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60 Years On : Remembrance and Reminiscence as the Nation Commermorates the end of WWII
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From: MSN NicknameLettie011  (Original Message)Sent: 7/10/2005 9:58 PM

Remembrance and Reminiscence as the Nation Commemorates the end of World War Two

Published Sunday 10th July 2005

The view from the roof of Buckingham Palace down The Mall, during the commemorative flypast of vintage aircraft, 10 July 2005 [Allan House]
The view from the roof of Buckingham Palace down The Mall, during the commemorative flypast of vintage aircraft, 10 July 2005 [Allan House]

National Commemoration Day, Sunday 10th July 2005, was the centrepiece of the anniversary commemorations and the culmination of Veteran's Awareness Week, a national project aiming to raise awareness of veterans' issues and mark their lasting contribution to society.

The day began with a service at Westminster Abbey, attended by Her Majesty The Queen.  Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, addressed the assembled congregation which included members of the Royal family, hundreds of veterans, senior serving military officers, and senior representatives of the Government and opposition parties.

After the Service, The Queen hosted a lunch for 2,000 veterans in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Then followed a special show on a specially-constructed stage in Horse Guards Parade.  Celebrities from film and television transported an audience of veterans and dignitaries back to wartime years through readings, music and songs, including Robert Hardy as Churchill, Brian Dennehy as Eisenhower, Claire Sweeney as Vera Lynn, Jane Horrocks as Gracie Fields, Petula Clark, Penelope Keith and Simon Callow as narrator and host.  Lighter moments in the show came from Bruce Forsyth - himself a wartime evacuee - along with Joe Pasquale and Bradley Walsh.

The focus then shifted, from reminiscence to remembrance.  The guns of HMS Belfast signalled the start of a two minute silence.  RAF aircraft flew over Horse Guards Parade in a "Missing Man" formation, symbolising the fallen.  Senior service chaplains from each of the three armed services led the prayers and acts of remembrance.

The performers then returned to the stage, supported once more with music from a tri-Service orchestra and The Bach Choir, ended in a rousing chorus of "we'll meet again."

HM the Queen then gave an address, on the debt of honour and thanks owed by us all to the veterans and others from an earlier generation, who fought for our freedom and way of life.   Her Majesty then inspected the parade of over 700 standards before leading the procession from Horse Guards, along the Mall to Buckingham palace.

The remarkable day concluded with a flypast by historic World War Two aircraft, with one million poppies dropped on The Mall by the RAF's last remaining Lancaster bomber.   HM the Queen, accompanied by other members of the royal family, appeared once again on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, just as she did when the war ended in 1945.

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 Message 2 of 4 in Discussion 
From: MSN NicknameLettie011Sent: 7/13/2005 10:02 AM
HM The Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury on the steps of Westminster Abbey after the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII Service of Thanksgiving attended.
HM The Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury on the steps of Westminster Abbey after the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII Service of Thanksgiving		 HM The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh pause having laid a wreath to the Memorial of The Innocents before entering Westminster Abbey for the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII Service of Thanksgiving.
HM The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh pause having laid a wreath to the Memorial of The Innocents before entering Westminster Abbey for the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII Service of Thanksgiving attended.		 HM The Queen is presented with a bouquet of flowers by Joss and Wanda Criswell which she subsequently laid on the Memorial of The Innocents before entering Westminster Abbey.
HM The Queen is presented with a bouquet of flowers by Joss and Wanda Criswell which she subsequently laid on the Memorial of The Innocents before entering Westminster Abbey.		 Tony and Cherie Blair on the steps of Westminster Abbey after the Service.
Tony and Cherie Blair on the steps of Westminster Abbey after the Service.
HRH Princess Michael of Kent chats with the Dean of Westminster Abbey after the Service to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII.
HRH Princess Michael of Kent chats with the Dean of Westminster Abbey after the Service to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII.		 The audience arriving for the 'Reflections of World War II' show in Horseguards, London.
The audience arriving for the 'Reflections of World War II' show in Horseguards, London.		 Keeping the sun off in true Memorial style
Keeping the sun off in true Memorial style		 Surviving holders of the Victoria and George Crosses arrived at the show in a charabanc
Surviving holders of the Victoria and George Crosses arrived at the show in a charabanc.
Simon Callow narrated the 'Reflections of World War II' show
Simon Callow narrated the 'Reflections of World War II' show		 The company of the Home Front Show dance to
The company of the Home Front Show dance to "Don't sit under the apple tree"		 Her Majesty the Queen addresses the veterans
Her Majesty the Queen addresses the veterans		 Young sailors watching the show
Young sailors watching the show
The veterans assemble for the Parade of Standards
The veterans assemble for the Parade of Standards		 The parade leads off...
The parade leads off...		 ...in front of Her Majesty the Queen...
...in front of Her Majesty the Queen...		 ...including over 700 Standards...
...including over 700 Standards...
Crowds lined the Mall to watch the parade.
...crowds lined the streets to watch the parade.		 ...The parade moves out into The Mall...
...The parade moves out into The Mall...		 ...Around the Victory Monument, and into Buckingham Palace
...Around the Victory Monument, and into Buckingham Palace		 The Mall soon filled with members of the public, eagerly awaiting the flypast of vintage aircraft
The Mall soon filled with members of the public, eagerly awaiting the flypast of vintage aircraft
Five De Havilland Dragon Rapides flying in a
Five De Havilland Dragon Rapides flying in a "V for Victory" formation		 Shedding its load of one million poppies of remembrance, a Lancaster bomber flanked by a Hurricane and a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Shedding its load of one million poppies of remembrance, a Lancaster bomber flanked by a Hurricane and a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight		 One million poppies fall onto the huge crowd gathered in front of Buckingham Palace
One million poppies fall onto the huge crowd gathered in front of Buckingham Palace		 The fall of the poppies, witnessed by HM the Queen from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, marks the culmination of the day's events.
The fall of the poppies, witnessed by HM the Queen from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, marks the culmination of the day's events

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From: MSN NicknameLettie011Sent: 7/13/2005 10:04 AM

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From: MSN NicknameLettie011Sent: 7/13/2005 10:06 AM

Click on each image for the larger picture.

The Royal family gathered on the Buckingham Palace balcony to witness the flypast.The Mall was packed as the standards of over 200 organisations were paraded, with support from the Band of the Royal Marines.

It was very much a tri-service celebration. Capttain Phil Hughes, Lieutenant Alan Darlington and Flying Officer Jim Donovan all enjoyed the day.Currently based at RAF Innsworth, Squadron Leader Colin Kelsey and his father, Bill, celebrated together on the Mall.

The flypast was led by five de Havilland DH89a Dragon Rapides, a type used as a training and communications aircraft during the war.A Beech C-45 led two Ansons and a PBY Catalina flying boat.

The immaculate Beech C-45.Three C-47 Dakotas over the Mall.

The three C-47 Dakotas were representing British and US transport crews.Commemorating the US aircrew who operated from the UK during WW II was a formation of two B-17s and two B-25s.

The US formation against the sun.The final element of the flypast was the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

As the Lancaster passed over Buckingham Palace, the bomb bay opened, and a huge mass of poppies dropped over the crowd.The front of Buckinham Palace with the poppies falling in front of it.

 


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