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Thank you for putting the complete video on your patreon channel SoGal ... it was an absolute pleasure watching with you, thanks also for sharing some of your personal thoughts & experiences ... you excelled yourself again ... & yeah, we're pretty much the best at this type of event ! 😊 ... always fun to see Scarlett making an appearance 🐕😀
The Queen has had some medical problems the last few weeks, and just before the remembrance event she sprained her back so for the first time ever during her reign has not attended the event.
Thank you for doing a video on this. This is one festival that goes to the hearts of the British people. Our Armed Forces are thought a lot of in the UK and this is the ultimate respect and thanks to our forces.
"What Does It Take To Earn The British Medal Of Honor? | Victoria Cross" - if it interests You find with that headline (awardet 150 yrs, granted to 1 350 person, the military rank does not affect). Chilly (+4C°) greetings from Finland 🐼
Lowering the colours to the ground is a salute. Normally only given to Royalty, but here the war dead are being acknowledged with the most solemn of salutes.
This has made me weep like a big baby. To think what those young men gave up all so that we could write insults to each other on Twitter, from our pampered warm, safe, comfortable, bedrooms, drinking our cups of tea. We truly have never had to do the things that they did, and we have never felt the way they felt. We are only here today because of them. We have to actively hunt for things to be unhappy about and sort through words to find an enemy. God bless them all.
@@Ionabrodie69 Thanks for pointing that out. I did read that fellow's remark, but I didn't quite understand if he meant that we don't know if they'd like this way of being remembered this way, or if we don't know if they'd like our modern world. Either way, the entire point is that we can never know, because they died for us. Thanks again.
I just wanted to add that people buy the poppies to wear every year. Some of the money raised by the British Legion is spent on helping veterans. My husband is a veteran 1968-1988. He became seriously ill in 2002 and was unable to walk far. The British Legion gifted him a mobility scooter, it changed his life. They maintain it yearly for him as well .Without this he would be housebound. We are immensely grateful to the RBL.
I'm so glad the Legion helped you out. But technically, nobody ''buys'' a Poppy. They make a donation. I am a 'Collector for the Poppy Appeal'' and I like to make that point. I really feel awkward when members of the public ask me 'how much is....''. I always reply 'It's a donation'. I know TRBL gets a lot of bad press/comments about not spending enough on veterans or spending funds in the 'wrong' areas, but the Branches around the country do a lot of things not reported in the press. Your husband is a prime example. He and thousands of others lives are made just a little bit better with the contributions the public (and some corporate donations) make every year. I thank each and every one of you.
In NZ we have a Poppy Day as well, but it is around Anzac day, not Armistice Day, and is shared with our Aussie brothers over the ditch. Local Returned Services Associations collect for this and all money collected must go exclusively to to veteran support and assistance locally, this is carefully monitored and audited to keep the money flowing to where it is intended, not used on administration or other projects.
@@unbearifiedbear1885 Good to hear, in NZ the poppies are locally accessed and differ from the UK poppies in that they do not have a leaf attached. All good for a great cause.
November 11, 1911, 11:11am and November 11, 2021, 11:11am. As a U S veteran I too pay my prayers, honor and respect to my Commonwealth Brothers and Sisters and their families who lost a brother, sister, father or mother, son or daughter to the horrors of war. Again as I watched, I remember the “Fallen and Unreturned; Known But Only to God” and their families as well and can only wish them comfort, consolation, prayers, honor and respect in the memories of their loved one. On this same day and same hour we commemorate Veteran’s Day honoring all Americans who answered the call and donned the uniforms of the United States of America. We commemorate our war dead of all wars on May 30, Memorial Day. We share many military traditions; honors, ceremonies, evolution of uniforms, etc. Our variations can be accounted for in divergence born of differing histories. God Bless the United States of America and her Allies and God Save the Queen.
My father flew spitfires in the battle of Britain then transferred to bomber command and flew Lancaster bombers. I put my cross of remembrance in the grounds of Westminster Abbey every year amongst all the other thousands of crosses. I also leave one to commemorate my mother's cousin who was killed at dieppe fighting with the royal marine commandos. He was one of four brothers, all of whom were killed, so he has no-one to remember him but me.
Everyone who goes to war deserves respect. I hope that you and yours are well. And because of the season that I am commenting. Merry Christmas and a good New Year.
The fact that you were moved by the cermony shows that the many videos you've watched and research you've undertaken, has brought you to a point that you're really beginning to appreciate and 'get under the skin' of what makes us in Britain 'tick'. Congratulations, and its great to see how meaningful it was to you too. Thank you for your respect and joining us in Remembrance.
a couple of years ago my sister in law and I were invited to be part of Bereaved Families group..14 of us. We were invited to London for 2 days for rehearsals at the Hall, and on arrival were told that the whole affair was for US, and that anything we wanted would be there for us. It was amazing. We walked up and down those sr yair's multiple times, and I can say that I have never been so proud of my husband, or so terrified at having to cross the huge hall. Coming very slowly down the stairs, closely surrounded by thousands of sympathetic and smiling faces, all wishing us well, was the most emotional thing I have ever done. at the end , the Chelsea Pensioners who were seated just below us when we finished our part, turned around and shook our hands..I had even a kiss from one. A truly inspiring event to take part in. Our families were astonished to see us take part, as they had assumed that were just part of the audience. A lance in a lifetime event,
Right! A LOT to tell you! YES, US forces copied UK uniforms. That Royal Marines uniform is called No 1s. Best dress. Also called Blues. Although, only really bands men wear the pith helmet. The rest of us wore a white peaked cap. Your Desert Storm, was Operation Granby. I was in that. America would allow British to be in charge (even though General Sir Peter De La Billiere, was actually a long term member of the SAS, and a proven history in battle - Gun of a Mirbat, so, Norman Shwarzkoppf was made from a 3 star General, to a 4 star to head it up). Old Glory can't touch the ground, BUT, for us, it symbolises respect for the fallen as they fell FOR our country, so the colours fall for them. Nobody does pomp & ceremony like the British! Also. Check out The Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo.
"Nobody does pomp & ceremony like the British! " Indeed - but I could EASILY do without the woke/celeb bit. This ain't the bloody Brit Awards, after all !
No reason to stop there JM... keep it coming..... Seriously that's some interesting... stuff... (didn't want to swear in front of the kids). People like me (arm chair politicians, generals) need to be told. You can do that. Open up, all barrels.
@@mikecollins8936 See - little details like that... that's where people like me get our rocks going. Us civvies we just drift from day to day.... oblivious to what holds our nation up. little details like why you salute a certain way really should be taught in school. And Mike you really can keep these nuggets coming all day every day - I will not grow tired of them. Massive respect for anyone in the military in any capacity. I tried but.. Scoliosis, Asthma - oh and a brain injury... so... my application didn't go so well ("Don't give the mouth breather a gun" or something like that....) And when I say "any capacity" I mean it. Cooks, mechanics, Admin, cleaners... if you're there, you're in danger. Respect to any and all involved. Personally I think politicians should be required to do a 2 year tour before they can talk about deploying troops.
All members of the Commonwealth militaries swear allegiance to the Queen (I'm Canadian). And, yes, you guys have stolen a lot of British traditions (songs, uniforms and the like).
They didn’t stole the traditions, they had them because they are all 4th or 5th generation of European immigrants! There are no Americans! All these crazy patriots that they are screaming Americaaaa and they have 683 flags in their houses, they have British, Irish, German, Italian, Hellenic ancestry! In Canada they are mostly from France and in the South America from Spain and Portugal. The natives Americans were like ☠️☠️ after the Spanish invasions! They left a few of them in some states!
Without looking it up the first Gulf war (Desert Storm) was to kick Iraq out of Kuwait. The 2nd Gulf War In late 99's was launched from Kuwait to get rid of Saddam Hussein.
Also, the Queen is Head of the Church of England, which is why there's a bit more religion and fancy clerical dress on display here than in similar American functions. Although Americans can be very religious, sometimes irritatingly so, their Constitution actually explicitly excludes any state-sanctioned religious bias, and rightly so in my opinion. My observation, as a New Zealander who spent many years living in Britain, is that British people are more religious -and perhaps closer followers of Jesus' actual teachings? - than outsiders might imagine. They just don't make as much of a fuss about it as some.
Her Majesty is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, which includes the Army. You are right that there is no Royal in front of the British Army, but there are a number of Regiments, and Corps, that have the Royal prefix. Every serviceman, and woman, swears allegiance to the Crown, you don't get much Royal then that.
Did three postings to BATUS during my service. Also did exercises with American Army and Marines. Nothing against the yanks, but I preferred the Canadians. America seems powerful, and indeed it is. But that power relies on technology to much for my liking. What happens when that technology is hacked, or gets corrupted? They say it can't happen, but they also said the Titanic couldn't sink. Overwhelming firepower is not always enough, as Vietnam and Afghanistan should have taught them. The Gulf wars were relatively easy for them, as that's what their military are trained for. Conventional warfare against a conventional enemy. I'm certainly not anti American, and maybe it's just a cultural thing, but I too wonder why they are so vocal in declaring their patriotism. I also ask myself, just what has America done to be so proud?
Hi, very patriotic and respectful of you. The drums are set out to make a Field Altar for a church service, it’s called a “Drum Head Service”, if my memory is correct.
@SoGal you mentioned hearing Heart of Oak through Star Trek TNG, there's also an episode called "The Drumhead" which is a reference to this (albeit in the sense of a drumhead court, a military legal court-martial, rather than a church service).
I was walking through a town in Yorkshire on 11th of November then all the church bells started ringing and everyone stopped moving, we all paused for at least one minute until the bells stopped chiming in Remembrance of of our fallen soldiers, if you're out and about on the 11th of November at lunchtime expect it to happen in the UK
@@lesleymcshanemitchell9651 I have been in London at Trafalgar Square for a service on the 11th before and everyone froze, it was slightly amusing to see all the tourists who had no clue what was happening. People who were attending the open air service froze obviously but everyone for streets around froze. now I live outside the UK and I still take a trip to the embassy every year just to buy poppies and wear them. with regard to the drums i do not know if someone else has put it here for you, but, The Drumhead Service originated in the 1700's when soldiers about to go into battle required a place for reflection and remembrance of their fallen comrades in the face of difficult times ahead. A Drumhead Service is a church service conducted “in the field” during armed conflict. The drums were the focus in combat and also provided a flat place to work as an altar that can be moved with you. So a service can be held anywhere.
