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Young faces in Remembrance Day crowds are heartening
Once again we reach the time of year when the tradition of gathering around the cenotaph to remember those who laid down their lives for their country is observed.
On a cold November day amidst the bleak and wearying Autumn landscape those in support of Remembrance Day bring a blaze of colour to towns and villages alike with the blood red of the poppy symbolising the killing fields of war.
The first time the tradition was observed was back in 1919 - almost a century before our time - to mark the deaths of our World War One heroes. Since then, the tradition has been annually reported in newspapers, radio reports and later television as a day to remember all of those affected by war over the years.
There are some who may question the logic of continually reporting on an event which follows a similar format year on year. But take the time to study what has been said during the events or even the people who attend and the reasoning behind the decision to do so will become clear.
Hundreds of people in the Wharfedale area marked the event this year.
But the faces in the crowds were not just those of war veterans and pensionersand nor were they the faces of young adults showing up out of respect to their ancestors or as tribute to those fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
They were the faces of young children touched by the horrors of history and modern day troubles overseas.
Some read out poems penned by the children of wartime - children who risked the loss of their fathers, uncles and brothers or who lived in fear of attack.
Their presence at the event shows that as a nation we will continue to honour our war heroes - some of whom may still be alive today had it not been for the atrocities they faced half a century ago.
1:02pm Thursday 15th November 2007
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