Lest We Forget: Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Blitz

Image result for pics of poppiesLest We Forget………………………………………………………Never

Image result for pics of dunkirkThe Battle of Dunkirk was a military operation that took place in Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France, during the Second World War. The battle was fought between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation to Britain of British and other Allied forces in Europe from 26 May to 4 June 1940. See latest movie….excellent.

Image result for pics of the blitz

The Blitz was a German bombing offensive against Britain in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press as an abbreviation of Blitzkrieg (lightning war). The Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940, a battle for daylight air superiority between the Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force over the United Kingdom. By September 1940, the Luftwaffe had failed and the German air fleets (Luftflotten) were ordered to attack London, to draw RAF Fighter Command into a battle of annihilation.[4][5] Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, ordered the new policy on 6 September 1940. From 7 September 1940, London was systematically bombed by the Luftwaffe for 56 out of the following 57 days and nights.[6] Most notable was a large daylight attack against London on 15 September.

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Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain (German: Luftschlacht um England, literally “the air battle for England”) was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). It has been described as the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces.[16]

The British officially recognise the battle’s duration as being from 10 July until 31 October 1940, which overlaps the period of large-scale night attacks known as the Blitz, that lasted from 7 September 1940 to 11 May 1941.[17] German historians do not accept this subdivision and regard the battle as a single campaign lasting from July 1940 to June 1941, including the Blitz.

 

 

SJ…………………………………………Out

Lest We Forget: SE Asia 1941 / 42

Image result for pics of poppiesLest We Forget………………………………………….Never

South East Asia

The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in Burma, Ceylon, India, Thailand, Philippines, Indochina, Malaya and Singapore. Objectives for conquering these countries included the seizure of natural resources such as rubber and petroleum from European colonies in the region. Conflict in this theatre began when the Empire of Japan invaded French Indochina in September 1940 and rose to a new level following the Raid on Pearl Harbor, and simultaneous attacks on Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Malaya on 7/8 December 1941. The main landing at Singora (now Songkhla) on the east side of the Isthmus of Kra preceded the bombing of Pearl Harbor by several hours. Action in the theatre officially ended on 9 September 1945.

Lest We Forget the Canadians in Hong Kong, December 1941. Fall of Hong Kong

Image result for pics of Canadians in Hong Kong 1941Lest We Forget the Fall of Singapore, 1942

Image result for pics of fall of singapore1942Lest We Forget the Bataan Death March and the Fall of the Philippines, 1942

Image result for pics of bataan death march and fall of the philippines

 

 

SJ……………………………………………..Out

Brothers in Arms

Image result for pics of poppiesLest we Forget!………………………….Never

Veteran’s Affairs Canada: The Dieppe Raid was launched on August 19, 1942, and would prove to be the bloodiest single day for Canada’s military in the entire Second World War. Of the almost 5,000 Canadian soldiers who took part in this ill-fated raid on occupied France, more than half became casualties. Sadly, a total of 916 Canadians would lose their lives.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. The service and sacrifice of Canadians who fought there will never be forgotten.

 Lest we forget!
Song of the Day
Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dBRQvXe91g
Cut and paste into your browser window above then hit return. Video will appear on You Tube.
SJ………………………..Out

War and Peace

Image result for pics of poppiesLest we forget. That religion of Peace……..NOT!

Slide 1 of 24: <p>It's been 16 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001. But for millions of Americans, haunting memories of that day are still fresh, and many lives were changed forever. </p><p> On 9/11, terrorists hijacked four planes and were able to crash two of them into the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York and one into the Pentagon.</p><p> The remaining jet crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers overpowered the hijackers.</p><p> A day that started out with clear blue skies ended with a mass of twisted, smoldering metal where the Twin Towers once stood, leaving 2,977 people dead in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, along with the 19 hijackers.</p><p> September 11 happened almost two decades ago. One-quarter of Americans are too young to remember it. I have three kids who have no memory of it at all - they weren't born yet.</p><p> But we certainly don't want to forget, even as we get on with our lives and confront new challenges. So in memory of that day, here are 23 images that capture what no American should forget. And as someone living in New York City at the time, I can tell you what it was like to witness the tragedy as it unfolded.</p><p>Brittany Fowler contributed to a previous version of this story.</p>

VIMY Ridge Memorial: Commemorates battle for Vimy Ridge 09 April 1917. Canada’s baptism in fire and blood.

My Little ditty:

The Ridge

Reflection’s wise. Its true insight flies

Throughout our minds and forever binds us

To eternal life that is devoid of strife

Just peaceful thoughts, not restless, nor caught

Into that web of war to tread

Not normalcy! Pure madness bred our way to be

Yet as one we brand an ancestral land

As our spirits rise to embrace God’s sky

And shed away our fears.

Our thoughts of home as our mothers roam

Among our graves, their faces brave

To the sadness here of men with fear

Yet for our nation’s prayers we died out there

For a home sweet home, dear Canada

That knowledge bears a passion… flares

Within our hearts, to love; to shove

Our fears aside and run in stride

To get away from there

Over top we’d go in whistled throes

Then plunder us within gun sight foes

Such madness…crushed, our brothers flush

With abject fear with those guns so near

We’d pray in silence for our leader’s guidance

For in them we trust and as Canucks we thrust

So far ahead though we walked with dread

With the barrage we shudder, our blanket cover

Oh God we’re scared.

The earth it shakes… please mothers take us

Into your arms and away from harm

We’d fall in silence…no pride in violence

We looked ahead for behind ’s our dead

Their faces seared, no longer feared

Just a darkness now with thoughts that bow

To a light that’s gone, forever done

For now it seems our passion stream

Is ebbing some for our time has come

We fought for glory, each life a story

With silent breath we faced cruel death

Our youthful brash ‘gainst madness, crashed

Into the mud, the cold, the blood

That Ridge has been a horror scene

A Ridge that bears our lives and shares

Blood curdling chills, then silence… killed

And down we go with our cries now still

Just silent prayers to loved ones shared…so far from there

The death knell rings for our lives and brings

A peace you share from that Ridge out there

Is a peace we paved to our silent graves

And a peace we share in God’s love’s lair

We were men of arms, a brotherhood

Beyond that Ridge, your nationhood

With souls set free our spirits now see

Just peaceful lands and a national brand…your nation‘s free!

Yet horrendous loss this madness cost…Canadians!

Please…remember us