Happy (belated) World War I day!
[I'd tried to post this to the community on 4 August, but for some reason got an error, and just posted it to my journal instead; I just now succeeded in posting something to the community, so will try this one again.]
“Owing to the summary rejection by the German Government of the request made by His Majesty’s Government for assurances that the neutrality of Belgium would be respected, His Majesty’s Ambassador in Berlin has received his passport, and His Majesty’s Government has declared to the German Government that a state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany as from 11pm on August 4th.”
There were memorial events all over the city; it was difficult choosing among affinity groups, but I finally decided to go to the Minster. The service was specifically not a remembrance service, but more a reflection on where we were a century ago and where we are now. It was structured very like a Tenebrae (I went to my first Tenebrae this year), and included several poems by poets we all know, and a few maybe we don't:
[removed link to Rose Macaulay's poem 'Many sisters to many brothers']
There were a few people in uniform, but not many (one reason I picked the Minster). The Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire was there, covered in military bling, including actual spurs on his boots--clink clink clink on the stone floor of the centre aisle.
The church people are keeping a vigil until 11, then all the candles go out. I'm typing this in the dark, as we've been asked to turn our lights out at 10, so that anyone watching might actually see the lamps going out all over Europe tonight.
“Owing to the summary rejection by the German Government of the request made by His Majesty’s Government for assurances that the neutrality of Belgium would be respected, His Majesty’s Ambassador in Berlin has received his passport, and His Majesty’s Government has declared to the German Government that a state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany as from 11pm on August 4th.”
There were memorial events all over the city; it was difficult choosing among affinity groups, but I finally decided to go to the Minster. The service was specifically not a remembrance service, but more a reflection on where we were a century ago and where we are now. It was structured very like a Tenebrae (I went to my first Tenebrae this year), and included several poems by poets we all know, and a few maybe we don't:
[removed link to Rose Macaulay's poem 'Many sisters to many brothers']
There were a few people in uniform, but not many (one reason I picked the Minster). The Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire was there, covered in military bling, including actual spurs on his boots--clink clink clink on the stone floor of the centre aisle.
The church people are keeping a vigil until 11, then all the candles go out. I'm typing this in the dark, as we've been asked to turn our lights out at 10, so that anyone watching might actually see the lamps going out all over Europe tonight.