The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

The guns went silent today in 1918, the end of "the big war", the war to end all wars. World War I. 20 million dead, countless wounded, countries, homes and families destroyed, lives ruined. At we didn't learn. After the War to End All Wars, we had WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Granada, The Persian Gulf War, The Afghanistan war, The war in Iraq and those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head, involving the US.
Other Countries have had more. The Sacrifices they made while not made in vain, seem to have been made with the promises unfulfilled.
Too often Veterans are forgotten, their gifts and their sacrifices unnoticed, even on this day. Even by those who should be most grateful.
Today I took two minutes to remember the reason and history of this day and to give private thanks to those who served and who still serve. And those who still lie - in Flanders fields.


In Flanders Fields By LT John McCrae - 1918.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and ...were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders field