the other side of the A38,) a village called Alrewas. I remember something about the main part where the monument depicting the soldiers carrying the stretcher. There a gap in the wall where if the sun is out it shines through that gap. I think it has something to do with rememberance Sunday at 11AM on the 11th November a shaft of light shines through that gap on a clear day. Stunning works of art there. I miss the place terribly.
It’s such an amazing place to visit and remember lost friends.. ( Royal Artillery Garden, sat upon the 50 MSL dedicated bench ) then to read their names on the wall and place a cross of remembrance. You should also checkout Ride to the wall.. 1000’s of bikers ride to the wall for a remembrance service and everyone of them are saluted in by Blue a veteran.. make sure you have a box of tissues if you watch it ..
I have visited twice, and still not seen everything. It is lively to see so many trees planted as living memorials - which may well outlive the people who are doing thr remembering too. I like the fact that they include non military memorials too - public services like police, fire and ambulance are commemorated, also volunteer services, chaplains, animals who served in wars, women known as the land girls and the 'lumber jills' who laboured in agriculture and forestry during wartime when the men were away fighting.
An Arboretum is literally a 'tree garden'. Although it doesn't seem to be very full of trees, the arboretum has been relatively newly planted with many types of tree, some dedicated to individuals or military groups and includes specimens of trees from all the nations which are represented in the Arboretum. The trees will come to be more prominent in future.
Happy New Year to you and followers. You asked how many acres the arboretum covers, it is 150 acres. I've heard a lot about it but have never been there. Yes, in the UK the St John's Ambulance brigade are all volunteers who go to large events to administer first aid, anything complex, though, the NHS ambulances are called in immediately.
My comment seems to have disappeared So glad you looked at this place, I sent you the book as I think its an amazing place. So much thought has gone into the memorials that isn't obvious as you walk around, even to the type of trees. The cylindrical trees on the main memorial mound are holm oaks that stand as sentinels protecting the memorial.
My ex partner and best friend worked there as security it's a beautiful place the memorials, history, the signs of respect is amazing.... they even have a womb/still born stone memorial garden called sands. But it also has its sad times and are put on alert on certain special dates my ex had to help a veteran suffering ptsd luckily he managed to.
I went there in June for the Royal British Legion D Day memorial service. Prince Edward the Duke of Edinburgh and his wife were present along with hundreds of other people. While there I bumped into a former colleague from my time in the Royal Air Force who I hadn’t seen since 1997. It’s a great place to visit, and pay tribute and respects to the fallen soldiers,sailors and airmen from the war upto the present day.
The lisbon Maru Memorial is incredibly important and poiniant. It was a japanese Merchant ship which was carrying over 1816 british POW's and 700 japanese army personnel when sank by the USS Grouper October 1st 1942. Over 800 of the POWs died. The rest bar 3 were recaptured. The 3 that escaped were part of a large group of 300ish that were initially rescued by chinese fishermen.
Please folks review the ride to the wall - bikers organise a ride to the Arboretum as well as all Other people paying their respects- it is a fabulous video of a fabulous event x
I come from a military family and this place holds special for us. We know some of the names on the wall. I took my 4 year old son here last year, partly to enjoy a child friendly trail but also to introduce to him to the subject, very lightly. We were atop the large memorial on the hill, when my son touched the " We will remember them" in the glorious sunlight. It felt quite special, as if he had touched generations of his past, men who served in Afghan, Iraq, Ulster, Korea and Normandy. What really blew my mind though, was when few minutes later, a single Spitfire flew over, much to the many visitors shock and pleasure!
This is a beautiful place to visit and reflect on what sacrifices people have made to protect our freedom. Sadly, there are a number of names on the wall in the centre of the NMA that bear the names of lost friends of mine. We shall never forget
The Arboretum is sited in the middle of the country, because as most memorials are in London & nearby, with many others scattered all around the country, & abroad, it gives more people a chance to travel here to respect the memory of those who have died serving their country & fellow man.
Films pertaining: 1. Burma Railway: 'Bridge on the River Kwai' (Alec Guinness). 2. Japanese internment camps on Sumatra: 'Paradise Road' (Glenn Close). 3. 'Battle of Britain'. 4. World War One: 'All Quiet on the Western Front' (German viewpoint). 5. D-Day: 'The Longest Day'. 6. Battle of the Atlantic: 'The Cruel Sea', 'Sink the Bismarck'. World War One memorials: Menin Gate, Belgium. Thiepval, France. Happy New Year.
The National Memorial Arboretum was initially set up by Staffordshire County Council and later handed over yo the Royal British Legion. The Staffordshire branch of the Local Government Trades Union (UNISON) would donate a memorial bench to the County Council on Workers' Memorial Day, April 28t, every rear. One year we donated a bench at the National Memorial Arboretum neat Alrewas.
