How do you honour their service?

[sheikyerbouti]

 I am curious to see if anyone here is involved with the commemoration of Veteran's service (regardless of their place in conflict)


myself: I fund raise for the Poppy campaign (tens of thousands so far)
           am active with the Royal Canadian Legion
           am active with Army, Navy, Air Force associations
           Ceremonially represent at various services (on a year round basis)
           Play in a bagpipe band that entertains on both sides of the border

 i could go on here, but I mostly want to know what other people in the FH2 community do to honour the service of men and women who have borne witness to the horrors of war and the banality of peace?


example: 101Jimmy brought up ANZAC day recently, did he go to a cenotaph or just quietly reflect at home?


So What do you other guys do? anything geographically or culturally specific?
           

[LtJimmy]

I am curious to see if anyone here is involved with the commemoration of Veteran's service (regardless of their place in conflict)


myself: I fund raise for the Poppy campaign (tens of thousands so far)
           am active with the Royal Canadian Legion
           am active with Army, Navy, Air Force associations
           Ceremonially represent at various services (on a year round basis)
           Play in a bagpipe band that entertains on both sides of the border

 i could go on here, but I mostly want to know what other people in the FH2 community do to honour the service of men and women who have borne witness to the horrors of war and the banality of peace?


example: 101Jimmy brought up ANZAC day recently, did he go to a cenotaph or just quietly reflect at home?


So What do you other guys do? anything geographically or culturally specific?
           

I went to the dawn service (at the cenotaph) and later that evening went to the local watering-hole, ordered a beer with my mates, held a minutes silence then toasted to those who have gone before us.
Most of the day however I spent doing all the things I usually do such as enjoying a cup of tea and walking my black labrador. My reasoning is that they went overseas to preserve our way of life and so I think the best way to honour them is to enjoy that way of life throughout the day, sure go to a dawn service or have a quiet reflection wherever but don't spend the whole day moping around the house for them because i'm sure thats not what they would want

[VonMudra]

You all know I reenact WW1 and WW2 as German WW1 Infantry, German WW2 Para, Finnish WW2 Jager, and Australian WW2 Infantry for Africa and Pacific.  I'm currently looking into Polish 1st Armoured as well.

We don't just do non-public tactics, but also public events to educate the public about the war, the uniforms, and of course, the men who fought.  Some public events we do have been to raise money, one was for a veteran's memorial in Bakersfield, another supports the Fort MacArthur coastal artillery museum, etc.

We meet veterans (often at public shows, but they also contact us), and do interviews/q&a with them, as well as support veteran's associations.  Several modern day veterans from Vietnam, Gulf War, War on Terror, and elsewhere are reenactors themselves.

I personally have interviewed several veterans, including one who lives just down my street who was a PBY Catalina pilot in the Pacific.

[djinn]

Here in SubsSaharan Africa, most folks feel WW2 was some other people's war. Not much, but I never up an opportunity to set the record straight. 

[Timmay9/11]

Well Djinn, I think I would thing about the war the same as a citizen of a sub-Saharan state


I guess, you can imagine that in Germany there is no honouring for people who participated in the war, any war

Every now and then there is a funeral of German soldiers who died during the ISAF Operation broadcasted in the TV, exploited by any media (please don’t get me wrong there). The only thing I can recognise is that in Germany they honour enemies and victims of the nazi dictatorship

[Saegetier]

In Germany, there's no honoring for the soldiers of WW2. Like Timmay said, we only honor the victims of the Nazi Regime and the ones who tried to assassinate Hitler (Like von Stauffenberg). And i think thats right.
After all, think about this: we lost both wars and so called german "War Heros" would just have made those wars longer. There are only a few, which we honor for smuggling jews or hiding them. Sadly, most of them are going to be forgotten in 20 years.

