The queen shant be going to Normandy?...

[L. Kafka]

Sixty-five years later has the Normandy coastal area retained its rustic charm or are there Starbucks coffee houses every kilometer? Maybe Liz is ODed on WWII and at her age, I can't blame her.

[Simon H]

A bit of a c**k up on the comms front I fear. She was not invited as had previously been told that there would be no "official" UK acknowledgement of the 65 anniversary. Then our Prime minister did a U-turn (he's been doing alot of these recently) ...

It's all very embarrassing

As long as there are veterans of WW2 still on this earth then we should salute and celebrate the sacrifices of their youth. For many of us the remembrance will carry on for much longer I'm sure!

[Tom Houlihan]

Simon, not to change the subject, but I would submit a clarification. As long as any veteran, of any nation, still lives, he deserves to be recognized and saluted. These young men and women are rarely acknowledged, which is a damned shame.

We now return to our regularly scheduled thread...

Even if she doesn't have an official invite, is anyone really going to have the nerve to turn away a veteran of the Blitz, who drove an ambulance, and just happens to be a reigning monarch??? I sure as hell wouldn't!!!

[Simon H]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the "amendment" to my post, I agree wholeheartedly of course. I also assume you are talking of more recent conflicts as well...

As for Her Majesty, I'm sure she feels a little embarrassed at the state of things, but just because she may not there in person does not mean she doesn't remember.

Whether there or not, a great many around the World will be thinking of that first day towards peace 65 years ago.

Lest we Forget.

[L. Kafka]

...I take them one at a time as I have encountered many vets that I would not want to have served with in Vietnam in the field in 1968. But I do understand the general respect accorded veterans. I just feel that the phrase of recent years "Thank you for your service" has become too much of a feel good thing.

On a lighter note, I wonder if Hallmark puts out a 65th anniversary card for Normandy...

[phylo_roadking]

Gordon Browneye's answer was that it was originally intended as an affair for prime ministers and Presidents...


In other words - Heads Of State - and no matter what HE "thinks"...a function that is questioned nowadays... HE isn't our Head Of State - the Queen is.

Much as he would like to be...he just wouldn't suit the twin sets as well

[L. Kafka]

Charles is, what, in his early sixities? If I was him, I was ask mum to step down while I was still warm. There is a precedent for a sitting monarch to step down, isn't there?

[phylo_roadking]

There is a precedent for a sitting monarch to step down, isn't there?

In a particular set of circumstances....which Charles managed to get round anyway

[L. Kafka]

Prince Charles to Nancy Grace.

[phylo_roadking]

If I was him, I was ask mum to step down while I was still warm

I'm not so sure As it is he can talk to his plants, prognosticate on tasteless architecture etc. to his heart's content; as Monarch I think he'd be bound too tightly by convention, state policy etc. for his liking.

[Paddy Keating]

HM Queen also passed her motorcycle test during the war. I wrote an article about it once and it took months to track down a series of photos of the event. Even Her Majesty didn't have any prints in her archives although she soon received some once we found them . Fancy not inviting QE2 to the D-Day ceremonies! I'd like to say that I am shocked but nothing about New Labour shocks me anymore.

Much as he would like to be...he just wouldn't suit the twin sets as well

Gordo the Queen? Ooooooohhhh! Getting too close for comfort there, old bean. Further exploration of that topic might shed light on the relationship between Tony and Gordon but would probably be irrelevant to the snubbing of the real Queen by our pouting Fat Fairy Godmother, who's been in a sulk since Tone's eye strayed elsewhere...

PK

[pzrmeyer2]

perhaps instead she should ponder the fact that it was this unneccesary war which cost her country hundreds of thousands of lives, any moral high ground thanks to terror bombing policies, the global Empire she once could have ruled, and altered forever the makeup and health of her own country. All she has to do is look out the window from her palace, which sadly is now about the extent of her realm, to see the fruits of "victory".

[phylo_roadking]

All she has to do is look out the window from her palace, which sadly is now about the extent of her realm, to see the fruits of "victory".

...which include her being IIRC the third richest individual in the UK....

[pzrmeyer2]

I just feel that the phrase of recent years "Thank you for your service" has become too much of a feel good thing.

Amen to that. I recently laughed my ass off while reading the local litter box liner. A combat veteran wrote a letter contrasting the situations of John Mccain's and Sarah Palin's sons, both combat infantrymen, with Joe Biden's son, a National Guard attorney, who was more at risk of injury by paper clip than IED. Not that I give 2 sh*ts about these politicians, but our 5 time deferred VP goes on and on about his son being downrange. Oooh the howls from newly enlighted (since 20 Jan) lovers of the military, who questioned the original letter writer's patriotism and preached platitudes about self-esteem. Guess REMFs are now on-par with grunts for "thank-you" praise...

[Tom Houlihan]

Well, if he's an Army lawyer, he might still be downrange, just not for the same reasons everyone else is!


Sorry Commissar!