Quick fact. The door the statue points at corresponds to a slit it the outer wall. On the 11th of November at 11 am the sun shines through both slots and lights up the wreath in the centre. only then. My mate's name is on the other side of the door. Our friend's son's name is on the bit where we lost people in Afghan. It's a good place
There is a film called The Railway Man. It tells the true story of Eric Lomax, who worked on the death Railway in Burma. As a British army officer who many years after the war meets one of his Japanese guards. It was Colin Firth and Nicole Kiddman. A really powerful and moving film. Edit..Shellshock and PTSD was not recognised or understood, they were classed as cowards back in WW1 and shot at dawn, and wiped from history, untill they received the pardon. This is amazing 😢😢
Hussars (WHO-ZARS) are a type of cavalry from Napoleonic times. Today they're tank regiments in the British Army (The Queen's Royal Hussars and the King's Royal Hussars).
1) Our Remembrance day is 11 November. So if you look at the depicted person's on the upper level you will see a noticeable gap/slit in the wall. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the sun will be at just the right angle to shine through the slit & down onto the poignant memorial. Really been thought about. Such a beautiful place. 2) The Memorial Wall in the Falklands for the fallen Royal Navy service personnel has been reproduced here in the Arboretum. 3) That Fire & Rescue Memorial is to all the Firemen who gave their lives during the WW2 & the Blitz in London, as well as subsequent losses. My grandfather served for 35 years in the London Fire Service & was involved heavily with preventing London from burning any more than it did during The Blitz.
I live 15 minutes down the road from here i go At least once a month. Being ex Army its a good place to go and reflect and remember the fallen my best friend died in Afghanistan so its nice to go and spend time here remembering him. I love the videos keep it up 👍🏻
Every British person should visit the arboretum at least once in their life. I've been there a number of times on the RTTW Run To The Wall. The run takes place around 5 October.
I served 12 years with The British Army but a roadside I.E.D. in Iraq ended my military career. I am now a triple amputee and partially deaf and blind, but I thank the Lord every day that I am still here. There are seven lads names at The Arboretum that I served with who didn't make it home. I have visited three times and to see those names destroys me. Rest easy fellas, your duty is done, see you up there!! 🇬🇧 🙏
One of my teachers on a course i did at school served in the Falklands war. When we got to the armed forces memorial he asked us to look out for certian names. Names were of his friends who died during the conflict.
Every year, 1st weekend of October, up to 10,000 bikers attend a service and raise funds to maintain the memorial. I've had the honour of attending it every year bar 2 since 2015.
This is one you need to watch
Do it every year with my flag come in from Drayton we the ones that ride in to the wall both ex services
@@ThatBikerGuyTom RTTW🍻
The Shot at Dawn memorial is truly moving. Many soldiers, suffering from what we now know as PTSD, were shot for cowardice. Their names were not included on any War Memorials. When they were all issued a posthumous pardon they all had their names added to the War Memorials to honour them. Lest We Forget!
I was moved to tears when i saw this memorial to read their stories for them to be shot for cowardice so sad. Thank you to very one who served and gave their lives for us
They were mostly just boys,too.
Each soldier was tied to a post and shot by a firing squad. These replica posts represent each of those shot dead and have their names attached at the top. Many were sergeants. Over the centuries the sergeants in the British Army earnt a very high reputation. In fact, the French Generals in the Napoleonic Wars ordered their men to aim for the sergeants, not the officers, because the sergeants knew what they were doing! Many of those shot were not cowards, they were broken (on the first day of the Battle of the Somme the British Army lost nearly 20,000 men killed in the first 24 hours - a butchers' yard). Meanwhile, the Germans had psychiatric hospitals (huts) virtually on the front line!
In WW2, the RAF, the newest armed service, paid zero attention to this, as if to prove its toughness. If a member of aircrew was found to be "cracking up" they were taken off active service, demoted, posted as far away as possible from their families and LMF (Low Moral Fibre) stamped on their Service Record. This could adversely affect their job seeking in civvie street after the war. My dad said if a crew member was cracking up and they had a sensitive "quack" (doctor) on the base, they would have a discrete word. At least things have improved.
This memorial is so worth a visit.
During ww1 the British Army executed 306 British and commwealth troops. Over 200 death warrants were signed by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig.
@@florrie2303 Lions killed by sheep
This memorial is only 45 minutes drive from my home .
