The Eleventh Hour, of the Eleventh Day, of the Eleventh Month

of the Year 2018.

And Nations of the Free World shall fall silent in Honour of those who made the Supreme Sacrifice in defence of that Freedom.

We remember them all, yet let us keep a corner in our hearts especially for those of our comrades whose service began through the gates of the school of the

Arborfield Army Apprentices.

POPPY DAY.

A Poem of Remembrance by Cyril Frederick Perkins.

A million blood red poppies fell slowly to the floor,

And I heard a million voices that I had heard before.

Calling from a foreign field, the earth, the sea, the sky,

Telling all the story of why they had to die.

Liberty and freedom, motherland and home.

These are words to cherish but the dead lie deathly prone.

Have we learned the lesson, all they gave was it in vain?

Is this a better world we live in, built upon their pain?

A million blood red poppies, remember them and pray.

They gave their tomorrow that we might have this day.

We must strive to greater effort for peace and goodwill to reign,

Never should one single poppy fall to the floor again.

Copyright © Cyril Frederick Perkins.

BBC ‘WW2 People's War'

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,

We will remember them.

Published: 8th November 2018.

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