Pete's Blog

Britain Remembers Its War Dead

2008-11-11T10:21:00.000-08:00

A two minutes' silence has been observed around the country to mark Armistice Day - the end of the First World War - and to remember Britain's war dead. Britain Remembers Its War Dead
Towns and cities right across the UK took part in the tribute at 11am.

This year's silence comes 90 years after the guns fell silent at the end of the so-called "war to end all wars" in 1918.

Three of the last surviving British veterans of the First World War marked the anniversary.
The veterans - all well into their 100s - attended a service at the Cenotaph in central London.
At exactly 11am, Henry Allingham, 112, Harry Patch, 110 and Bill Stone, 108, led a two-minute silence as the nation remembered the sacrifices made by the 1914-1918 generation.

They each represented the armed service they belonged to - for Mr Allingham the Royal Air Force, Mr Patch the Army and Mr Stone the Royal Navy.

This will almost certainly be the last significant anniversary that any of those who fought in the First World War are around to mark.

Dennis Goodwin, chairman of the World War One Veterans' Association, said of the trio: "It is most significant that they represent each armed service - the odds on that are tremendous".
"These men suffered the horrors of a war and they had to then face a life of uncertainty - the Great Depression and the aftermath of the war.

"They had little or no help for any of the traumas they suffered and no help from the Government, and they created our generation."

Of the five million men and women who served in Britain's armed forces in the war, only four are still alive.

The other surviving veteran, Claude Choules, 107, lives in Australia and marked the 90th anniversary at events there.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Defence Secretary John Hutton and the Duchess of Gloucester were among those taking part in the ceremony.

Other events marking the occasion included a visit by Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent to the National Memorial Arboretum in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
As well as a two-minute silence, there was a flypast by the Royal Air Force.

In Dorset, a new war memorial in Bovington, commemorating soldiers of the Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps who have died on active service since 1945, was dedicated.
And in France the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall have been guests of honour of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Prince Charles lay a wreath at Douaumont Cemetery near Verdun this morning, scene of one of the most bitter battles between French and German troops during the First World War

City are lucky

2008-11-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Manchester City are luky to have escaped being the victors as they beat FC Twente only 3-2

Hamilton wants Wembley date

2008-11-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

David Coulthard has urged Lewis Hamilton to compete at the Race of Champions at Wembley in December.

RAF rescue blinded pilot

2008-11-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

A pilot who lost his sight flying a light aircraft has been guided to safety by an RAF jet.

Solo pilot Jim O'Neill was taking the two-seat Cessna back from a family holiday in Scotland to Essex, when he was suddenly blinded over North Yorkshire.
Mr O'Neill had a stroke mid-flight and blood at the back of his head put pressure on his optic nerves, immediately blinding him, according to reports.
The 65-year-old put in a mayday alert and attempted to land his plane at Full Sutton Airfield near York, but was unable to complete the manoeuvre even with the help of air traffic controllers.

A RAF team from nearby Linton-on-Ouse was scrambled and a Tucano T1 jet took off to find the aircraft and guided the stricken pilot to the ground.
Mr O'Neill, who has 18 years' flying experience, was taken to York Hospital before being transferred to Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex.
He is thought to be seriously ill in a brain unit at the hospital.
Mr O'Neill said on his hospital bed: "I should not be alive. I owe my life - and those of dozens of people I could have crash landed on - to the RAF. It was terrifying. Suddenly I couldn't see the dials in front of me".

Wing Commander Paul Gerrard, 42, told how he was taking part in an RAF training sortie when he came to the stricken pilot's help.
He said: "For me I was just glad to help a fellow aviator in distress. I was just part of a team. Landing an aircraft literally blind needs someone to be right there to say 'left a bit, right a bit, stop, down'.

"On the crucial final approach, even with radar assistance you need to take over visually. That's when having a fellow pilot there was so important."