The thing that hits me most is not only the many hundreds of names on the wall remembering the fallen but the large area that is blank ready for the names of future fallen
This memorial also pays respect to police officers who were killed in the line of duty. I grew up with a lad named David Green who was stabbed to death in 1974 while on duty! he had not long finished his training. He was the first police officer killed in Birmingham since the second world war. His name is recorded there and his photo sits in pride of place in my living room
I was in town the night PC Green was murdered. We were walking along High Street from the New Street end when there were suddenly lots of police around and a crowd of people standing outside the Rainbow Suite. We asked someone what was going on, they told us a policeman had been stabbed.. Everyone was so shocked when we found out later he had died...
My hometown also has a memorial to police officers killed along with a memorial in memory of the victims of the Titanic sinking.
Hi, I also remember David Green I went to the same school ( shenley court ) although he was older than myself I remember him as a really decent guy, very friendly. I joined the the army straight from leaving school & would sometimes see David on the beat in the city centre when I was on leave & we would have a chat.I was posted to Germany when I got hold of a two day old newspaper & turned the page to see a picture of him after he was killed. I still often think about David & remember him as a really good bloke & decent human being.
Shame that’s just beautiful
Lots of blank spaces on the walls of that massive memorial on the top of the hill. Humbling to realise that over time these will get filled by the names of people who are now alive and those who maybe haven’t even been born yet.
There are no graves, only memorials.
I few years ago, I took my friend. We got to Shot at Dawn, and his composure finally cracked. Reading the names and ages of the victims he burst into tears, and I had to comfort him. Later, he repaid this. A few months earlier my dad had died. He had served in the REME. When I got to their memorial and read that it was in memory of all who had served my tears began. I had sit on the bench built into memorial. A member of staff on her break stopped and comforted me. Bless her.
The names on the wall get longer each year. Once a year a stone mason carves the new names. I saw him working one year.
Look at Royal Wootton Bassett to see another aspect of how we showed our armed forces respect.
Happy New Year from England.
I was going to post a comment about the shot at dawn memorial. Thanks for your posr
I visited the Aboretum with my wife when we were in the UK in 2924. It is big but beautiful and there are so many things to see and occasions to just stand and reflect on the tragedy of war and the sacrifices made by the service personal and the bravery too of emergency services protecting the UK population in wartime. An amazing place with a hushed sense of history.
Ride To The Wall. (RTTW).
It's an annual motorcycle ride to the memorial first weekend of October every year.
A very peaceful place to remember the fallen, I was lucky enough to be part of the team who helped erect the RCAF Memorial before I left the RAF and emigrated to Canada. Thankyou for the content.
Britain NEVER forgets
Sadly people are. Younger generations
@CeleWolf When you go to the NMA, it is noticeable that large numbers of young people visit, and I don't mean school trips.
I have also been there. It's an amazing place, however it is not just military. All the services are remembered, police, fire, ambulance, RNLI , along with many others, even animals that lost their lives in service to our country.
As I said amazing place.
My history teacher at secondary school, Mr. Logan, was a survivor of the horrors of the Burma Railway. He kept quiet about it but another teacher told us, probably to encourage us to behave better in Mr. Logan's lessons.
FEPOW means Far East Prisoner of War. It means all of those British Military Personal who were captured by the Japanese in WW2. Early on in my career I had the honour of looking after some of the last surviving FEPOWs. The stories of the cruelty of the Japanese showed to the POW's knew no bounds. They would talk about friends that they lost during the war, mostly due to the conditions they were held in.
Now I'm a retired veteran, I often go to the National Memorial Arboretum to remember the FEPOWs, as well as going to the central memorial to see the names of far too many of my friends and comrades that were lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a nice place to contemplate and remember those who went before us.
I live really close to the Arboretum and have seen it grow from very small beginnings to the great memorial it is today. They have made it accessible for children with trails and quizzes to help them understand our past. Well worth a visit you really need more than a day.
I have visited there, 3 of my friends names are on that wall. The small slits that you
see by the statue of the stretcher bearers the sun shines through on 11th of the 11th
onto the wreath made of stone.
@@andrewmartin9053 my best friend is on the wall. It is all I have.
My grandad was on duty for the RAF in India and far east he was a pioneer of radar ,and had a MBE for his service as well as other medals. He never spoke much about it ,but always got tearful on Remembrance Day. And the arbouritum is a beautiful place . The sculpture there is a school friend of mine sister in law.
There's a couple of WW2 documentaries that Jeremy Clarkson did covering the Saint Nazaire raid and the Victoria Cross, they're long but well worth the watch.
The Kahoma Prayer.
Age shall not weary them
Nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them.
Then a two-minute silence is held and afterwards , this is said
When you go home
Think of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today.
This is quoted every Remembrance Sunday at every Remembrance Parade 😭😭😭
Its "Kohima"
Beautiful 😢 makes me cry every time
The first part is by Laurence Binyon and the full poem is "For the Fallen". It is known as the EXHORTATION when these lines are used in a remembrance service.
The KOHIMA EPITAPH is the final four lines that you quoted. It was not always said along with the Exhortation, only when veterans holding the Burma Star were present, but now it has come to be used in general due to the age of those awarded the Burma Star. (Both of my parents held the Burma Star and they would be 104 now.) It is thought to be inspired by the epitaph written to remember the Greek soldiers who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE.
I would suggest you watch the film Bridge over the River Kwai. Just to give you an idea. Some allied Japanese POWs did not get released until years after the war ended. They didn't know it was finished. In UK we were brought up learning about the war, it was considered very important. My father fought, was reported dead, he was very badly injured, but through sheer strength of will lived 30 years longer that he was given. That generation was amazing, we will never see their like again. They died to give us the freedom we enjoy today and that is taken so much for granted.
My father travelled by sub for a bit, and on a mine sweeper.
May you enjoy a bigger, better 2025 ❤❤❤
Burma railway was named the Railway Death my uncle actually died there RIP Uncle Clifford 💕🇬🇧
my grandfather and his 3 brothers also served in the East (Forgotten Army). luckily they was never captured.
@jeanlongsden1696 my ex wife's father his father died building this railway.
There are many Ride To The Wall (RTTW) videos on TH-cam which shows the Biker communities annual trip from all over the country to a dedication service at the National Arboretum - a large percentage of the Bikers (myself included) are ex forces... This year there were around 7.5 thousands bikes
I am proud to be a Waller. I also would recommend you watch the wallers event.
The lists of names just always make me speechless. So many many stories to be heard.
This is who we are. Brave souls never ever forgotten.
I served from 1990 to 93 in the Bomb Disposal Squad xxx
The central memorial you saw at the end has a gap and On Armistice Day a shaft of sunlight falls through this gap onto the bronze wreath in the centre of the Memorial.
And it happens at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month
@@kathleenhyde771That is Armistice Day.
I saw a place in the wall where it looks like the doors are cracked open, I'm guessing that's the place you're talking about. That's awesome.
I along with friends volunteer in the grounds of The Arboretum, it takes more than a day to visit all the memorials in 150 acres, There is no entrance fee just parking for a few pounds, guaranteed if visiting you will not be disappointed … We look forward to your visit 🌲
What a wonderful thing to do, my respects and a Happy New Year to you and all your volunteers 🙏
That's so cool. Might I ask do the soliders come by everyday or was it just a coincidence or special occasion in the video?
@michellekennedy4426 Every time that I have been, I've seen serving soldiers and, more poignantly, veterans disabled in the service of our country.
There are service men and women who visit on special occasions for memorial service’s etc, there is something going on most days and we feel privileged to meet so many ex servicemen and women and those still serving , if anyone gets the chance to visit I guarantee you will not be disappointed ❤
I want to come and visit it myself,hopefully soon. First addition to my to-do list for 2025.
And they are still adding to it. It is something that makes you reflect. I have been around this place, thinking of doing it again.
The Google Maps Street View of "The National Memorial Arboretum" is quite complete, so you may want to take a virtual walk around there some time.
That's awesome. Thanks for the suggestion.
It's massive. It has a memorial where every British serviceman who lost their lives in every campaign fought since World War Two. I have three of my friends on those walls 😢😢😢
❤🩹
I read a little about it afterwards and I think it said over 16,000 names. That's incredible!
The memorials that you saw, are not the only ones that we have but that is probably the most extensive collection of memorials in one location. You could also take a look at the memorial that is dedicated to the memories of those members of RAF flight crews, who never returned from their last missions and who have never had a memorial dedicated to them in their own names, until fairly recently, when the Government eventually were forced to acknowledge those aircrews by helping to pay for a large installation down near the South coast above the white cliffs, which depicts the image of an aircraft engine swirling around but pointing up into the skies and all of their names are added to the walls . There’s also a set of associated statues depicting the crew of a bomber ready to go on a mission.
The British poet, Robert Binyon, wrote an Ode to the Fallen, which includes this now famous stanza:
“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.”
Lest we forget .
Came here (belatedly) to say exactly that.
Thank-you.
We _will_ remember them.
We _will_ remember them.
Always brings tears to my eyes.
We will remember them.
@@PLuMUK54 Mine too!
So many names on the Armed Forces Memorial wall and, most poignantly, that's only those who've died in service since the end of the second world war i.e. after 1945 to the present day. Brits do tend to be well aware of the sacrifices made by our ancestors which is probably a positive thing in most respects.
When my son was a boarder at Pilgrim House in Winchester, he, his fellow Winchester Cathedral choristers and Winchester College quiristers used to sing here each year to commemorate the 514 boys of the college who died fighting in WWI, the 289 who died in WWII, and the 5200 who volunteered and returned. The college has 750 13-18 yr old boys there, so you can see the number of casualties was huge.