I was working last year was in the middle of helping a customer and just before I said that I was going to pause to pay my respect to those who died so we could have our today. They where very understanding they came from Australia and the three of us stood in silence for the minute. I said thank you and carried on helping them
When I worked at a call centre we were told if anyone stopped working at 11am we would be sanctioned. I was fuming but there was not much I could do as I needed my job
Happy you enjoyed that look at UK traditions,the poetry was wonderfully written and said and the poppy drop is very touching,one poppy for every soldier who died
Thank you so much for your respect and wanting to learn about how we mark Remembrance Day and all the traditions and events which take place to honour our veterans and those who lost their lives. I enjoy your enthusiasm, interest, asking questions, fact checking and willingness to educate yourself and others. It is a pleasure to see.
Just wanted to say thank you for doing this. All the other US reactors I follow were content to do a quick video about the significance of the Poppy and then move on. The thoroughness, thoughtfulness and respect you have brought to our Remembrance Ceremonies sets you above the others and reminds me why you're the only one I'm prepared to pay money to. The falling Poppies were very significant to my mother. Every year she used to remind my brother and I that one of those Poppies was for her father, who died in WWII, when she was only 13 and my aunt, 11.
We British do not generally display our patriotism on our sleeves. However, it is on occasions like Remembrance Day that our patriotism is on show for all to see. For many countries, including the US, the flag is the focal.point for the loyalty of the people to their country. For us, our focal point is The Queen
Exactly I have always thought , when other countries disparage us for still having a Royal Family , at least we have allegiance to our Queen rather than a piece of material on a pole !
Only the USA and other equally insecure and paranoid nations feel need to so loudly proclaim their patriotism - ie to wear their jingoistic attitudes on their sleeve. Unfortunately, as a result of creeping US cultural colonisation, Australians under 30 are more and more following suit.
@@trueaussie9230 Agreed 100% - plus! For a country that has never won a war on its own (without allies), never been attacked or invaded, stole the bulk of its heritage, military traditions and English Language from the UK, and tries to tell us how we should do everything, one has to wonder their level of competency and intelligence when it comes to electing a President. It's a society where the Dollar is king and everything else is an add-on. Their reverence to the flag is something else; it's not just fluttering over their governmental buildings, it flies over their schools, their houses, their front doors, their cars, their lapels - wherever there's a space to place it. Paranoid is the best word to describe their national identity - no other country is so afraid of outsiders than "The greatest country in the world" - (their words, not mine or anyone else's). In the words of one of their favourite heroes - Donald Duck - "Phooey!"
Just to let you know at this special time. Jonnie Johnson MBE. The worlds last surviving Dambuster 617 Squadron will be 100 years old on the 25th November 2021 - 10 days time . He lives near Bristol UK An English Hero in every sense of the word !!
I really don't mean this in a rude or disrespectful way, but try and get your comments right, because Jonnie Johnson MBE didn't join the English Airforce, or the English armed forces. Our armed forces do not belong to the English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or anyone else - they are maned by BRITISH or BRITISH COMMONWEALTH citizens, or by people who believe in our values. Please try and remember that forgetting this is disrespectful to all those service personnel and civilians who have served the crown, and in so many cases paid the ultimate sacrifice.
@@gordonhull7342 Ray E didn't say that Jonnie joined any English formation. He said that he was an Englishman. Would you have been offended if he'd called David Stirling a Scot?
The drums were used to form a makeshift altar for church services in the field. All regiments have drums, most have colours (flags - infantry) or Guidons (Cavalry). The Colours of the Royal Artillery are their guns.
The queen had a hospital stay about a month ago and advised to take it easy. This is the night before Rememberance Sunday which was meant to be her first event back but she had a back sprain. The guys in red coats are Chelsea Pensioners. The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home for ex soldiers with at least 12 years service but culturally the Chelsea Pensioners are very distinctive as the wear their uniforms publicly in every day life and have come to represent veterans generally.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea was founded by Charles II and the uniforms are of the time. It now has Female ex soldiers amongst its residents who wear the same uniform.
A good few years ago I was in the Guard of Honour for The Remembrance Service at our local town hall, and I must admit when the Last Post plays I wept, as did everyone else, and to this day if I hear it my eyes begin to fill up with tears, I'm 67yrs old 6ft 4ins and weigh 19 st, but i dont care who sees me !!
Scarlet is priceless, never appologise for her wanting a hug, just hug. We remember not just the wars of the last century, there are ellements that mark previous wars and centuries. Around the UK can be found guns from the Crimea, and South Africa. Flags from regiments and battles of our distant past.
They are her majesty's forces, not the primeministers, which is why they salute, cheer etc. The tune you mentioned from captain Pickard was heart of oak which is the song for the royal navy, it's sang in the film master and commander. Other tunes are other regiments in the army, I heard the grenadiers tune in there. It's quite significant that the Queen wasn't at the cenotaph in the morning or at this event. I felt for Charles when he stood in front of the cemotaph as the head of the family, the 1st one without Philip and the Queen not there due to her health.
Yes, the RN entered the arena to their quick march, Hearts of Oak, the Army to the tune, The British Grenadiers, and the RAF to their quick march, Ad Astra.
@@rokhnroll Yes , but it’s not like the Queen can stop the PM . The PM will explain to the Queen why and she will give her advice but it’s just protocol.
Never be afraid to shed a tear, whether American or Allied forces who fought and died in service of their country would never have wanted anything less than heartfelt thanks thats been shown today.
Having taken part in this, 18 years ago, I have a few secrets to reveal... The Festival brings together different musical ensembles and soloists each year. There is a Friday evening rehearsal, repeated on the Saturday morning to iron out any timing issues and drill the participating armed personnel. The three cheers for Her Majesty and the replacing of headdress is meticulously rehearsed, not least because those bearskins are not easy to manipulate at speed! Then the Festival is performed twice! There is an afternoon run-through, with a body double of the Queen in the Royal Box; this is filmed and recorded, then the hall is reset for the evening performance, at which the real Queen is present. This is broadcast live, though they use the recording of the earlier performance as back-up in case of technical problems. The poppies that fall from the ceiling are actually red twists of paper. I still have a few of them in the Order of Service from 2003, caught where they fell onto the open pages. It was a particularly emotionally charged occasion that year, as it was the first year in which veterans, families and the fallen of Iraq and Afghanistan were included.
I took part in 1982 and also have some of the crepe paper petals. It was a wonderful experience. Raymond Baxter did the commentary way back then. As it was the year of the Falklands war, it was particularly moving.
Actually it isn't shown live anymore. It starts at 7pm but goes out on the BBC at 9pm. There's more at the start and more at the end than you see on the Tv edit.
Thank you to all that have given their lives and those families that sacrificed for all to be free and in a democracy God bless all commonwealth and American soldiers
@@Revolución_Socialista firstly America is two continents south and north Second Brazil, Bolivia and Colombia all joined in ww2 on the side of the allied forces. So do you want to tell me where I was wrong for saying Americans? And clearly as it states In your name you don’t even class yourself as American your Latin American hypocrite
Me to When I was a girl in 1946 At are Cenotaph was a Sea of Ladies all in Black The Sobbing and crying made a life impact on me. No Freedom can come to pass without our brave Fighting People. Willing to give there lives for a Cause. Lest we forget
When I was in the NZ Army our company always did the dawn service in a little town called Taihape. It would still be dark. Hearing the poem then the Last Post in the dark was hauntingly beautiful.
G,day In Australia we have the R S L Returned Services League . Every night they have the Ode , every one stands, they stop eating, playing the pokies, and put their drinks down and end by saying Lest We Forget. All the best Bluey
Firstly, thank you for your reverence, much appreciated. I've watched many of your videos and you always give an knowledgeable and thoughtful commentary, long may that continue. The poem "They shall not grow old" is the RBL prayer.
It's from this: Not really an RBL prayer - it's out EXHORTATION used at the start of our "silence" . For the Fallen BY LAURENCE BINYON With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; They fell with their faces to the foe. 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. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night; As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain. THE STORY OF THE EXHORTATION The Exhortation is said on Remembrance Day right after the Last Post is played, and leads into the Two Minute Silence. The Exhortation is an extract from a poem written by Robert Laurence Binyon called "For the Fallen", written in mid-September 1914, just a few weeks after the outbreak of The War. Early in The War, the British Expeditionary Force had suffered heavy casualties in its first encounter with the German Imperial Army at the Battle of Mons on 23rd August. The BEF also joined with the French Army in frustrating the German advance at the First Battle of the Marne between 5th and 9th September 1914, and heavy casualties were suffered there too. The poem was first published in The Times newspaper on 21st September 1914. The Exhortation "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." Response: "We will remember them." The end of the Silence is marked by the Kohima Epitaph:
I'm a serving helio pilot in RAF, and Thank You for showing an interest in our memorialisation - American folk Quite Rightly are so vocal in their acknowledgement of your military and it's heartwarming to know that You guys are aware that we're invested in our serving and vets too. Incidentally, You are very Beautiful [someone edit that out].
Queen Elizabeth II is Head of the Armed Services, when joining the British Armed Forces a service member swears an Oath of Allegiance to the Queen and her successors, so it is entirely natural that they would wish to cheer her. The only issue I have with the Festival of Remembrance these days are the ‘celebrities’, there are perfectly good singers the the Armed Services but they are overlooked as the BBC seeks to add some light entertainment froth to a serious event. The Chelsea Pensioners reside at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, where they have accommodation, comradeship and the highest standards of care in recognition of their loyal service. Any former soldier of the British Army over the age of 65, who is facing spending their advanced years alone, can apply for residence as a Chelsea Pensioner.
@@xwasp58 He wears it to hide surgical scars on his head. While wearing a hat during a remembrance service is unusual, I tend to give a pass to those who are uncomfortable with revealing a disfigurement. Some people are comfortable with revealing their scars (or at least feel comfortable enough that they can prioritise the traditional sign of respect) but I don't judge those who aren't comfortable. Being judgemental over someone's previous suffering seems to go against the idea of being respectful of past suffering.
@@GB-re7ty nope. RN never swore an oath to anyone at all but I believe new entries now do so since the latest Armed Forces Act. I have never had to swear an oath of allegiance. My mother didn't even come under the Naval Discipline Act when she served though I did in my time.
People always seem to forget that the person who formed the Royal British Legion and started the whole poppy tradition in the UK was Earl Douglas Haig (yes that Haig). Clueless amateur historians slam him for his conduct in the war but ignore that he made huge efforts to assist ex-servicemen. When I was a kid the poppies we bought every year always had "Haig Fund" printed in the middle of them.
Have attended a couple of these moving Festival of Remembrances so well organised by the Royal British Legion.Also worth viewing the Sunday ceremony from the Cenotaph,London which i have also attended with my late father who took part in the veterans march past and treasured the memory greatly.
All service personnel swear allegiance to the Queen. I can’t begin to imagine the burden of emotion it must place on her to know that people die in battle in her name.
and Police swear to uphold the law and 'to well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady, the Queen'. Or did when I was attested. I was proud of that and found it emotional. Those words and to 'befriend the citizen' - I took it seriously. it was my duty ad I am suire the armed services feel the same. then, i came across Prince Andrew when I was on duty one day. what a boorish individual he is.
Interestingly, the Royal Navy do not swear allegiance to the Queen. But it is taken as written by every man who serves. Remember all our ships are owned by Her Majesty. ships even those on dry land are HMS. Her Majesty's Ship. or HM Submarines.in which I served.
The Chelsea Pensioners are extremely respected Army Veterans who are residents of The Royal Hospital Chelsea. It's like a residential home for older people but run on military lines keeping that sense of regimentation and camaraderie.
It is wonderful to see an American, not only wearing a poppy but understanding the huge significance it has for the UK and The Commonwealth. We are close, not only because of a shared language but because we support and honour many of the freedoms and benefits of living in democracies founded by the sacrifice and duty of our armed forces and civilians. I admire your genuine desire to learn more about our individual and shared customs & traditions. Yours sincerely.
"So many different thoughts and emotions running through this" And that's exactly the point. We cannot give these poor people any more than a few minutes of thought and regret.
As a member of the Royal British Legion I thank you for taking the time to view this. The dipping of standards is the worlds standard salute for flags, standards, colours and guidons Most of the western Air Forces use similar looking uniforms. And most your uniforms take form after our own simply because your army formed under generals who served in the British Army before defecting to fight for independence. Most US military songs are based off British tunes. Your national anthem shares the tune of an 17th century British Drinking song. The Chelsea Pensioners are veterans who become in patients at the Royal Military Hospital Chelsea. (as in live in patients) I would suggest watching more Festival of Remembrances, each year has a different focal point and are outstanding. However this year has been one of my favourites by far.
The Royal Navy march, Heart of Oak, dates from the Year of Victories against the French, 1759. Minden and Quebec on land and Lagos and Quiberon Bay at sea. Ironic to be sung by a Frenchman (presumably) in Star Trek.
The drums stacked up is a field alter, for services. If you want to get a feel for our commemoration of the Remembrance Sunday you should watch the service and March past at the Cenotaph. It was so nice to see it returned. There are people from the Commonwealth who attend, the music is good and the military band start with Rule Britania. Most villages have a war memorial. Local services are carried out.
Fun fact - the Band of the Royal Marines is also the Royal Navy's band, as they don't have their own (the Marines are a sub-branch of the Navy.) It's also the only way of being a Marine without completing the Commando course and earning the green beret (also worth watching a documentary on), so the first music piece had the bands of the Army, Navy and Air Force together.
Its really refreshing to view an American actually taking some time to learn about British culture.A vast amount of peop!e from the States seem quite ignorant and seem to think that the world begins and ends in the U.S.
The drum alter you saw is a tradition going back for centuries that soldiers in the field, without recourse to their chapels or churches on Sunday, would lay their drums neatly, consecrate them by laying their standards on them, and use them as an altar. This tradition is honoured to this day in drum head services over the world.
Please don't apologise for Scarlett. She is clearly sensing your emotions, but doesn't understand what is making you upset, so she is trying her best to comfort you. If only we were all so lucky to have that in our lives.
Don't apologise for Scarlett's intervention! I was attending a Remembrance Ceremony this last Sunday when the CEO of the site introduced some Bomber Command Veterans who were able to attend; cue spontaneous applause, which - as the volume decreased - was rounded off by a VERY loud single 'WOOF' from a canine attendee! Perfectly timed to round things off! While we're on the subject check out the significance of the Purple Poppy.....
red poppy to remember those in the military who died purple poppy to remember the animals that died black poppy to remember those who died of colour white poppy to remember those who died but wanting peace.
@@seansean9675 Minor expansion: The red poppy represents all those who lost their lives on active service in all conflicts; from the beginning of the First World War right up to present day. It also honours the contribution of civilian services and the uniformed services which contribute to national peace and security and acknowledges innocent civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism. (source: RBL website). It follows, therefore, that black and white poppies are sub-sets of the 'net' encapsulated by the red poppy.
I was there at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday afternoon (2021) absolutely amazing 👏 and emotional too. There are 2 festivals of remembrance at the Albert Hall one in the afternoon and finally one in the evening, they are both recorded and then edited later to show the whole event on the TV on Saturday night+ the floor is white and there's a projector up in the roof shinning down
Hi, I'm glad you managed to watch this years festival. I think you'll probably have the same problem with the cenotaph service.The BBC are very protective of their copyright. Putting this one on Patreon so everyone can see it is very generous of you. I'm now going to watch the full version on Patreon and hopefully answer some of your questions about this.
Operation Granby was the first Gulf War (although, as someone who was in the RAF at the time, it was just 'the Gulf War'--we didn't expect a second). Britain typically choses rather less 'on the nose' operation names than our friends in the US--Desert Storm, not exactly subtle.
The USA seizes every opportunity to perpetuate it's own myth and propaganda. Overtly and overly aggressive names for military operations is just one of the means it employs. Similar to a 7 year old in a Batman T-shirt running around declaring 'I'm the greatest'. It's amazing how much the US operation names reveal repressed paranoia and insecurity.
Well you're almost right. It isn't actually Picard, but a doppleganger of Picard who sings Heart of Oak in Ten Forward during the TNG episode 'Allegiance' :-)
The "Heart of Oak" song was first played publicly on New Year's Eve of 1760. The heart of the Engish Oak tree is the strongest part of the tree. Hence, "Hearts of oak are our men". The song reflects several victories won in the previous year 1759
I remember being in the US with a Union Jack with my NFL teams’s logo on, which I let touch the floor at one point and some Americans nearby were a little shocked and pointed out it was touching the floor (they were trying to be nice though). We don’t have nearly the same culture around the flag as the US, that culture is pretty unique to the US (and probably other newer nations). The reason the flag and anthem became so prominent in American culture is because, certainly early on, there was no shared history - or the shared British history there was they wanted to distance themselves from - so the symbols of state become super elevated in importance because they are shared representations of the nation
honour guards in Britain always use the latest kit, but the expensive sights are covered, the bayonets are an addition put on as they are part of a regiments honours . the word is borrowed. respect to you for remembering your frends.
Yes, the "ceremonial soldiers" at the State Opening of Parliament carried modern weapons precisely to underline the point that they are NOT ceremonial soldiers. They are real soldiers performing ceremonial duties.
We, in the UK, have a long history and a long memory. Some of our history has been either obscured or left out from what's taught, but we know what we've done and what we've upheld for so long. Our past consists of darkness, yes, but it also yielded a bright light for us, as well as the Commonwealth. We have our faults, but we fought so heavily for what we have now - for the democracy that the rest of the Western world follows. We planted a seed, and that seed grew. Some may perceive our system as archaic, but our presence is undeniable. Our Queen Elizabeth II was instrumental in so many peaceful negotiations - by just being there! Our Royal family, as archaic as you may believe, is still a powerful symbol of UK unity and what we stand for. Nationally, we are an underdog story - many invaded and overpowered us, but we regained our land eventually. During such invasions, we were able to establish Common Law, and fought to abolish global slavery decades before the US did anything about it. Yes, I'm proud of my heritage. We're not perfect, but we've done damn well. Especially for a small island country.
The flag touching the floor is an interesting thing. As a rule, much like your flag, ours should never touch the floor, but like all good rules, there are exceptions. The big exception is the presence of Royalty. Everything of us, is below Royality, and so even the flag is below their position in our society/culture. So the exception is that it can be laid in their pressence. Even then (in their presence) it really only ever gots dipped all the way to the floor for our acts of remembrance.
We touch the floor with our flags all the time. As does practically every other country in the world. It's simply how most of the world performs a salute with a flag. The custom that a flag should never touch the floor is entirely unique and exclusive to the USA.
@@andywilliams7323 That is written into the Australian Flag Act - the exception being before the monarch. If you watch an Australian Army unit marching past in slow time, the Queen's colour is "dipped" as the eyes right is given , but the Regimental Colour remains erect. The Regimental Colour represent the history of the unit and all of its dead.
The RBL standard is dipped completely to the ground on two occasions:- 1. "As for an Act of Homage: Dip standard" 2."As for Royal Salute: Dip standard" A third comand: "As for wet and muddy: Dip standard" AVOIDS the need for the standard to touch the ground as the standard is dipped in such away that it avoids dirt etc.getting onto the standard.
@@glynjones3727 Totally correct. I was a Legion Standard Bearer up until the year 2000 and the only time the standard never touches the ground is during wet weather.
So interesting to see your responses and reactions! Desert storm is also the First Gulf War. 'Blue Yonder' is the international march of air forces everywhere! Normally our flag does not touch the ground - at the Drum Altar they are the 'standards' or different branches of the services so each flag or standard belongs to a regiment or branch of a military service and goes with the regimental drum - each year different regiments or branches are represented in the drum altar. On active service, in the past, going back hundreds of years, a drum would be used to call everyone to Sunday church parade or to prayers before battle and the drum would be the altar - these days it may well be an ammunition box - and church parade would be called by bugle call over the sound system. Most of our traditions go back centuries in their origins and we use them on occasions like Remembrance Sunday to remember all who have served - including civilians like the Land Army, the nursing services, those who, hidden away, decrypted and deciphered enemy messages. I am glad you watched this year's festival, it was special. Unfortunately her Majesty could not attend as she usually does, as she had been ordered to rest, so she was represented by Prince Charles, but normally as many members of the Royal family as possible attend. Hope this enlightens you a little - our national service if remembrance is very important to us. I had great-great uncles served in WW1 and both my parents served in WWII - my Dad for almost 6 years without home leave, first in North Africa and then Italy, often with Americans. My Mum was a spotter on an anti-aircraft gun. Me, I served in the Women's Royal Air Force during the Cold War in the 1960s.
