大象传媒 - WW2 People's War - The Eleventh Hour.

The Eleventh Hour.

by Pamela7416-Friendly Welsh Dragon

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Contributed by听: Pamela7416-Friendly Welsh Dragon
Article ID:听: A1936848
Contributed on:听: 30 October 2003

This is a poem about a Remembrance Day ceremony. The war was over before I was born,but my parents were there and have their memories. So did my grandparents, who are no longer here. For our children, World War Two is only a history lesson. What do we tell them.

The Eleventh Hour.

One November morning,in the centre of the town,
A crowd stood by the statue in the square.
A small girl and her grandad, walking hand-in-hand,
Joined with those already waiting there.
The girl looked down in puzzlement at the statue's base.
She had seen it several times before,
But this time it was different, for rings of flowers lay
Spread out like a carpet on the floor.
The flowers were the same as the one on Grandad's coat.
He'd pinned it on before they left that day.
He'd told her it was special, but she hadn't understood.
At two years old, her thoughts were all of play.

The striking of the Town Hall clock, with chimes loud and clear
Gave out a signal to the waiting crowd.
The girl stood there in wonder as the chatter stopped,
Silence fell, and many heads were bowed
Remembering so many, lost in so many wars,
Wondering if they will ever cease ?
How many extra names must be added to that list
Before our world will learn to live in peace ?

Filled with curiosity, she tugged her grandad's sleeve.
She wanted now to try to understand.
She reached up for the poppy and he took it from his coat
And placed it gently in her tiny hand.
He sighed 'You are so very young.How can I explain
The special meaning of this small red flower
And why we all gather here on a November day
To stand in silence at the eleventh hour ?

Pamela Evans.
Mid Glamorgan. South Wales.

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Message 1 - The Eleventh Hour.

Posted on: 31 October 2003 by Frank Mee Researcher 241911

Hello Pamela,
You put it so well, but the question is how do you tell people things that are seared into your brain but mean nothing to them.
As a boy when the war started (see the day war broke out, Frank Mee researcher 241911) we as firstly Boy Scouts and Then Army Cadets marched in every November the 11th Parade in our town of Stockton on Tees. Bands playing flags flying and regular Sailors Soldiers and Airmen making those parades very large affairs we kids came to know the significance of it all. Our parents had seen the first world war with its aftermath and told us about it, we kids were very aware.
After the war every one had taken all they could stand and did not want to know, Six years followed by another four of rations and shortages were more than the psyche could handle so it got brushed away. No one wanted to hear war stories as the troops came back, if a conversation started "when I was in the desert" some one would shout "swing the lamps here we go again", so a wall of silence descended.
I joined up in 1947 saw lots of things abroad in the middle east but coming back home discovered my mates did not want to hear about me swanning around chasing good looking camels so like the wartime troops you bottled it. A lot of boys who went out with me did not come back but the war was over and anything after that was just a skirmish.
My grand children started to ask questions for projects they were doing, Fifty years after etc: so my wife and I filled in questionaires for them and gave them things from that time to take to school. That started a sudden need to know in my children as they read those items and suddenly realised Mum and Dad had a life before they were born. I am now writing it all down before I fall off the perch more in the hope it will stop it ever happening again but it looks as if we failed anyway the way the world is going.
Keep writing your thoughts Pamela as the written word will affect some one some where.
Regards, Frank Mee Researcher 241911.

听

Message 2 - The Eleventh Hour.

Posted on: 14 December 2005 by Pamela7416-Friendly Welsh Dragon

Hello Frank,
My apologies for not answering you before.
AS I had a message about this site being archived I have written a personal page, explaining my inspiration for the poem. I hope it is suitable as it is about Remembrance Day rather than the war itself.
I do have that poem on a website and it was published in an Anthology by Forward Press, "Beyond the Battle Lines" before I submitted it here. I hope that is O.K regarding copyright etc.
Pamela.

听

Message 3 - The Eleventh Hour.

Posted on: 15 December 2005 by Frank Mee Researcher 241911

Dear Pamela,
Yes I saw the message and went to your colourful H2G2 page. You are near my eldest daughters age and I lived those years through her and her friends.
I had always been a dancer, if I had a pound in my pocket and it was a choice between eating and dancing the dancing always won.
I have written a couple of poems about that early dancing and wrote a story on the site about the dancing in wartime. I understand what you are saying.
Watching the Strictly Come Dancing programs I wish I could still do it but Tempus Fugit and old bones refuse to dance.
When the site closes at the end of January we will all need other ways of writing to each other quite a few of us are on the e-mail circuit now. Losing the site as a forum is a pity as some good friendships came from it. Oh well life goes on.
Frank.<holly>

听

Message 4 - The Eleventh Hour.

Posted on: 17 December 2005 by Pamela7416-Friendly Welsh Dragon

Hello Frank.
It's only the WW2 pages that are being archived, as far as I know.Unless I'm mistaken the H2G2 site is staying as it is, so you should be able to carry on your cnversations there. Everyone who has contrbuted to WW2 has got their own H2G2 page as well. to find yours try ^{About links} to find the others put their researcher number instead of yours (don't forget the U).
All the conversations should be there, also any posts from the 大象传媒 messageboards.

As I wrote about different subjects on my H2G2 page I had to put in SITEFILTER tags for the WW2 section of my Personal Page.

If anyone here has only written about WW2 and they want to write about other things I assume they would need to do someting similar, but I am not sure what will happen after January.

Pamela.

听

Message 5 - The Eleventh Hour.

Posted on: 17 December 2005 by Frank Mee Researcher 241911

Dear Pamela,
Thank you for that I did not know I had that site. The Staff had at one time said we should all use it but there were teething troubles and it never came up again, we certainly live and learn.
I have put out a feeler to see if it will go on after the site ends and will let you know the answer.
Will get back tp you on that.<holly>
Frank.

听

Message 6 - The Eleventh Hour.

Posted on: 19 December 2005 by Pamela7416-Friendly Welsh Dragon

Hello Frank,
I had a reply from Deborah who is with the WW2 team. I don't know if you are in touch with her. She sent me this link.
F77636?thread=1571911
It's the Conversation Forum and is a message from the H2G2 editors about the WW2 site.
The site filter tags I mentioned are explained and they say they are working with the WW2 team "and welcoming any WW2 members who wish to migrate to H2G2 when the site closes.
So it does seem that you will all still be able to post on the H2G2 pages. If you want any more infomation I think that would be the best place to ask.
Let me know how you get on.
Pamela <dragon>

听

Message 7 - The Eleventh Hour.

Posted on: 19 December 2005 by Frank Mee Researcher 241911

Dear Pamela,
Thank you again I will go in to this and see just what is going on.
Frank.

Message 1 - What a web page

Posted on: 31 October 2003 by Frank Mee Researcher 241911

Hello Pamela,
Just logged on to your web page as I read about you, it blew me away. Welsh dragons, I nearly married one. Stationed at Bridgend and wearing the Welsh Dragon as a flash on my uniform I met a beautiful dark haired Welsh girl who turned out to be once she thought I was hooked a Dragon of the first water. Luckily I got posted out at one minutes notice, shoved on a train before I could get in touch with her, so ended a beautiful friendship with a fire eater. I kept away from Welsh girls after that.
I see you do not boast when you say you are a poet, very good indeed.
Frank Mee.

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