There's 400 individual memorials there. It is an incredible place to visit.
My uncle was one of the prisoners of war who was in the far east, in world war 2, forced labour, forced marches, starvation and torture, he was one of the few to survive, but rarely talked about it. He wasn't the same when he came home, as he was when he went out, according to relatives. He refused to buy anything at all that was Japanese or related to Japan, for the whole of his life.
My late father in law was a FEPOW, he was held in Formosa and sent to work in the Kinkasaki copper mine. He said the treatment meted out was horrific. He survived 3 1/2 years in captivity. He was never the same after he came back and rarely spoke about his time, except to say you HAD to have a friend to help keep you alive. He also would never have anything Japanese in the house. They endured so so much. Terribly terribly sad.
@ the one thing my mum said about growing up around him, was you couldn’t ever say you were starving, because he’d immediately say “you’re not starving, until you see grown men fighting over a grain of rice, you’re not starving”
I’ve seen things about it, and it’s hard to imagine that anyone survived it, from the things I’ve seen and read. 💔 🥲
The Japanese during the building of the Burmese railway treated the pows like shit, many died from lack of food and water, the pows were looked upon us sub-human, it's unbelievable man's inhumanity to man during the building of the raiway
sadly the Japaneese at the time still thought of the military as Samurai caste and it was the greatest dishonour to surrender, if you were taken prisoner whilst still fighting you were deemed to have earned respect, they did not understand how a regiment could be ordered to surrender as in the fall of singapore, thus they regarded those prisoners as not worthy to bear arms and treated them as sub-humans. I am glad to say they have changed. I remember attending an international submariners reunion at Versailles many years ago and the British contingent bristled when a man came into the hall that they took to be japaneese but the mood changed immediately when he turned out to be An American submariner. I asked the elder lads why they reacted so and was informed that the japaneese beheaded all submariners they captured. I thought it diplomatic to not add to that tension by explaining that that in fact was a mark of respect from them. My eyes were opened today as I always thought the national arboretum was a tiny place.
Part of me wants to read it as my uncle didn't talk about it, and I'm a bit of a history buff (WW2 a particular interest), but another part of me really doesn't want to read it, as I know how distressing I'll find it😪
I live near the NMA, its beautiful, moving and peaceful.
This is a 20 minute deive from where I live.
The world can never repay the debt owed to the people that serve to protect it.
My great uncle died building the burma railway, RIP Joe
What a wonderful memorial to all those brave souls who gave their lives so others could live. Thank you for showing us this beautiful & moving video. Happy New Year from the UK.
I agree, this place is incredible and definitely worth a visit if in the area. Happy new year to you as well. :)
If you ever come to Europe go to Ypres in Belgium, there are cemeteries for the war dead, you will be stunned by just how big they are and how far they reach, you can't see the ends of them as they stretch so far, they are something that everyone should see because while we hear the numbers of how many died, we can't visualise how many that is. When all you can see is headstone after headstone as far as the eye can see you begin to realise just how many gave their life so that we can be here and free today, and we still haven't learned anything other than how to kill in "better" ways.
On the first Saturday in October every year I ride with 6000+ other motorcyclists to the NMA to pay our respects to the armed forces who have died since the second world wall, it's called the RTTW (Ride to the Wall) .
It has become so popular that many people from all around the UK and abroad come to pay their respects, usually around 25,000 people turn up.
Each of the Motorcyclists pay a voluntary donation and have so far raised in access of 1.66 million pounds which goes to the upkeep of the arboretum.
Entry to the NMA is free but there is a parking charge.
I never knew that thanks, shall investigate further.
What an awesome way to not only show respect for the fallen, but also bring attention to the arboretum and raise some money to upkeep it all at the same time. We might have to check that out sometime.
@@trogg1963 I am proud to be a Waller. Come rain or shine I ride.
@@reactingtomyroots well worth a look, many videos on TH-cam.
It started in 2008 with a guy called Martin Dickinson, he posted on Facebook to see if any bikers would join him on his ride to pay respects for the fallen, he wasn't expecting 3000 bikers to turn up 😂
Gone from strength to strength since then. 👍
Me too book it off every year
Thank you for showing this very important and moving video I intend to try and see it myself, I was unaware of it , many thanks..
I hope you get the chance to see it. When we get over to the UK and in that area we will definitely plan on stopping by as well. Looks like an incredible place!
I live around 30 minutes away from this Memorial Arboretum
It’s just an amazing place. To sit down on a bench and reflect on those times, people who lived it and died
No one wins wars
What a waste of life
🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🏴❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏
That’s a coincidence, we visited on Xmas eve and had a personal buggy tour for my disabled son. I think the guide’s name was Geoff and he was awarded an MBE for volunteering - very knowledgeable - and he kept my son captivated which isn’t easy on Xmas eve! He liked the mining memorials the most. Did you know 1 in 10 conscripts during ww2 were sent down the mines to work.