But we also don't honor war heros from wars before WW1+2. Like 7-years-war or the napoleonic wars. Only small groups of reenactors and historyphiles are standing at the monuments of these wars these days to think about the many men who gave their lives not only for kings but, like in the napoleonic era, for freedom and thoughts of democracy.

[Ts4EVER]

I betatest FH2 and bug the devs about historical accuracy

[Ciupita]

Here in Finland war veterans are probably the most honoured citizens.

[VonMudra]

In Germany, there's no honoring for the soldiers of WW2. Like Timmay said, we only honor the victims of the Nazi Regime and the ones who tried to assassinate Hitler (Like von Stauffenberg). And i think thats right.
After all, think about this: we lost both wars and so called german "War Heros" would just have made those wars longer. There are only a few, which we honor for smuggling jews or hiding them. Sadly, most of them are going to be forgotten in 20 years.

But we also don't honor war heros from wars before WW1+2. Like 7-years-war or the napoleonic wars. Only small groups of reenactors and historyphiles are standing at the monuments of these wars these days to think about the many men who gave their lives not only for kings but, like in the napoleonic era, for freedom and thoughts of democracy.

And TBH....that to me is wrong....

The german men in WW1 died fighting for your nation.  The men in WW2, apart from the SS in early-mid war, did as well.  They didn't die for nazi ideology, especially not those in WW1 where it was purely about the country.  Honour them, or else their history, sacrifices, and the pure hell they lived through will disappear forever from memory.

[Jobabb Jobabbsen]

Totally agree with Von Mudra. They should be honored and respected completely, regardless which side they faught for. Particulary ww1 heroes, imo thats just a mess of countries declaring war at eachother, none are more evil than the other, its just that the germans were alot better to wage war than the rest.
   The nazism is imo evil, at least how the practical result of it was. But for the individual soldier it was a choice between a rope around their neck or to join the army. In a way i think they should be more honored for that, than someone who volunteers to kill people, even if hes at the "good" side. Anyhow, they should be honored for their sacrifice. I just think its wrong when modern people sit in their luxurious sofas dont wanting to honor them, unable to even dream about the terror theyve experienced.   

[Ciupita]

The nazism is imo evil, at least how the practical result of it was. But for the individual soldier it was a choice between a rope around their neck or to join the army.

Yeah, and their family get that rope too at the same time.. or concentration camp.

[VonMudra]

Exactly Jobabb.  The vast majority by the end of the war were conscripts, even those in the SS divisions were conscripted, they were just unlucky enough to get a SS draft card instead of a Heer or Luftwaffe one.  Those who volunteered early/pre-war weren't doing it because they liked the nazis, it was because of pride in their country, and at the time with virulent nationalism, pride in country meant military service.  They shouldn't be disrespected for serving their country faithfully.  Punish those who committed crimes, but 90% of the military didn't.

I remember when I was in Germany, seeing crumbling WW1 memorials.  They were Iron crosses, with the 1914 and W emblazoned on them, and in the forks were the names of the soldiers from the town that had died, with their dates of death and all.  And the memorials were literally just falling apart.  That to me is one of the greatest signs of disrespect one can give to the fallen.

[Tolga<3]

How do we honor them? We make their funerals/memorials look like a football game, alot of screaming and alot of flags. The question is 'Do they want to be honored?'

[Lightning]

You should honour the Germans that did not fight, rather than those that did. They are the real heroes. How can you honour someone who fought for the nazi regime, regardless of their reasons?

Fighting for your country. How is that an admirable thing? Fighting for freedom. That is worthy of recognition.

[NTH]

In Holland, there is a ceremonial on May 4th at 19.58 pm, in which flowers are layed on the Dam in Amsterdam:

We stand still for two minutes in the whole country for those who have fallen. Everybody, cars on highway included, except ambulance's are expected to stand still. The silence is deafening.

and the Signal Taptoe is played at the Waalsdorpervlakte. The Signal Taptoe can be compared with the Last Post.
Waalsdorpervlakte is a place where many of the resistance where brought to be shot.