Many thanks for this. It was an excellent choice of excerpts from the festival and great to get a deeply considered and favourable reaction to it from across the pond!
Been watching you for a while. So now following you. Love the way you want to learn. Finding about what makes us tick . Thank you and respect from the UK Phil
The Royal Hospital Chelsea took its name in a far away time when a "hospital" was more of a place where the poor and homeless were cared for than a place to heal the sick. It's a residence for retired veterans. I myself lived in Chelsea as a kid (and I'm 63 now) and you often saw the residents, called "Chelsea Pensioners", walking the streets in their blue uniforms, sometimes red, I think the colour depends on the season or the occasion. I suppose by then (1970 or so) a great many or all of them were WW2 veterans or even WW1.
My Grandfather served the full length of WW1 and having been gassed in the trenches in 1916 he died aged 29 in 1919 when my father was 4. So the whole weekend of tributes is always very emotional for me.
based on being a naval infantry unit under the command of the navy. but the us marine is similar to an army infantry unit and more of a general soldier. the royal marines are commandos a much more specialised unit. much more in line with the US SEALS
@@patryan1375 the royal marine motto is per mare, per terram, translates as by sea, by land us marine motto is semper fidelis, translates as always faithful
This would have been a good time to visit London this weekend. Saturday was the Lord Mayors Parade (remember the pantomime of Dick Whittington - he was the Lord Mayor of London). Saturday evening is the Festival of Remembrance in the Albert Hall, Sunday morning is the remembrance parade at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. While the Houses of Parliament are being refurbished Big Ben, the bell in the Elizabeth Tower is now rung only twice a year until refurbishments are finished. i.e. Remembrance Sunday and at midnight on New Years Eve.
Miss Scarlett is an abandoned rescue dog if I remember correctly, so probably needs a bit of contact every so often as reassurance she was fine but could have done with not stopping at The Last Post. But also no big problem.
RIP HM Queen Elizabeth II ,Thank you very much ma'am for your devoted and unwavering service of 70 years to the UK,Canada,Australia,New zealand , other realms , territories and the crown dependencies and of course the wider family of the commonwealth of nations .Your glorious memories will always be remembered with undiluted pleasure ,as we usher into our new and glorious Carolean era under the reign of His Majesty King Charles III. God save the King, Long may he reign!
So on the Last Post (Taps), the original version is the Dutch Taptoe (close taps), which signalled the end of the day for the troops when the beer taps had to be closed. It was introduced under Prince Maurits of Orange Nassau, stadholder and military commander of the States Army and one of the biggest military strategists and tactical innovators at the time. The English picked it up from the Dutch and changed it slightly to become The Last Post. The Americans later did the same to make your Taps (so in short, both Last Post and Taps are variations on the Dutch Taptoe) If you can, watch the Dutch remembrance service held on 4th of May every year.
I have caught a few of your video's these past few days. And I must say I am greatly impressed with the care and thoughtfulness you put into each. If you get a moment please take a look at "The Blues And Royals"
Nice to hear your views on our Rememberance Day commemorations. Its a very big occassion in the UK. We have the greatest respect for our friends in the US too.
This is the worst time of the year for me . The only time I shed tears! Thank you for honouring our past and present! Day's after I did not expect to cry myself to sleep for my colleagues and old family but thank you and thank you again.
Hello SoGal and Roger. Well done for showing you were understanding this whilst visibly moved, which I reckon Scarlett picked up on. The armed forces are Her Majesty's and regiments often have royals as their head for ceremonial purposes. In more modern times other charities have sprung up that aim to be more focused on the veterans' needs and less about traditional ways and deference to dignitaries, which you sort of picked up on, though I have seen American films that suggested this is not just a British thing. The format has modernised a bit, from when I watched as a kid, in an effort to stay relevant. I used to love watching the Chelsea Pensioners who seemed to embody the history of this. They are from "that hospital" and there must be videos out there about them too. My dad would point out how smart the Navy were (senior service you know). P.S. US uniforms generally seemed to follow UK, but Civil War era are noticeably French style after the Crimea, even copying Zouaves. The "could do better" for the British in comparison at that time led to military reform, such that they were much more professional by WW1 having learned also from the Boer Wars. 💂💂💂💂💂💂💂💂💂💂💂 🐕👱☺🗽
You questioned the date and time chosen to end the First World War. The war didn't end at that time, it was an agreed time to end hostilities. The war conrinued "on paper" until reparations etc.. were concluded. You're not alone in this belief.
@@clayhead12000 I have some notes on UK personnel that were retained after 1918 for certain mop ups, others in 1918 were transferred to reserved, paid up 4 weeks pay and sent home, some soliders had signed up for 7 years pre 1914 and they stayed on until 1922. In 1921 the british either made - or brought about the destruction of the middle east - mostly in the creation of palestine and the ill treatment of certain local people , not the best of times for british policy
Not quite. The operation was called Granby for British Forces. It may seem pedantic but it one of those little things to get right. I know the media referred to both names.
Our official ceremony for Rememberance day (held at the national war memorial in the capital Ottawa), is also quite the moving tribute to our service men and women who have served our country valiently, and has many unique aspects to it that stem from our british heritage. Here is the link in case you ever wanted to check it out in your off time (this is this years commemorations). th-cam.com/video/khfpq0kkBS0/w-d-xo.html
The Prime Minister and his colleagues are ministers of the Crown, so how could she not be head of the government? They hold office only after appointment by her.
@@littleblacksambo8447 you are correct. I was simply reflecting in the case of this video and the festival of remembrance that it’s the Queen who is head of state and not her ministers. But she isn’t exactly the head of the government just head of state. The prime minister is the head of government.
Loved your reaction to this ,Sarah. The Tower of London poppy display has now been permanently moved to Orkney at the opposite end of the nation. I think you are discovering that the best of the US is not all that different to the best of the UK.
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No more Great War???
Thank you for putting the complete video on your patreon channel SoGal ... it was an absolute pleasure watching with you, thanks also for sharing some of your personal thoughts & experiences ... you excelled yourself again ... & yeah, we're pretty much the best at this type of event ! 😊 ... always fun to see Scarlett making an appearance 🐕😀
The Queen has had some medical problems the last few weeks, and just before the remembrance event she sprained her back so for the first time ever during her reign has not attended the event.
Thank you for doing a video on this. This is one festival that goes to the hearts of the British people. Our Armed Forces are thought a lot of in the UK and this is the ultimate respect and thanks to our forces.
"What Does It Take To Earn The British Medal Of Honor? | Victoria Cross" - if it interests You find with that headline (awardet 150 yrs, granted to 1 350 person, the military rank does not affect).
Chilly (+4C°) greetings from Finland 🐼
Lowering the colours to the ground is a salute. Normally only given to Royalty, but here the war dead are being acknowledged with the most solemn of salutes.
Thank you Respect
Always did it on last post so what you on about
@@shantaylor3686 are you talking to me Shmuck. Respect
@@shantaylor3686 they do it at last post and sunset
@@WessexMan Not once but twice Once is a mistake twice is reckless
As a UK veteran can I say, Thank you for showing genuine interest and respect for this, and the other videos on this subject.
Not to forget your acknowledgement of when your youth and knowledge isn't as good as our Brit's is.
Thank u for ur service 🇬🇧🇬🇧
We salute you, sir 🙏
And as a UK citizen I say to your sir... thank you very much for your service, people like you are why people like me can live in freedom 💯💯
Same for me
This has made me weep like a big baby. To think what those young men gave up all so that we could write insults to each other on Twitter, from our pampered warm, safe, comfortable, bedrooms, drinking our cups of tea. We truly have never had to do the things that they did, and we have never felt the way they felt. We are only here today because of them. We have to actively hunt for things to be unhappy about and sort through words to find an enemy. God bless them all.
How do you know they would have liked this?
@@johnbircham4984 At what point in this persons comm.. did he say “ they would like it” ..I suggest you read it properly.. then shut it... 👍
Well said Sir.
@@Ionabrodie69 Thanks for pointing that out. I did read that fellow's remark, but I didn't quite understand if he meant that we don't know if they'd like this way of being remembered this way, or if we don't know if they'd like our modern world. Either way, the entire point is that we can never know, because they died for us. Thanks again.
@@PerryCJamesUK 👍
I just wanted to add that people buy the poppies to wear every year. Some of the money raised by the British Legion is spent on helping veterans. My husband is a veteran 1968-1988. He became seriously ill in 2002 and was unable to walk far. The British Legion gifted him a mobility scooter, it changed his life. They maintain it yearly for him as well .Without this he would be housebound. We are immensely grateful to the RBL.
I'm so glad the Legion helped you out. But technically, nobody ''buys'' a Poppy. They make a donation. I am a 'Collector for the Poppy Appeal'' and I like to make that point. I really feel awkward when members of the public ask me 'how much is....''. I always reply 'It's a donation'. I know TRBL gets a lot of bad press/comments about not spending enough on veterans or spending funds in the 'wrong' areas, but the Branches around the country do a lot of things not reported in the press. Your husband is a prime example. He and thousands of others lives are made just a little bit better with the contributions the public (and some corporate donations) make every year. I thank each and every one of you.
We don't "buy" them..it's actually a donation
In NZ we have a Poppy Day as well, but it is around Anzac day, not Armistice Day, and is shared with our Aussie brothers over the ditch. Local Returned Services Associations collect for this and all money collected must go exclusively to to veteran support and assistance locally, this is carefully monitored and audited to keep the money flowing to where it is intended, not used on administration or other projects.
My Nan used to work at the Poppy Factory in Richmond (where every single poppy is manufactured!) ❤🙏🏻
@@unbearifiedbear1885 Good to hear, in NZ the poppies are locally accessed and differ from the UK poppies in that they do not have a leaf attached. All good for a great cause.
November 11, 1911, 11:11am and November 11, 2021, 11:11am.