The Bevin Boys. It took many years for them to be acknowledged as well as having the right to march past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. Without them, many war work factories and power stations would have ground to a halt.
I'm glad you guys got to visit. It looks like an amazing place, we hope to visit it one day when we get in the area. I'm going to see if we can get a hold of Geoff when we visit, maybe he can keep Sophia entertained as well. :)
@ yeah it’s quite near to us - he was great and apparently he’s called Tony not Geoff. He is chair of the local British legion branch too. My wife has a better memory than me!
@@djs98blue the new miners memorial is wonderful. Place my crosses there for my Grandfather and dad. On it official opening. I love that they have put a Davy Lamp on the side.
My dad has a tree there.. Beautiful place he was a Northumberland fusilier
Utmost respect to your dear Dad x
An arboretum is a collection of trees. The trees are planted in memory of the people.
It’s an incredibly atmospheric place.
Well worth a visit if you’re in Staffordshire.
😮😮I did not know this place existed.Thank-you Steve and Lindsey for showing this
Very sobering ,Bless them all .
The centre piece of The Royal Marines Memorial is a Sykes Fairbairn Commando Dagger, I own two of them.
My brother served in the 14/20th kings hussars they were a Calvary regiment but drove tanks in the modern era. They were merged several years ago and are now the kings royal hussars
As a British army veteran, this is the place where i failed to utter even one word, it is so moving just being there, the site is over 150 acres and has over 400 memorials, we took 2 full days to see them all and pay our respects, this video does not really do justice to the place as you cannot rush around like these were.
I went there with mum/daughter and grandsons thinking it would be about trees (I love trees from all over the world). I was initially disappointed (trees not well labelled and immature) then appreciated the sculptures and thoughtfulness... there is a river flowing through and the Friends/Quakers was very calming. Lots of walking though.
That was sobering! My Parents, uncles and aunts were involved in WWII They all suvived which was incredible other than my dad's brother! On his first bombing raid he did not come back! I tell you the next event as a dear uncle was like and older brother to me! He used to come with os on our boating hols along the whole of the south coast of England! He told me of what it was like to do torpedo runs against the enemy ships! he said you could see the crew running around the decks! Just as he said that we heard a plane coming in at almost the height of the flying bridge of my dad's boat at the precise time my uncle told me his experience! It actually was a RAF plane and it had to go up to miss us! It was so spooky to have had that experience! My mum nearly got killed when a V2 landed less than 60 to 70 feet from a wooden hurt she was in experience Peanut butter for the first time! I had an uncle that was a POW he had steel plates in his back! Another uncle was in the siege of Malta! I really brakes my heart to see the suffering that went on back then! May they all R.I.P and thank you for there services throughout history!
My Welsh great uncle survived building the Burma railway along with his friend, and were the only survivors in his platoon.
He was held at Changi Goal , part of which was shown in the video. A very peaceful but moving place to visit.
I served in the Light Dragoons from 93/98. Lost a few good friends.
Thank you for your respect our American friends, don't be sad please, i dont think the glorious dead would want that, 🇺🇸🤝🇬🇧🍻
The names of four of my great uncles from WW1 are engraved there. Obviously I never knew them, but it is heart wrenching to think of the families that visit the Arboretum in the hope of seeing a family name.
Well guys I’ve lived in the uk for 68 years I didn’t know this place existed thank you for showing happy new year to you three ❤
I go on a pilgrimage every year to honour the fallen from my old regiment. We also have a service for those that have passed in the past 12 months. One year I hard a guy say, one time that will be us. It hit me to the quick. The soldiers you see will be from different units every time. It is a very peaceful place. We have our service on Saturday morning and after the local branch of the Royal British Legion, is open to us. In the late afternoon we have a garden party there and in the night we have entertainment inside the club. Much alcohol is consumed.
Have been there so peaceful and sad and memorable
From National Memorial Arboretum (Alrewas, Staffordshire)
"The National Memorial Arboretum is the UK's year-round centre of Remembrance and home to over 400 symbolic memorials. Situated across a 150-acre site, amongst 25,000 maturing trees, the memorials pay tribute to those who have served our country, including the Armed Forces, civilian and emergency services, and UK charities. The Arboretum features a contemporary visitor centre, events building, two children's play areas, woodland walks, land train tours, buggy tours, exhibitions, restaurant, coffee shop and learning centre. Events and family activities are available. Entry is FREE but, as a UK registered charity, donations are welcomed. Car parking costs £4 per day when booked in Advance. Booking is recommended to guarantee entry.
The memorials around London are interesting aswell.
The huge bronze lions at trafalgar square are made from captured enemy cannons.
As someone who visits at least twice a year once as part of the Ride To The Wall and just as a normal visitor, I'm always finding new things.
The Armed Forces Memorial is the centre of the Arboretum.
It continues to amaze me at how much creativity, dedication, detail and respect we can put into honouring history. Not just our own history, but all history.
"For a nation to be truly humble, it must recognise that it isn't the only nation." - Me, today, 01/01/2025
Happy New Year Steve, Lyndsey and Sophia.
✌️💙🏴🇬🇧
Thanks Simon, Happy New Year!
10:14 that is a commando dagger (the thin bladed knife), which is the badge of the Commandos (worn to this day by Royal Marine Commandos), in a circular wreath of laurel leaves - laurel dates back to Roman times as a symbol of Victory and Honour which is why it's so used by western militaries.
Happy New year all …. I live not far from here … and attend Ride To The Wall every year RTTW… and have a few mates names on that wall, and what gets you most , is the blank plaques, waiting for someone’s name ..
Yes mate I'd be blubbering all the way around that beautiful place - thank God we have the Arboretum to remind the feckless what patriotism and love for your country actually is as well as care for your fellow citizens - 🏴🇬🇧
I lived in the nearest village to The National Arboretum for fifteen years (just the other side of the A38,) a village called Alrewas. I remember something about the main part where the monument depicting the soldiers carrying the stretcher. There a gap in the wall where if the sun is out it shines through that gap. I think it has something to do with rememberance Sunday at 11AM on the 11th November a shaft of light shines through that gap on a clear day. Stunning works of art there. I miss the place terribly.
It’s such an amazing place to visit and remember lost friends.. ( Royal Artillery Garden, sat upon the 50 MSL dedicated bench ) then to read their names on the wall and place a cross of remembrance. You should also checkout Ride to the wall.. 1000’s of bikers ride to the wall for a remembrance service and everyone of them are saluted in by Blue a veteran.. make sure you have a box of tissues if you watch it ..
@@lilydawnpippard625 Always get a tear in my eye, the dust is very bad, when I see Blue.
I have visited twice, and still not seen everything. It is lively to see so many trees planted as living memorials - which may well outlive the people who are doing thr remembering too. I like the fact that they include non military memorials too - public services like police, fire and ambulance are commemorated, also volunteer services, chaplains, animals who served in wars, women known as the land girls and the 'lumber jills' who laboured in agriculture and forestry during wartime when the men were away fighting.
An Arboretum is literally a 'tree garden'. Although it doesn't seem to be very full of trees, the arboretum has been relatively newly planted with many types of tree, some dedicated to individuals or military groups and includes specimens of trees from all the nations which are represented in the Arboretum. The trees will come to be more prominent in future.
Happy New Year to you and followers. You asked how many acres the arboretum covers, it is 150 acres. I've heard a lot about it but have never been there. Yes, in the UK the St John's Ambulance brigade are all volunteers who go to large events to administer first aid, anything complex, though, the NHS ambulances are called in immediately.
Love the National Memorial Arboretum, I was 14/20th Kings Hussars 'The Hawks'. I need to visit again soon.
Happy Hogmanay and Ne'erday guys. Lang may yer lum reek 😊x
My comment seems to have disappeared
So glad you looked at this place, I sent you the book as I think its an amazing place. So much thought has gone into the memorials that isn't obvious as you walk around, even to the type of trees.
The cylindrical trees on the main memorial mound are holm oaks that stand as sentinels protecting the memorial.
A very moving place 😢it's lovely in the summer months.
My ex partner and best friend worked there as security it's a beautiful place the memorials, history, the signs of respect is amazing.... they even have a womb/still born stone memorial garden called sands. But it also has its sad times and are put on alert on certain special dates my ex had to help a veteran suffering ptsd luckily he managed to.
I went there in June for the Royal British Legion D Day memorial service. Prince Edward the Duke of Edinburgh and his wife were present along with hundreds of other people.
While there I bumped into a former colleague from my time in the Royal Air Force who I hadn’t seen since 1997.
It’s a great place to visit, and pay tribute and respects to the fallen soldiers,sailors and airmen from the war upto the present day.
The lisbon Maru Memorial is incredibly important and poiniant. It was a japanese Merchant ship which was carrying over 1816 british POW's and 700 japanese army personnel when sank by the USS Grouper October 1st 1942. Over 800 of the POWs died. The rest bar 3 were recaptured. The 3 that escaped were part of a large group of 300ish that were initially rescued by chinese fishermen.
Please folks review the ride to the wall - bikers organise a ride to the Arboretum as well as all
Other people paying their respects- it is a fabulous video of a fabulous event x
I come from a military family and this place holds special for us. We know some of the names on the wall.
