Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget 

Festival of Remembrance

It was an honour to attend the Royal Festival of Remembrance at The Royal Albert Hall yesterday evening. At one point it looked doubtful that I would be well enough to attend, but fortunately, I was able to pay my respects to all those including many members of my own family who fought and died for our Great Country. It was moving, beyond words. 

Lest We Forget

Her Majesty The Queen, and members of the Royal Family.

After The Queen had left, they played Land of Hope and Glory, and the armed forces mingled together and some picked up handfuls of the fallen poppies.

Lest We Forget

In memory of my Three Great  Uncles, and Great Grandfather, and in memory of my Grandfather (in the photo) who survived but was gassed and suffered for the rest of his life he lied about his age and joined up when he was only 14 years old.

Lest We Forget

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

 

My Grandfather Frederick Simmonds

This canvas is dedicated to my Grandfather Frederick Simmonds.He joined the Oxford and Bucks Army to fight in the First World War aged just 14 years old. In this photo he is with a Belgium family who took him under their wing when he was stationed there.

He was 18 years old when the war ended, his brother John died at The Somme on the 1st of July 1916.

 

 

Papercrafter Magazine very kindly wrote a small article about my Grandfather in their Remembrance Day Pages. Thank you so much.

"All we have of freedom, all we use or know—

This our fathers bought for us long and long ago."

Rudyard Kipling

Lest We Forget

I would like to enter this into Emerald Creeks Heartfelt Freedom Festivities Challenge

Thank you,so much for visiting.

You can see all the details about how I made this canvas on the Indigoblu Blog

Products used