My most moving moment ever. - Aircraft of World War II

tankie1rtr · 10-13-2008, 02:44 PM

[B]I would like to share the most moving moment in my life with you guys, Yes like others on here I have lost close friends on active service and that is hard but "My most moving moment" is as follows, I am now 54yrs old, and I am an ex British Tankie, I was also Regimental Bugler (Trumpeter) a few years ago I was a Continental Coach Driver and I took my Silver Bugle all over with me, I would stop at the little War Cemetaries in France and I would play the last post (Taps) as a mark of respect, on one tour I was taking a group of mixed British and American ex Servicemen on a tour to Normandy, I will never forget this tour, we went to the Big American Cemetary at Pointe Du Hoc, and there stood 9,387 crosses of guys who had sacrificed their today for our tomorrow, and in a garden was a memorial to 1,577 missing in the invasion. Inside the main gates there is a large statue holding out a Laurel Leaf as a gesture of Peace, I asked the keeper of the Cemetary If I could have the privelage of playing taps by the statue as a mark of respect, he said he would be delighted to hear it, all the ex servicemen stood in a large semi circle around myself and the statue and I started playing, time seemed to stand still, the wind seemed to drop, and all people stopped what they were doing and stood stock still and the notes carried gently to fade away over the white crosses, I played as gently and meaningful as I could with tears streaming down my cheeks, and the gentle sobbing of grown men behind me. Late when we were walking towards the white crosses, an old lady dressed in black asked me If I was an American Soldier, I told her I wasn't, I was an ex British soldier who was not born untill 8 years after the war, she went on to tell me that she was visiting the grave of her Fiancee, he was a fighter pilot, 20yrs old, they were due to get married that month, when she received a letter saying he had been lost over Normandy, she never married and still wore he's engagement ring, she kissed me on my cheek and said "Thank You" to me, me who had only played a bugle, yet her who's love had been lost for my (our) freedom, I will never forget that tour, I was very very humbled by the company of the Old Soldiers I spent two weeks with, and then I was once again humbled by a single little old lady, That week I cried buckets, and still years later as I write this, I still well up. I would love to put a newspaper cutting to follow this post but I dont know how to do it, If anybody would like it please mail me and I will post it to you.
Regards
tankie

Marcel · 10-13-2008, 02:48 PM

Good story, tank!

ccheese · 10-13-2008, 02:52 PM

I agree, Tankie... quite moving. Never been to Normandy, but spent a lot
of time wandering the beaches of French Morocco, in North Africa. I know
that feeling.

Charles

Thorlifter · 10-13-2008, 03:09 PM

And I am moved by your story, Tankie. Thank you for sharing.

As far as attaching an image, click on the Post Reply button. Then, under the box where you would type text, click on Manage Attachments. Click on the browse button and find the image you have, highlight it, then click open. Next click the upload button. Close the attachment box and click the Submit Reply button.

timshatz · 10-13-2008, 03:19 PM

Great story tank. Been to that Cemetery. Was there back in 1994 with a couple of girls I knew back then. We had just plowed through a couple of bottles of wine at lunch and were feeling no pain.

That sobered us up fast. All those crosses. The three of us gave a collective "Whoa...". Not what you expect. Kinda figure it's going to be like a graveyard you go into anywhere else. But it really isn't. Tough to put a finger on it, but it's like the dead aren't really the forgotten dead of a typical graveyard. Not dead that have lived their lives and ended them. These are the dead that still have meaning today. They are still somebodies because they died for a reason, for a purpose. And we are the benenficiaries of those deaths, not by choice but by happy circumstance of birth.

Just a thought.

tankie1rtr · 10-13-2008, 03:20 PM

Thank You Thorlifter, I will try it.
Regards
tankie

RabidAlien · 10-13-2008, 07:28 PM

Man, I would give just about anything to experience that particular Memorial. I kinda have an idea, having been to Vicksburg and Gettysburg, here in the US (Civil War battlefields)....but, wow....to play Taps for those men....

Aaron Brooks Wolters · 10-13-2008, 07:35 PM

Matt308 · 10-13-2008, 07:49 PM

FLYBOYJ · 10-13-2008, 08:05 PM

Airframes · 10-13-2008, 08:10 PM

Thanks for that, John. I'm sure you'll know what I mean when I mention the Arnhem graves, and the children with flowers.
I visited once, on one of the anniversaries of 'Market Garden'. Every year, on the 17 September, or the nearest Sunday, children from the local schools attend the cemetaries in and around Arnhem and Oosterbeek. They are each allotted a grave, and place flowers there at the ceremony.
It's one of the few times I've witnessed tough, hairy-assed former and serving Paras with tears streaming down their faces.

Matt308 · 10-13-2008, 08:27 PM

I'm not a tough hairy-assed para, far from it. But have visited Arlington cemetary. Closest thing to Tankie's visit that I have ever been to. And I cried like a baby. Remember it to this day.

Lucky13 · 10-13-2008, 11:30 PM

Screaming Eagle · 10-14-2008, 01:13 AM

rochie · 10-14-2008, 02:07 AM

amazing stuff tankie i plan to visit as many places like those mentioned just to show my respects

10-13-2008, 02:44 PM	#1
tankie1rtr Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: York. United kingdom Posts: 36	My most moving moment ever. [B]I would like to share the most moving moment in my life with you guys, Yes like others on here I have lost close friends on active service and that is hard but "My most moving moment" is as follows, I am now 54yrs old, and I am an ex British Tankie, I was also Regimental Bugler (Trumpeter) a few years ago I was a Continental Coach Driver and I took my Silver Bugle all over with me, I would stop at the little War Cemetaries in France and I would play the last post (Taps) as a mark of respect, on one tour I was taking a group of mixed British and American ex Servicemen on a tour to Normandy, I will never forget this tour, we went to the Big American Cemetary at Pointe Du Hoc, and there stood 9,387 crosses of guys who had sacrificed their today for our tomorrow, and in a garden was a memorial to 1,577 missing in the invasion. Inside the main gates there is a large statue holding out a Laurel Leaf as a gesture of Peace, I asked the keeper of the Cemetary If I could have the privelage of playing taps by the statue as a mark of respect, he said he would be delighted to hear it, all the ex servicemen stood in a large semi circle around myself and the statue and I started playing, time seemed to stand still, the wind seemed to drop, and all people stopped what they were doing and stood stock still and the notes carried gently to fade away over the white crosses, I played as gently and meaningful as I could with tears streaming down my cheeks, and the gentle sobbing of grown men behind me. Late when we were walking towards the white crosses, an old lady dressed in black asked me If I was an American Soldier, I told her I wasn't, I was an ex British soldier who was not born untill 8 years after the war, she went on to tell me that she was visiting the grave of her Fiancee, he was a fighter pilot, 20yrs old, they were due to get married that month, when she received a letter saying he had been lost over Normandy, she never married and still wore he's engagement ring, she kissed me on my cheek and said "Thank You" to me, me who had only played a bugle, yet her who's love had been lost for my (our) freedom, I will never forget that tour, I was very very humbled by the company of the Old Soldiers I spent two weeks with, and then I was once again humbled by a single little old lady, That week I cried buckets, and still years later as I write this, I still well up. I would love to put a newspaper cutting to follow this post but I dont know how to do it, If anybody would like it please mail me and I will post it to you. Regards tankie Last edited by tankie1rtr; 10-14-2008 at 05:49 PM. Reason: Wrong number of grave markers, see my other post

10-13-2008, 02:48 PM	#2
Marcel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dordrecht Posts: 4,045	Good story, tank! __________________ "To attack 36 aircraft on your own was rather much" - Jan Linzel, D.XXI pilot.

10-13-2008, 02:52 PM	#3
ccheese Older Than Dirt Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 7,987	I agree, Tankie... quite moving. Never been to Normandy, but spent a lot of time wandering the beaches of French Morocco, in North Africa. I know that feeling. Charles __________________ Good people sleep peacefully in their beds at night, only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell

10-13-2008, 03:09 PM	#4
Thorlifter Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 4,729	And I am moved by your story, Tankie. Thank you for sharing. As far as attaching an image, click on the Post Reply button. Then, under the box where you would type text, click on Manage Attachments. Click on the browse button and find the image you have, highlight it, then click open. Next click the upload button. Close the attachment box and click the Submit Reply button. __________________

10-13-2008, 07:28 PM	#7
RabidAlien Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hurst, Texas Posts: 3,466	Man, I would give just about anything to experience that particular Memorial. I kinda have an idea, having been to Vicksburg and Gettysburg, here in the US (Civil War battlefields)....but, wow....to play Taps for those men.... __________________ Pillage, then burn. Argue not with dragons, for thou art crunchy and go well on toast.

10-13-2008, 03:19 PM	#5
timshatz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Phila, Pa Posts: 3,816	Great story tank. Been to that Cemetery. Was there back in 1994 with a couple of girls I knew back then. We had just plowed through a couple of bottles of wine at lunch and were feeling no pain. That sobered us up fast. All those crosses. The three of us gave a collective "Whoa...". Not what you expect. Kinda figure it's going to be like a graveyard you go into anywhere else. But it really isn't. Tough to put a finger on it, but it's like the dead aren't really the forgotten dead of a typical graveyard. Not dead that have lived their lives and ended them. These are the dead that still have meaning today. They are still somebodies because they died for a reason, for a purpose. And we are the benenficiaries of those deaths, not by choice but by happy circumstance of birth. Just a thought.

10-13-2008, 03:20 PM	#6
tankie1rtr Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: York. United kingdom Posts: 36	Thank You Thorlifter, I will try it. Regards tankie

10-13-2008, 07:35 PM	#8
Aaron Brooks Wolters Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Abingdon, VA. Posts: 3,476

10-13-2008, 07:49 PM	#9
Matt308 aka Dickcheese Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 14,006	__________________ "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the [U.S.] Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan Master of Duplicate Posts

10-13-2008, 08:05 PM	#10
FLYBOYJ IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 16,863	__________________ > I Support Doug Gillis <

10-13-2008, 08:10 PM	#11
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 11,529	Thanks for that, John. I'm sure you'll know what I mean when I mention the Arnhem graves, and the children with flowers. I visited once, on one of the anniversaries of 'Market Garden'. Every year, on the 17 September, or the nearest Sunday, children from the local schools attend the cemetaries in and around Arnhem and Oosterbeek. They are each allotted a grave, and place flowers there at the ceremony. It's one of the few times I've witnessed tough, hairy-assed former and serving Paras with tears streaming down their faces.

10-13-2008, 08:27 PM	#12
Matt308 aka Dickcheese Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 14,006	I'm not a tough hairy-assed para, far from it. But have visited Arlington cemetary. Closest thing to Tankie's visit that I have ever been to. And I cried like a baby. Remember it to this day. __________________ "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the [U.S.] Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan Master of Duplicate Posts

10-13-2008, 11:30 PM	#13
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 17,331	__________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

10-14-2008, 01:13 AM	#14
Screaming Eagle Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 3,625	__________________ "Success is nothing more than taking advantage of an opportunity." - Hitman! - The Technical Guide for the Independent Contractor.

10-14-2008, 02:07 AM	#15
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,630	amazing stuff tankie i plan to visit as many places like those mentioned just to show my respects __________________

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode