Had one of my proudest moments today!

[TopSecret]

My dad was a soldier in the army from the age of 15 (junior leaders) through till he was killed at 38 years old. He died in 1983, a couple of days before my 11th birthday. That's the sad part done with.

Now for the proud part. I have just found out today that my Dad's name is inscribed in the National Memorial, and his name is also on the Rolls of Honour at the Royal Hospital Chelsea (home of the Chelsea Pensioners). His name has been inscribed on the National Memorial since it was unveiled by the Queen in 2007. I only found out today, after my Uncle came across the website that has a database of those names on the memorial. He told me about it, and sure enough my Dad is there. I nearly cried when I found out. Here's a news article on the unveiling from 2007:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7040801.stm

I just wish I had known that my Dad was honoured on the memorial, as I would have attended the opening. Here's my Dad's entry:

http://www.forcesmemorial.org.uk/roll-of-honour/X12129-BOARDMAN

I will be taking my wife and kids to Staffordshire to visit the Memorial soon, and we will also be visiting the Royal Hospital Chelsea too. I have always been massively proud of my Dad, and this is something I hold very dearly.

Alot of servicemen and women have lost their lives since the end of WWII and this is the first National Memorium to remember these people and their sacrifices.

Anyways, just thought I would share our good news. I am really chuffed about this

 

[tinytomlogan]

Must be a nice feeling dude, its great to have something to remember them by. Hope the kids understand how special it is.

Isnt it weird how something that should make us sad can make us kind of happy

 

[mayhem]

Thats good to hear rarely are the fallen talked about.

 

[TopSecret]

Must be a nice feeling dude, its great to have something to remember them by. Hope the kids understand how special it is.

Isnt it weird how something that should make us sad can make us kind of happy

Agreed. The news brought back alot of memories, both good and bad. My family is going through some tough times at the moment, so this was definitely a morale booster for us all. Our eldest is just getting to the age where she is curious about her Grandad, so the timing was good for finding out about the memorial.

Thats good to hear rarely are the fallen talked about.

I agree mate. I don't think we should wallow in the past, but we should all honour those who have served for their country and given their lives. I always wonder if I would have been willing and able to do some of the things these people did, and I hope that in their situation that I could, but no-one can say for certain until they are faced with it.

 

[mayhem]

i can say ive faced it and to be honest you are conditioned not to react in the middle of a battle (basicly you don't think of the consequences more of just how to sort the problem) ..

but what you are not teached is how to deal with it when the adrenalin rush has gone out of your system and you have time to think about what has happened. That is were the army fails miserably for its solders and it isn't till many years later that it hit's you in the face like a car hitting a brick wall at 90Mph. Who can you turn to ... "No one".. What can you do about it .... "nothing" ... How do you deal with it .... "bottle it up side side till finally you crack" ....

The amy is good while your in the army but when you leave and things start to make you think about the past that's when it becomes hard and that's when thing realy do that going wrong ...