As a U S veteran I too pay my prayers, honor and respect to my Commonwealth Brothers and Sisters and their families who lost a brother, sister, father or mother, son or daughter to the horrors of war. Again as I watched, I remember the “Fallen and Unreturned; Known But Only to God” and their families as well and can only wish them comfort, consolation, prayers, honor and respect in the memories of their loved one.
On this same day and same hour we commemorate Veteran’s Day honoring all Americans who answered the call and donned the uniforms of the United States of America. We commemorate our war dead of all wars on May 30, Memorial Day. We share many military traditions; honors, ceremonies, evolution of uniforms, etc. Our variations can be accounted for in divergence born of differing histories.
God Bless the United States of America and her Allies and God Save the Queen.
👍 well said (from the UK)
As a Royal Air Force Veteran, thank you for your service and your kind words for the Fallen from both sides of the pond. Thank you.
My father flew spitfires in the battle of Britain then transferred to bomber command and flew Lancaster bombers. I put my cross of remembrance in the grounds of Westminster Abbey every year amongst all the other thousands of crosses. I also leave one to commemorate my mother's cousin who was killed at dieppe fighting with the royal marine commandos. He was one of four brothers, all of whom were killed, so he has no-one to remember him but me.
Everyone who goes to war deserves respect.
I hope that you and yours are well.
And because of the season that I am commenting. Merry Christmas and a good New Year.
@@ianmarsden1130 from your lips to God's ear. I pray that this latest variant will be less deadly and that people will wake up and get jabbed.
The fact that you were moved by the cermony shows that the many videos you've watched and research you've undertaken, has brought you to a point that you're really beginning to appreciate and 'get under the skin' of what makes us in Britain 'tick'. Congratulations, and its great to see how meaningful it was to you too. Thank you for your respect and joining us in Remembrance.
a couple of years ago my sister in law and I were invited to be part of Bereaved Families group..14 of us.
We were invited to London for 2 days for rehearsals at the Hall, and on arrival were told that the whole affair was for US, and that anything we wanted would be there for us. It was amazing. We walked up and down those sr
yair's multiple times, and I can say that I have never been so proud of my husband, or so terrified at having to cross the huge hall. Coming very slowly down the stairs, closely surrounded by thousands of sympathetic and smiling faces, all wishing us well, was the most emotional thing I have ever done. at the end , the Chelsea Pensioners who were seated just below us when we finished our part, turned around and shook our hands..I had even a kiss from one.
A truly inspiring event to take part in. Our families were astonished to see us take part, as they had assumed that were just part of the audience. A lance in a lifetime event,
Right! A LOT to tell you! YES, US forces copied UK uniforms. That Royal Marines uniform is called No 1s. Best dress. Also called Blues. Although, only really bands men wear the pith helmet. The rest of us wore a white peaked cap.
Your Desert Storm, was Operation Granby. I was in that. America would allow British to be in charge (even though General Sir Peter De La Billiere, was actually a long term member of the SAS, and a proven history in battle - Gun of a Mirbat, so, Norman Shwarzkoppf was made from a 3 star General, to a 4 star to head it up).
Old Glory can't touch the ground, BUT, for us, it symbolises respect for the fallen as they fell FOR our country, so the colours fall for them.
Nobody does pomp & ceremony like the British!
Also. Check out The Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo.
"Nobody does pomp & ceremony like the British! "
Indeed - but I could EASILY do without the woke/celeb bit. This ain't the bloody Brit Awards, after all !
No reason to stop there JM... keep it coming..... Seriously that's some interesting... stuff... (didn't want to swear in front of the kids). People like me (arm chair politicians, generals) need to be told. You can do that. Open up, all barrels.
Navy and Marines Salute with the palm down because their hands were covered in tar and that could offend the King.
@@mikecollins8936 See - little details like that... that's where people like me get our rocks going. Us civvies we just drift from day to day.... oblivious to what holds our nation up. little details like why you salute a certain way really should be taught in school. And Mike you really can keep these nuggets coming all day every day - I will not grow tired of them. Massive respect for anyone in the military in any capacity. I tried but.. Scoliosis, Asthma - oh and a brain injury... so... my application didn't go so well ("Don't give the mouth breather a gun" or something like that....) And when I say "any capacity" I mean it. Cooks, mechanics, Admin, cleaners... if you're there, you're in danger. Respect to any and all involved. Personally I think politicians should be required to do a 2 year tour before they can talk about deploying troops.
@@marvinc9994 th-cam.com/video/Vvgl_2JRIUs/w-d-xo.html
Leftpondicans call it the graduation song.
All members of the Commonwealth militaries swear allegiance to the Queen (I'm Canadian). And, yes, you guys have stolen a lot of British traditions (songs, uniforms and the like).
Commonwealth Realms only , probably
They didn’t stole the traditions, they had them because they are all 4th or 5th generation of European immigrants!
There are no Americans! All these crazy patriots that they are screaming Americaaaa and they have 683 flags in their houses, they have British, Irish, German, Italian, Hellenic ancestry!
In Canada they are mostly from France and in the South America from Spain and Portugal.
The natives Americans were like ☠️☠️ after the Spanish invasions!
They left a few of them in some states!
I had my tongue firmly in my cheek when I said that!!
Well said and thank you 🇬🇧
Not all...in Malaysia an oath is made to the Agong, whilst in Brunei it's made to the Sultan...and Tonga and oath is made to their own King.
I served in Op Granby and yes, Op Desert Storm was the American name for it. Remembrance day is a very big deal for me and all UK veterans.
@AceRimmer09 thank u for ur service
Without looking it up the first Gulf war (Desert Storm) was to kick Iraq out of Kuwait. The 2nd Gulf War In late 99's was launched from Kuwait to get rid of Saddam Hussein.
"Americans" are all people who live in the American continent, not just in the United States.
thank you for your service.
The Queen is the Commander in Chief of all our forces.
Also, the Queen is Head of the Church of England, which is why there's a bit more religion and fancy clerical dress on display here than in similar American functions. Although Americans can be very religious, sometimes irritatingly so, their Constitution actually explicitly excludes any state-sanctioned religious bias, and rightly so in my opinion.
My observation, as a New Zealander who spent many years living in Britain, is that British people are more religious -and perhaps closer followers of Jesus' actual teachings? - than outsiders might imagine. They just don't make as much of a fuss about it as some.
Not the Army, they are the RN, RM, RAF but the British Army, they aren't a Royal force
Her Majesty is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, which includes the Army. You are right that there is no Royal in front of the British Army, but there are a number of Regiments, and Corps, that have the Royal prefix. Every serviceman, and woman, swears allegiance to the Crown, you don't get much Royal then that.
Canada's too!
Did three postings to BATUS during my service. Also did exercises with American Army and Marines. Nothing against the yanks, but I preferred the Canadians. America seems powerful, and indeed it is. But that power relies on technology to much for my liking. What happens when that technology is hacked, or gets corrupted? They say it can't happen, but they also said the Titanic couldn't sink. Overwhelming firepower is not always enough, as Vietnam and Afghanistan should have taught them. The Gulf wars were relatively easy for them, as that's what their military are trained for. Conventional warfare against a conventional enemy. I'm certainly not anti American, and maybe it's just a cultural thing, but I too wonder why they are so vocal in declaring their patriotism. I also ask myself, just what has America done to be so proud?
Hi, very patriotic and respectful of you. The drums are set out to make a Field Altar for a church service, it’s called a “Drum Head Service”, if my memory is correct.
@SoGal you mentioned hearing Heart of Oak through Star Trek TNG, there's also an episode called "The Drumhead" which is a reference to this (albeit in the sense of a drumhead court, a military legal court-martial, rather than a church service).
Thank u so much for wearing your poppy too. Really means a lot. Xx😁💕
The 'Navy Song' is called Heart of Oak and is one of the most beautiful military marches in the world
Excuse me, That's the ROYAL NAVY!
@@johnsanders2266 I used 'Navy Song' as that is what SoGal used but yes Royal Navy indeed
My now 88 year old father, served in the fleet air arm during the 50’s (Suez and other places). He still sings Heart of Oak. Wonderful song.
Hearts of Oak should be our national anthem and sung with its original words and not the modern woke/pc update so as not to upset the French
The song was written when wooden ships were made out of oak.
I was walking through a town in Yorkshire on 11th of November then all the church bells started ringing and everyone stopped moving, we all paused for at least one minute until the bells stopped chiming in Remembrance of of our fallen soldiers, if you're out and about on the 11th of November at lunchtime expect it to happen in the UK
RESPECT
@@lesleymcshanemitchell9651 I have been in London at Trafalgar Square for a service on the 11th before and everyone froze, it was slightly amusing to see all the tourists who had no clue what was happening. People who were attending the open air service froze obviously but everyone for streets around froze. now I live outside the UK and I still take a trip to the embassy every year just to buy poppies and wear them.
with regard to the drums i do not know if someone else has put it here for you, but, The Drumhead Service originated in the 1700's when soldiers about to go into battle required a place for reflection and remembrance of their fallen comrades in the face of difficult times ahead. A Drumhead Service is a church service conducted “in the field” during armed conflict. The drums were the focus in combat and also provided a flat place to work as an altar that can be moved with you. So a service can be held anywhere.
@@danielwarren7110 Yes it still matters Lest we forget. Some gave All
I was working last year was in the middle of helping a customer and just before I said that I was going to pause to pay my respect to those who died so we could have our today. They where very understanding they came from Australia and the three of us stood in silence for the minute. I said thank you and carried on helping them
When I worked at a call centre we were told if anyone stopped working at 11am we would be sanctioned. I was fuming but there was not much I could do as I needed my job
Each falling poppy petal is one life.
Thank you for taking an interest in our celebrations 👍🙏
Happy you enjoyed that look at UK traditions,the poetry was wonderfully written and said and the poppy drop is very touching,one poppy for every soldier who died
Thank you so much for your respect and wanting to learn about how we mark Remembrance Day and all the traditions and events which take place to honour our veterans and those who lost their lives. I enjoy your enthusiasm, interest, asking questions, fact checking and willingness to educate yourself and others. It is a pleasure to see.
Just wanted to say thank you for doing this. All the other US reactors I follow were content to do a quick video about the significance of the Poppy and then move on. The thoroughness, thoughtfulness and respect you have brought to our Remembrance Ceremonies sets you above the others and reminds me why you're the only one I'm prepared to pay money to.
The falling Poppies were very significant to my mother. Every year she used to remind my brother and I that one of those Poppies was for her father, who died in WWII, when she was only 13 and my aunt, 11.
We British do not generally display our patriotism on our sleeves. However, it is on occasions like Remembrance Day that our patriotism is on show for all to see.
For many countries, including the US, the flag is the focal.point for the loyalty of the people to their country. For us, our focal point is The Queen
Very well put, I hope our focal point is doing ok.
Exactly I have always thought , when other countries disparage us for still having a Royal Family , at least we have allegiance to our Queen rather than a piece of material on a pole !
Well put.
Hear that gusto when they cheer Her Majesty. It's raw as hell. They absolutely love her and this Country. You do not want to mess with them.
Only the USA and other equally insecure and paranoid nations feel need to so loudly proclaim their patriotism - ie to wear their jingoistic attitudes on their sleeve.
Unfortunately, as a result of creeping US cultural colonisation, Australians under 30 are more and more following suit.
@@trueaussie9230 Agreed 100% - plus! For a country that has never won a war on its own (without allies), never been attacked or invaded, stole the bulk of its heritage, military traditions and English Language from the UK, and tries to tell us how we should do everything, one has to wonder their level of competency and intelligence when it comes to electing a President. It's a society where the Dollar is king and everything else is an add-on.
Their reverence to the flag is something else; it's not just fluttering over their governmental buildings, it flies over their schools, their houses, their front doors, their cars, their lapels - wherever there's a space to place it. Paranoid is the best word to describe their national identity - no other country is so afraid of outsiders than "The greatest country in the world" - (their words, not mine or anyone else's). In the words of one of their favourite heroes - Donald Duck - "Phooey!"
Just to let you know at this special time. Jonnie Johnson MBE. The worlds last surviving Dambuster 617 Squadron will be 100 years old on the 25th November 2021 - 10 days time . He lives near Bristol UK An English Hero in every sense of the word !!
I really don't mean this in a rude or disrespectful way, but try and get your comments right, because Jonnie Johnson MBE didn't join the English Airforce, or the English armed forces. Our armed forces do not belong to the English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or anyone else - they are maned by BRITISH or BRITISH COMMONWEALTH citizens, or by people who believe in our values. Please try and remember that forgetting this is disrespectful to all those service personnel and civilians who have served the crown, and in so many cases paid the ultimate sacrifice.
@@gordonhull7342
Ray E didn't say that Jonnie joined any English formation. He said that he was an Englishman. Would you have been offended if he'd called David Stirling a Scot?
The drums were used to form a makeshift altar for church services in the field. All regiments have drums, most have colours (flags - infantry) or Guidons (Cavalry). The Colours of the Royal Artillery are their guns.
I understand they were also used for Drumhead Courts Martial.
@@wasp6594 Drumhead services and courtsmartial.
The queen had a hospital stay about a month ago and advised to take it easy. This is the night before Rememberance Sunday which was meant to be her first event back but she had a back sprain.
The guys in red coats are Chelsea Pensioners. The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home for ex soldiers with at least 12 years service but culturally the Chelsea Pensioners are very distinctive as the wear their uniforms publicly in every day life and have come to represent veterans generally.
I believe they give up their service pension to live and be cared for in the home. It's a good deal if you find yourself in need of it later in life.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea was founded by Charles II and the uniforms are of the time. It now has Female ex soldiers amongst its residents who wear the same uniform.
@@Penfold101 that is correct
A good few years ago I was in the Guard of Honour for The Remembrance Service at our local town hall, and I must admit when the Last Post plays I wept, as did everyone else, and to this day if I hear it my eyes begin to fill up with tears, I'm 67yrs old 6ft 4ins and weigh 19 st, but i dont care who sees me !!
Thank you for taking the trouble to watch the full version and for taking such an interest in British culture in general .
Scarlet is priceless, never appologise for her wanting a hug, just hug. We remember not just the wars of the last century, there are ellements that mark previous wars and centuries. Around the UK can be found guns from the Crimea, and South Africa. Flags from regiments and battles of our distant past.
Yes and lots of captured Napoleonic war cannon here on the Suffolk Coast of the UK.
Thank you so much for making the full video available on patreon for free , huge respect to you from all British veterans for doing so.
They are her majesty's forces, not the primeministers, which is why they salute, cheer etc. The tune you mentioned from captain Pickard was heart of oak which is the song for the royal navy, it's sang in the film master and commander. Other tunes are other regiments in the army, I heard the grenadiers tune in there. It's quite significant that the Queen wasn't at the cenotaph in the morning or at this event. I felt for Charles when he stood in front of the cemotaph as the head of the family, the 1st one without Philip and the Queen not there due to her health.
Yes, the RN entered the arena to their quick march, Hearts of Oak, the Army to the tune, The British Grenadiers, and the RAF to their quick march, Ad Astra.
It's the politicians who send them to war.
@@barry5356 na really!
@@barry5356 PM still needs to ask the Queens permission to use her MIlitary.
@@rokhnroll Yes , but it’s not like the Queen can stop the PM . The PM will explain to the Queen why and she will give her advice but it’s just protocol.
Never be afraid to shed a tear, whether American or Allied forces who fought and died in service of their country would never have wanted anything less than heartfelt thanks thats been shown today.
Thank you for doing this video. Its exceedingly important to our Country. We are just a bit quieter than Americans about these things.
"Americans" are all people who live in the American continent, not just in the United States.
Having taken part in this, 18 years ago, I have a few secrets to reveal...
The Festival brings together different musical ensembles and soloists each year. There is a Friday evening rehearsal, repeated on the Saturday morning to iron out any timing issues and drill the participating armed personnel. The three cheers for Her Majesty and the replacing of headdress is meticulously rehearsed, not least because those bearskins are not easy to manipulate at speed!
Then the Festival is performed twice! There is an afternoon run-through, with a body double of the Queen in the Royal Box; this is filmed and recorded, then the hall is reset for the evening performance, at which the real Queen is present. This is broadcast live, though they use the recording of the earlier performance as back-up in case of technical problems.
The poppies that fall from the ceiling are actually red twists of paper. I still have a few of them in the Order of Service from 2003, caught where they fell onto the open pages. It was a particularly emotionally charged occasion that year, as it was the first year in which veterans, families and the fallen of Iraq and Afghanistan were included.
I took part in 1982 and also have some of the crepe paper petals. It was a wonderful experience. Raymond Baxter did the commentary way back then. As it was the year of the Falklands war, it was particularly moving.
Actually it isn't shown live anymore. It starts at 7pm but goes out on the BBC at 9pm. There's more at the start and more at the end than you see on the Tv edit.
Thank you to all that have given their lives and those families that sacrificed for all to be free and in a democracy God bless all commonwealth and American soldiers
"Americans" are all people who live in the American continent, not just in the United States.
@@Revolución_Socialista firstly America is two continents south and north
Second Brazil, Bolivia and Colombia all joined in ww2 on the side of the allied forces.
So do you want to tell me where I was wrong for saying Americans?
And clearly as it states In your name you don’t even class yourself as American your Latin American hypocrite
Hey so Gal,,,,,, always a joy to behold you're posts, approached in a very professional manner.
You go the extra mile to check the facts.
Thank you.
The flag touching the ground is to symbolise total respect from the country to the guys that gave the ultimate sacrifice & died for the flag.
when ever I hear "For the Fallen" by Lawrence Binyon and the Last Post starts playing, I can't help but break out in tears.
Me to When I was a girl in 1946 At are Cenotaph was a Sea of Ladies all in Black The Sobbing and crying made a life impact on me. No Freedom can come to pass without our brave Fighting People. Willing to give there lives for a Cause. Lest we forget
When I was in the NZ Army our company always did the dawn service in a little town called Taihape. It would still be dark. Hearing the poem then the Last Post in the dark was hauntingly beautiful.
@@suzannekirkwood6392 Yes it must have meant something special to you. Who put there life on the line for Queen and Country
Now you should have a look at the Rememberence Day Parade at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London.
G,day
In Australia we have the R S L
Returned Services League . Every night they have the Ode , every one stands, they stop eating, playing the pokies, and put their drinks down and end by saying Lest We Forget.
All the best Bluey
God bless you Australians...
Firstly, thank you for your reverence, much appreciated. I've watched many of your videos and you always give an knowledgeable and thoughtful commentary, long may that continue. The poem "They shall not grow old" is the RBL prayer.
It's from this: Not really an RBL prayer - it's out EXHORTATION used at the start of our "silence" . For the Fallen
BY LAURENCE BINYON
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
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.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
THE STORY OF THE EXHORTATION
The Exhortation is said on Remembrance Day right after the Last Post is played, and leads into the Two Minute Silence. The Exhortation is an extract from a poem written by Robert Laurence Binyon called "For the Fallen", written in mid-September 1914, just a few weeks after the outbreak of The War.
Early in The War, the British Expeditionary Force had suffered heavy casualties in its first encounter with the German Imperial Army at the Battle of Mons on 23rd August. The BEF also joined with the French Army in frustrating the German advance at the First Battle of the Marne between 5th and 9th September 1914, and heavy casualties were suffered there too.
The poem was first published in The Times newspaper on 21st September 1914.
The Exhortation
"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."
Response: "We will remember them."
The end of the Silence is marked by the Kohima Epitaph:
@@lindsaycarruthers1372 I can't dispute it's origin, but I can say it is widely used as the RBL prayer.
I'm a serving helio pilot in RAF, and Thank You for showing an interest in our memorialisation - American folk Quite Rightly are so vocal in their acknowledgement of your military and it's heartwarming to know that You guys are aware that we're invested in our serving and vets too. Incidentally, You are very Beautiful [someone edit that out].
Queen Elizabeth II is Head of the Armed Services, when joining the British Armed Forces a service member swears an Oath of Allegiance to the Queen and her successors, so it is entirely natural that they would wish to cheer her.
The only issue I have with the Festival of Remembrance these days are the ‘celebrities’, there are perfectly good singers the the Armed Services but they are overlooked as the BBC seeks to add some light entertainment froth to a serious event.
The Chelsea Pensioners reside at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, where they have accommodation, comradeship and the highest standards of care in recognition of their loyal service. Any former soldier of the British Army over the age of 65, who is facing spending their advanced years alone, can apply for residence as a Chelsea Pensioner.
Yes, I agree about the festival of Remembrance turing into a celebrity show.