I took my 4 year old son here last year, partly to enjoy a child friendly trail but also to introduce to him to the subject, very lightly. We were atop the large memorial on the hill, when my son touched the " We will remember them" in the glorious sunlight. It felt quite special, as if he had touched generations of his past, men who served in Afghan, Iraq, Ulster, Korea and Normandy.
What really blew my mind though, was when few minutes later, a single Spitfire flew over, much to the many visitors shock and pleasure!
This is a beautiful place to visit and reflect on what sacrifices people have made to protect our freedom. Sadly, there are a number of names on the wall in the centre of the NMA that bear the names of lost friends of mine. We shall never forget
The Arboretum is sited in the middle of the country, because as most memorials are in London & nearby, with many others scattered all around the country, & abroad, it gives more people a chance to travel here to respect the memory of those who have died serving their country & fellow man.
I attend Ride to the wall there every year and visit two names on that wall to pay my respects.
❤
@@martinsmith3354 I am proud to be a Waller, also. I have my own personal name on the wall, plus I put three crosses up for a friend in Scotland .
I've played in an R.A.F. orchestra here a few times, really nice place and fitting!
Wishing you and your loved ones a happy new year from the UK ❤
"At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them",
This always gets me and I salute to honour our fallen
Films pertaining: 1. Burma Railway: 'Bridge on the River Kwai' (Alec Guinness). 2. Japanese internment camps on Sumatra: 'Paradise Road' (Glenn Close). 3. 'Battle of Britain'. 4. World War One: 'All Quiet on the Western Front' (German viewpoint). 5. D-Day: 'The Longest Day'. 6. Battle of the Atlantic: 'The Cruel Sea', 'Sink the Bismarck'. World War One memorials: Menin Gate, Belgium. Thiepval, France. Happy New Year.
The National Memorial Arboretum was initially set up by Staffordshire County Council and later handed over yo the Royal British Legion. The Staffordshire branch of the Local Government Trades Union (UNISON) would donate a memorial bench to the County Council on Workers' Memorial Day, April 28t, every rear. One year we donated a bench at the National Memorial Arboretum neat Alrewas.
Quick fact. The door the statue points at corresponds to a slit it the outer wall. On the 11th of November at 11 am the sun shines through both slots and lights up the wreath in the centre. only then.
My mate's name is on the other side of the door. Our friend's son's name is on the bit where we lost people in Afghan.
It's a good place
There is a film called The Railway Man. It tells the true story of Eric Lomax, who worked on the death Railway in Burma. As a British army officer who many years after the war meets one of his Japanese guards. It was Colin Firth and Nicole Kiddman. A really powerful and moving film. Edit..Shellshock and PTSD was not recognised or understood, they were classed as cowards back in WW1 and shot at dawn, and wiped from history, untill they received the pardon. This is amazing 😢😢
Hussars (WHO-ZARS) are a type of cavalry from Napoleonic times. Today they're tank regiments in the British Army (The Queen's Royal Hussars and the King's Royal Hussars).
1) Our Remembrance day is 11 November. So if you look at the depicted person's on the upper level you will see a noticeable gap/slit in the wall.
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the sun will be at just the right angle to shine through the slit & down onto the poignant memorial. Really been thought about.
Such a beautiful place.
2) The Memorial Wall in the Falklands for the fallen Royal Navy service personnel has been reproduced here in the Arboretum.
3) That Fire & Rescue Memorial is to all the Firemen who gave their lives during the WW2 & the Blitz in London, as well as subsequent losses. My grandfather served for 35 years in the London Fire Service & was involved heavily with preventing London from burning any more than it did during The Blitz.
I live 15 minutes down the road from here i go At least once a month. Being ex Army its a good place to go and reflect and remember the fallen my best friend died in Afghanistan so its nice to go and spend time here remembering him. I love the videos keep it up 👍🏻
The Arboretum also put out their own TH-cam content, and would definitely be worth your while..👍
Every British person should visit the arboretum at least once in their life. I've been there a number of times on the RTTW Run To The Wall. The run takes place around 5 October.
@@Kiz552 1st Saturday in October , I am proud to be a Waller.
I served 12 years with The British Army but a roadside I.E.D. in Iraq ended my military career.
I am now a triple amputee and partially deaf and blind, but I thank the Lord every day that I am still here.
There are seven lads names at The Arboretum that I served with who didn't make it home.
I have visited three times and to see those names destroys me.
Rest easy fellas, your duty is done, see you up there!! 🇬🇧 🙏
Bless you, Sir.
One of my teachers on a course i did at school served in the Falklands war. When we got to the armed forces memorial he asked us to look out for certian names. Names were of his friends who died during the conflict.