Being of the post WWII 'Baby Boom' generation, I grew up reading comics that applauded the British War effort against the Germans in main, the Italians and Japanese never seemed to count for much, not least in playing out WWII. My father worked throughout Britain as an RAF Civilian Mechanic and concluded his war time work in Scotland maintaining anti - submarine air craft, he never talked a lot about this. However, he was into flying model aero planes and got me into making airfix plastic planes which ended up hanging from the bed room ceiling by strands of cotton. Sure enough this was my bed rooms ceiling version of the 'Battle of Britain. Of course late 50's and early 60's was the time for WWII movies; not least 'Hunt The Bismark' and Dam Busters' etc. Growing up and reading and seeing all this stuff one could easy become a 'Brit', I think possibly ZULU was the most offending film here, I seen this when I was living and working in Somerset and I got to admit I felt a certain amount of 'Brit Taff Pride'.
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But then some what ironically, it much motivated me to return to Wales with a more patriotic purpose of getting involved in the Welsh Nationalist Struggle. How was that you might ask, well it was not just a matter of Zulu pushing me in that direction as a lot was coming into play on my teenage mind to take me in opposite direction from being a 'Brit Taff'. Of course my induction into Welsh Nationalism turned me off and away from all things 'British' including interest in anything to do with the British Army, Militarism and Imperialism etc. This included not even wearing a Red Poppy on 11 November Remembrance Day and certainly not attending Remembrance Day services and parades, in time I initiated the wearing of the Cofiwn Ivy Leaf and promoted our own Welsh Remembrance Day 11 December.
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The Ivy leaf idea came from Ireland and the Remembrance Services were prompted by learning how Bismark contrived to hold post 1870 - 1 Franco Prussian War commemorations throughout Germany to encourage German National Unity. This is of course, if not main reason then certainly a major side product of British Remembrance Day on 11 November but then to object and to boycott as Welsh Patriots, is this the correct thing to do? After all, how many of us have relatives who have fought in both World Wars as I or, even relatives or freinds who have fought in the Falklands or Afghanistan. Both these wars I passivelly supported/support but not wars against Nationalists fighting to be free of the British Empire, certainly I opposed what was done to Iraq, destroy utterly an ancient civilization.
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.Visiting the Cilmeri Cenotaph earlier ths year, I noticed someone had placed there a Red Poppy Wreath, since this has brought to mind the wearing of the pacifist white poppy. I of late after watching a re run on the Yesterday Channel that excellent documentary 'A Warning From History' was mortified to be remined of Polish, Ukrainian and Baltic Nationalists/Fascists who assisted the German Military, not all of whom were Nazis slaughter to death by various awful means Jews; inc Women, Children and babies. One just got to be thankfull there was a British, Eurpoean, American and 'Third World' men and women in military forces who opposed such and brought it all to an end. Oh yes! one may counter with Vietnam and Iraq etc but then what about the Congo and Dafur etc. whatever, I did buy a Red Poppy last year, in memory mainly of my Mam's Dad wounded twice in WWI and then gets killed in a Colliery accident. Mind you, I did attach a Green/Red/White Ribbon, maybe this year I will wear an a Green Ivy Leaf with the Red Poppy and maybe lay an Ivy Wreath at a WWI&II Cenotaph in Merthyr or wherever?
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Today, of course will not be lost on you that it's the 70th anniversary of the 'Battle of Britain', I can and do appreciate and admire young airforce pilots who with great courage took to the skies to stop a number of Cities and Towns from being blitzed. However, just take a look at below and see how the 70th anniversary is being 'over used' to promote 'British Nationalism' and 'British Unity', shame that! but what can one do it, ignoring is not a soloution really is it? Especially, if it's all over the TV and Radio all of which as an history freak I find very interesting, not least stories of the 'Peoples War'. Read below and D&D!
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Battle of britain
CelebrateBritain.com Limited Edition Coins. Remembering the Battle of Britain70 years onBattle Of Britain Photos
www.rafbf.org/battle_of_britain Limited edition book of Battle of Britain photos from the rafbf
Battle of Britain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Battle of Britain - The Battle of Britain - Home Page
16 Feb 2005 ... Battle of Britain history site, from the Royal Air Force. Provides historic photographs, official reports, detailed information, ...
www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/bobhome.html - Cached - Similar..Did that Rattle any cages? I hope so!.Gethin.