Putting Gregory Porter with his daft hat out there shows disrespect for me but I expect nothing more from the BBC these days.
@@shoutinghorse Yeah what's the story with that Stupid hat!!
@@xwasp58 He wears it to hide surgical scars on his head.
While wearing a hat during a remembrance service is unusual, I tend to give a pass to those who are uncomfortable with revealing a disfigurement.
Some people are comfortable with revealing their scars (or at least feel comfortable enough that they can prioritise the traditional sign of respect) but I don't judge those who aren't comfortable. Being judgemental over someone's previous suffering seems to go against the idea of being respectful of past suffering.
@@zarabada6125 ok. But still looks stupid
All our troops swear allegiance to our Queen not our government...They are her troops
Not quite, the Royal Navy swears allegiance to the Admiralty. Surprised me.
@@GB-re7ty nope. RN never swore an oath to anyone at all but I believe new entries now do so since the latest Armed Forces Act. I have never had to swear an oath of allegiance. My mother didn't even come under the Naval Discipline Act when she served though I did in my time.
The King/Queen historically represented God, in modern terms God = The people, you are swearing an allegiance to the people under the Queen.
People always seem to forget that the person who formed the Royal British Legion and started the whole poppy tradition in the UK was Earl Douglas Haig (yes that Haig). Clueless amateur historians slam him for his conduct in the war but ignore that he made huge efforts to assist ex-servicemen. When I was a kid the poppies we bought every year always had "Haig Fund" printed in the middle of them.
Have attended a couple of these moving Festival of Remembrances so well organised by the Royal British Legion.Also worth viewing the Sunday ceremony from the Cenotaph,London which i have also attended with my late father who took part in the veterans march past and treasured the memory greatly.
Thanks from the UK..never forget
All service personnel swear allegiance to the Queen. I can’t begin to imagine the burden of emotion it must place on her to know that people die in battle in her name.
and Police swear to uphold the law and 'to well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady, the Queen'. Or did when I was attested. I was proud of that and found it emotional. Those words and to 'befriend the citizen' - I took it seriously. it was my duty ad I am suire the armed services feel the same. then, i came across Prince Andrew when I was on duty one day. what a boorish individual he is.
@@mariahoulihan9483 Good thing he is a long way down the line of succession now
So very True. I joined the RCN at age 16, 50 years ago now and my Oath of Allegience to the Queen of Canada has never waivered.
Interestingly, the Royal Navy do not swear allegiance to the Queen. But it is taken as written by every man who serves. Remember all our ships are owned by Her Majesty. ships even those on dry land are HMS. Her Majesty's Ship. or HM Submarines.in which I served.
@@brianwithers162 and women! We serve too. I still remember changing my blue badges to gold as well as my rate title changing.
There's one thing we do well in this country and that's ceremony. We've had a lot of practice. Thanks for your reaction, great to see you learn.
The Chelsea Pensioners are extremely respected Army Veterans who are residents of The Royal Hospital Chelsea. It's like a residential home for older people but run on military lines keeping that sense of regimentation and camaraderie.
It is wonderful to see an American, not only wearing a poppy but understanding the huge significance it has for the UK and The Commonwealth. We are close, not only because of a shared language but because we support and honour many of the freedoms and benefits of living in democracies founded by the sacrifice and duty of our armed forces and civilians. I admire your genuine desire to learn more about our individual and shared customs & traditions. Yours sincerely.
Thank you for so much respect for our fallen troops and the solemnity we cherish of their memories 🇬🇧👍👏
"So many different thoughts and emotions running through this" And that's exactly the point. We cannot give these poor people any more than a few minutes of thought and regret.
As some else has said the monarch is the living symbol of the country
As a member of the Royal British Legion I thank you for taking the time to view this.
The dipping of standards is the worlds standard salute for flags, standards, colours and guidons
Most of the western Air Forces use similar looking uniforms. And most your uniforms take form after our own simply because your army formed under generals who served in the British Army before defecting to fight for independence.
Most US military songs are based off British tunes. Your national anthem shares the tune of an 17th century British Drinking song.
The Chelsea Pensioners are veterans who become in patients at the Royal Military Hospital Chelsea. (as in live in patients)
I would suggest watching more Festival of Remembrances, each year has a different focal point and are outstanding. However this year has been one of my favourites by far.
The Royal Navy march, Heart of Oak, dates from the Year of Victories against the French, 1759. Minden and Quebec on land and Lagos and Quiberon Bay at sea.
Ironic to be sung by a Frenchman (presumably) in Star Trek.
Thank you from a U.K. vet
The drums stacked up is a field alter, for services. If you want to get a feel for our commemoration of the Remembrance Sunday you should watch the service and March past at the Cenotaph. It was so nice to see it returned. There are people from the Commonwealth who attend, the music is good and the military band start with Rule Britania. Most villages have a war memorial. Local services are carried out.
London was full on Sunday afternoon, dont think all had been attending, but must have had an impact.
Really enjoyed watching that with you, thank you
Fun fact - the Band of the Royal Marines is also the Royal Navy's band, as they don't have their own (the Marines are a sub-branch of the Navy.) It's also the only way of being a Marine without completing the Commando course and earning the green beret (also worth watching a documentary on), so the first music piece had the bands of the Army, Navy and Air Force together.
Its really refreshing to view an American actually taking some time to learn about British culture.A vast amount of peop!e from the States seem quite ignorant and seem to think that the world begins and ends in the U.S.
the Queen was devastated not to be there she really wanted to but on docotors orders she couldn't she has so much respect for the forces
The drum alter you saw is a tradition going back for centuries that soldiers in the field, without recourse to their chapels or churches on Sunday, would lay their drums neatly, consecrate them by laying their standards on them, and use them as an altar. This tradition is honoured to this day in drum head services over the world.
Please don't apologise for Scarlett. She is clearly sensing your emotions, but doesn't understand what is making you upset, so she is trying her best to comfort you. If only we were all so lucky to have that in our lives.
Don't apologise for Scarlett's intervention! I was attending a Remembrance Ceremony this last Sunday when the CEO of the site introduced some Bomber Command Veterans who were able to attend; cue spontaneous applause, which - as the volume decreased - was rounded off by a VERY loud single 'WOOF' from a canine attendee! Perfectly timed to round things off! While we're on the subject check out the significance of the Purple Poppy.....
red poppy
to remember those in the military who died
purple poppy
to remember the animals that died
black poppy
to remember those who died of colour
white poppy
to remember those who died but wanting peace.
@@seansean9675 Minor expansion: The red poppy represents all those who lost their lives on active service in all conflicts; from the beginning of the First World War right up to present day. It also honours the contribution of civilian services and the uniformed services which contribute to national peace and security and acknowledges innocent civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism. (source: RBL website). It follows, therefore, that black and white poppies are sub-sets of the 'net' encapsulated by the red poppy.
I was there at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday afternoon (2021) absolutely amazing 👏 and emotional too.
There are 2 festivals of remembrance at the Albert Hall one in the afternoon and finally one in the evening, they are both recorded and then edited later to show the whole event on the TV on Saturday night+ the floor is white and there's a projector up in the roof shinning down
Hi, I'm glad you managed to watch this years festival. I think you'll probably have the same problem with the cenotaph service.The BBC are very protective of their copyright. Putting this one on Patreon so everyone can see it is very generous of you. I'm now going to watch the full version on Patreon and hopefully answer some of your questions about this.
Operation Granby was the first Gulf War (although, as someone who was in the RAF at the time, it was just 'the Gulf War'--we didn't expect a second). Britain typically choses rather less 'on the nose' operation names than our friends in the US--Desert Storm, not exactly subtle.
As a current serving RAF member, nothing has changed. We still pick out random words from the dictionary that mean nothing for our operations...
Enduring Freedom was particularly cringeworthy
The USA seizes every opportunity to perpetuate it's own myth and propaganda.
Overtly and overly aggressive names for military operations is just one of the means it employs.
Similar to a 7 year old in a Batman T-shirt running around declaring 'I'm the greatest'.
It's amazing how much the US operation names reveal repressed paranoia and insecurity.
Well you're almost right. It isn't actually Picard, but a doppleganger of Picard who sings Heart of Oak in Ten Forward during the TNG episode 'Allegiance' :-)
That was the giveaway, seeing as Picard's meant to be French, why would he be singing a British patriotic song? ;)
@@BlameThande Uh...because he was portrayed by an, uh, English actor, old chap? ;-)
The "Heart of Oak" song was first played publicly on New Year's Eve of 1760. The heart of the Engish Oak tree is the strongest part of the tree. Hence, "Hearts of oak are our men".
The song reflects several victories won in the previous year 1759
I remember being in the US with a Union Jack with my NFL teams’s logo on, which I let touch the floor at one point and some Americans nearby were a little shocked and pointed out it was touching the floor (they were trying to be nice though). We don’t have nearly the same culture around the flag as the US, that culture is pretty unique to the US (and probably other newer nations).
The reason the flag and anthem became so prominent in American culture is because, certainly early on, there was no shared history - or the shared British history there was they wanted to distance themselves from - so the symbols of state become super elevated in importance because they are shared representations of the nation
honour guards in Britain always use the latest kit, but the expensive sights are covered, the bayonets are an addition put on as they are part of a regiments honours
. the word is borrowed.
respect to you for remembering your frends.
Yes, the "ceremonial soldiers" at the State Opening of Parliament carried modern weapons precisely to underline the point that they are NOT ceremonial soldiers. They are real soldiers performing ceremonial duties.
We, in the UK, have a long history and a long memory. Some of our history has been either obscured or left out from what's taught, but we know what we've done and what we've upheld for so long. Our past consists of darkness, yes, but it also yielded a bright light for us, as well as the Commonwealth. We have our faults, but we fought so heavily for what we have now - for the democracy that the rest of the Western world follows. We planted a seed, and that seed grew. Some may perceive our system as archaic, but our presence is undeniable.
Our Queen Elizabeth II was instrumental in so many peaceful negotiations - by just being there! Our Royal family, as archaic as you may believe, is still a powerful symbol of UK unity and what we stand for. Nationally, we are an underdog story - many invaded and overpowered us, but we regained our land eventually. During such invasions, we were able to establish Common Law, and fought to abolish global slavery decades before the US did anything about it.
Yes, I'm proud of my heritage. We're not perfect, but we've done damn well. Especially for a small island country.
The flag touching the floor is an interesting thing.
As a rule, much like your flag, ours should never touch the floor, but like all good rules, there are exceptions. The big exception is the presence of Royalty. Everything of us, is below Royality, and so even the flag is below their position in our society/culture. So the exception is that it can be laid in their pressence. Even then (in their presence) it really only ever gots dipped all the way to the floor for our acts of remembrance.
It’s also a pardon to all those who dropped the flag when they died
We touch the floor with our flags all the time. As does practically every other country in the world. It's simply how most of the world performs a salute with a flag. The custom that a flag should never touch the floor is entirely unique and exclusive to the USA.
@@andywilliams7323 That is written into the Australian Flag Act - the exception being before the monarch. If you watch an Australian Army unit marching past in slow time, the Queen's colour is "dipped" as the eyes right is given , but the Regimental Colour remains erect. The Regimental Colour represent the history of the unit and all of its dead.
The RBL standard is dipped completely to the ground on two occasions:-
1. "As for an Act of Homage: Dip standard"
2."As for Royal Salute: Dip standard"
A third comand: "As for wet and muddy: Dip standard" AVOIDS the need for the standard to touch the ground as the standard is dipped in such away that it avoids dirt etc.getting onto the standard.
@@glynjones3727 Totally correct. I was a Legion Standard Bearer up until the year 2000 and the only time the standard never touches the ground is during wet weather.
Try going back to the years before 2021, you will find a big difference in the way it was performed.
So interesting to see your responses and reactions! Desert storm is also the First Gulf War. 'Blue Yonder' is the international march of air forces everywhere! Normally our flag does not touch the ground - at the Drum Altar they are the 'standards' or different branches of the services so each flag or standard belongs to a regiment or branch of a military service and goes with the regimental drum - each year different regiments or branches are represented in the drum altar. On active service, in the past, going back hundreds of years, a drum would be used to call everyone to Sunday church parade or to prayers before battle and the drum would be the altar - these days it may well be an ammunition box - and church parade would be called by bugle call over the sound system. Most of our traditions go back centuries in their origins and we use them on occasions like Remembrance Sunday to remember all who have served - including civilians like the Land Army, the nursing services, those who, hidden away, decrypted and deciphered enemy messages. I am glad you watched this year's festival, it was special. Unfortunately her Majesty could not attend as she usually does, as she had been ordered to rest, so she was represented by Prince Charles, but normally as many members of the Royal family as possible attend. Hope this enlightens you a little - our national service if remembrance is very important to us. I had great-great uncles served in WW1 and both my parents served in WWII - my Dad for almost 6 years without home leave, first in North Africa and then Italy, often with Americans. My Mum was a spotter on an anti-aircraft gun. Me, I served in the Women's Royal Air Force during the Cold War in the 1960s.
Many thanks for this. It was an excellent choice of excerpts from the festival and great to get a deeply considered and favourable reaction to it from across the pond!
The drum alter is made for the church service in the battle field in the old days and continued in drum heads services only allow in remembrance
Altar*
Been watching you for a while. So now following you. Love the way you want to learn. Finding about what makes us tick . Thank you and respect from the UK
Phil
The Royal Hospital Chelsea took its name in a far away time when a "hospital" was more of a place where the poor and homeless were cared for than a place to heal the sick. It's a residence for retired veterans. I myself lived in Chelsea as a kid (and I'm 63 now) and you often saw the residents, called "Chelsea Pensioners", walking the streets in their blue uniforms, sometimes red, I think the colour depends on the season or the occasion. I suppose by then (1970 or so) a great many or all of them were WW2 veterans or even WW1.
Have a cousin who is 'Pensioner' Blue coats are working or day dress their 'Scarlets' never called red are # 1uniform.
Rgank you for your Commentary and Conversation A lot of empathy in One so Young. Freedom isnt Free. Some gave ALL
Each one of those petals dropped from the ceiling represents an allied life lost in the first world war, the most emotional moment of the whole event
My Grandfather served the full length of WW1 and having been gassed in the trenches in 1916 he died aged 29 in 1919 when my father was 4.
So the whole weekend of tributes is always very emotional for me.
7:43 Yes the US Marine Corp was based of the British Royal Marines, though their current combat roles are very different.
based on being a naval infantry unit under the command of the navy. but the us marine is similar to an army infantry unit and more of a general soldier. the royal marines are commandos a much more specialised unit. much more in line with the US SEALS
You even have the same motto. In the UK it is saud in full SEMPER FIDELIS. In the US you just say Semper Fi.
@@patryan1375
the royal marine motto is
per mare, per terram, translates as by sea, by land
us marine motto is
semper fidelis, translates as always faithful
This would have been a good time to visit London this weekend. Saturday was the Lord Mayors Parade (remember the pantomime of Dick Whittington - he was the Lord Mayor of London). Saturday evening is the Festival of Remembrance in the Albert Hall, Sunday morning is the remembrance parade at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. While the Houses of Parliament are being refurbished Big Ben, the bell in the Elizabeth Tower is now rung only twice a year until refurbishments are finished. i.e. Remembrance Sunday and at midnight on New Years Eve.
Party, party, party.😊
Miss Scarlett is an abandoned rescue dog if I remember correctly, so probably needs a bit of contact every so often as reassurance she was fine but could have done with not stopping at The Last Post. But also no big problem.
RIP HM Queen Elizabeth II ,Thank you very much ma'am for your devoted and unwavering service of 70 years to the UK,Canada,Australia,New zealand , other realms , territories and the crown dependencies and of course the wider family of the commonwealth of nations .Your glorious memories will always be remembered with undiluted pleasure ,as we usher into our new and glorious Carolean era under the reign of His Majesty King Charles III.
God save the King,
Long may he reign!
Gulf War 1 was called Op Granby, Gulf War 2 was Op Herrick, Afghanistan was Op Telic.
You should look at some of the other ceremonies like the gun carriage run at the Royal Tournament or one of the Manning the Mast ceremonies.
Manning the mast is awesome.
@@lesjames5191 As was the field gun competition.
So on the Last Post (Taps), the original version is the Dutch Taptoe (close taps), which signalled the end of the day for the troops when the beer taps had to be closed. It was introduced under Prince Maurits of Orange Nassau, stadholder and military commander of the States Army and one of the biggest military strategists and tactical innovators at the time.
The English picked it up from the Dutch and changed it slightly to become The Last Post. The Americans later did the same to make your Taps (so in short, both Last Post and Taps are variations on the Dutch Taptoe)
If you can, watch the Dutch remembrance service held on 4th of May every year.
Fascinating, thank you.
I have caught a few of your video's these past few days. And I must say I am greatly impressed with the care and thoughtfulness you put into each. If you get a moment please take a look at "The Blues And Royals"
Nice to hear your views on our Rememberance Day commemorations. Its a very big occassion in the UK. We have the greatest respect for our friends in the US too.
Thank you it means a lot for you to take an interest!
This is the worst time of the year for me . The only time I shed tears! Thank you for honouring our past and present! Day's after I did not expect to cry myself to sleep for my colleagues and old family but thank you and thank you again.
Our Queen is like our mum, she holds us all together she is so special to so many people, thank you, 🇬🇧 and 🇺🇸 FOREVER.
Hell of a thing to think she's gone, in our lifetimes. Her Majesty felt as immovably and eternally British as the White Cliffs of Dover or Stonehenge.
Excellent review as always 👏. On the battle field drums were used as an alter for a priest.
Hello SoGal and Roger. Well done for showing you were understanding this whilst visibly moved, which I reckon Scarlett picked up on.
The armed forces are Her Majesty's and regiments often have royals as their head for ceremonial purposes.
In more modern times other charities have sprung up that aim to be more focused on the veterans' needs and less about traditional ways and deference to dignitaries, which you sort of picked up on, though I have seen American films that suggested this is not just a British thing.
The format has modernised a bit, from when I watched as a kid, in an effort to stay relevant. I used to love watching the Chelsea Pensioners who seemed to embody the history of this. They are from "that hospital" and there must be videos out there about them too.
My dad would point out how smart the Navy were (senior service you know).
P.S. US uniforms generally seemed to follow UK, but Civil War era are noticeably French style after the Crimea, even copying Zouaves. The "could do better" for the British in comparison at that time led to military reform, such that they were much more professional by WW1 having learned also from the Boer Wars.
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🐕👱☺🗽
You should read the poem In Flanders Field.
I had to do the announcement at work for the minute silence. It gets me every time i have to make it.
You questioned the date and time chosen to end the First World War.
The war didn't end at that time, it was an agreed time to end hostilities. The war conrinued "on paper" until reparations etc.. were concluded.
You're not alone in this belief.
You are quite correct, on paper the war didn't until 1919 when the treaty of Versailles was ratified.
@@clayhead12000 I have some notes on UK personnel that were retained after 1918 for certain mop ups, others in 1918 were transferred to reserved, paid up 4 weeks pay and sent home, some soliders had signed up for 7 years pre 1914 and they stayed on until 1922. In 1921 the british either made - or brought about the destruction of the middle east - mostly in the creation of palestine and the ill treatment of certain local people , not the best of times for british policy
Remember they’re remembering all Commonwealth, American and other allies. Desert Storm was what it was called here in the UK too.
Not quite. The operation was called Granby for British Forces. It may seem pedantic but it one of those little things to get right. I know the media referred to both names.
Our official ceremony for Rememberance day (held at the national war memorial in the capital Ottawa), is also quite the moving tribute to our service men and women who have served our country valiently, and has many unique aspects to it that stem from our british heritage. Here is the link in case you ever wanted to check it out in your off time (this is this years commemorations). th-cam.com/video/khfpq0kkBS0/w-d-xo.html
You have to remember the Queen is head of state and head of the army not the government.
The Prime Minister and his colleagues are ministers of the Crown, so how could she not be head of the government? They hold office only after appointment by her.
@@littleblacksambo8447 you are correct. I was simply reflecting in the case of this video and the festival of remembrance that it’s the Queen who is head of state and not her ministers. But she isn’t exactly the head of the government just head of state. The prime minister is the head of government.
All the military forces in the UK and Commonwealth
Loved your reaction to this ,Sarah.
The Tower of London poppy display has now been permanently moved to Orkney at the opposite end of the nation.
I think you are discovering that the best of the US is not all that different to the best of the UK.