Tuesday, 22 November 2011

Armistice Day - 11 November 2011

As is well known, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the Allied and German forces signed an armistice (technically not a surrender) which marked the cessation of First World War hostilities on the Western Front in north-east France. What is less well known is that hostilities continued in other regions, especially in parts of what are now Russia and Turkey, for some time afterwards.

The date was declared a national holiday in many Allied nations, to commemorate those members of the armed forces who were killed during the War. Observance of the day now includes remembrance of all those who fought and gave their lives in all Wars since then.

In our locality, sited near the boundary between Occupied France (about 60% of the country and controlled by the German army) and Vichy France (the balance, run by that part of the French army which had signed an armistice with the Germans and hence under their control) in the Second World War and hence an active area for the French Resistance, the day is particularly significant. One of the main roads through the area is named after Claude Bonnier, the leader of the French Resistance in the area.

Below is a picture of the Remembrance ceremony at our local war memorial. A small unit of the French Army was present to represent the country's military at this important occasion.

One of our local residents has an impressive collection of First World War memorabilia and the following three photos show a part of a small exhibition which he had laid out in the Salle des Fetes for public viewing.


And to close, here is a picture of us at the Remembrance ceremony, all dressed up with poppies and warm clothing - a cold wind was blowing, but we were warmed up afterwards by a selection of whisky, pineau (a local drink 50% cognac and 50% wine) and pastis (an aniseed based spirit - Ricard is a well known trade name), all of which were on offer at the exhibition!

Thanks to Nigel for all his help once more in this post. For those of you who have kindly asked after my health, I am still coughing a little during the day, the new medication has helped, but at night I am still coughing badly.  My Dr is at this moment trying to make arrangements for me to see a specialist who we hope may come up with some answers.  With the continual coughing I suspect that I have now cracked a rib, but as there is little that can be done for it, I hope that it will heal in its own good time.  I have cracked many ribs during my riding days so I know the feeling well!!

Please note that my laptop is seriously playing up so if there are delays in my comments you know why!!! 

81 comments:

  1. What nice and interesting post, dear, Love the pictures too! gloria

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  2. I hope that you'll get well soon Diane. It is so hard when you don't feel really good. Happy holidays!

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  3. Gloria glad you found it interesting. Take care Diane

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  4. chubskulit I have to admit to being very fed up with this cough now. Between that and the computer..... :(
    Diane

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  5. Do hope you feel better soon Diane, take care,

    SP

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  6. SP I hope so to, this has been going on since the beginning of October and I have had more than enough now!! Diane

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  7. Thanks for this interesting post Diane - there are a couple of facts in it that I didn't know ...

    ... as a kid, I remember being horrified at the conditions in which those soldiers had to fight - but what disturbed me more was the complete control which the state had over young men's lives ... I think that this contributed a lot to my later anti-establishment views.

    I'm sorry to hear that you've been ill and I wish you a speedy recovery Diane.

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  8. Sorry to hear you are still not well. Hope that with time you will heal and quickly.

    And how interesting, i never knew that poppies are worn in Francetoo. I thought it was only UK that did it.

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  9. Oh my Diane, I am so sorry to hear of your continued ill health. Since I commented on your last post, I had hoped you were resting and getting better.

    I enjoyed your post about Armistice Day and it is always a good thing in my view to remember those who fought and died for us. You and Nigel look so nice all dressed up together. I'm glad you have his help at this time and I hope the two of you are settling in together in your new life. Hugs.

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  10. I'm diagnosing Pleurisy. I hope you feel better soon. Both World Wars are felt so personally here in Europe...something we, in the U.S., don't understand so well.

    Hey, I know Pineau too well. I spent 10 days in Royonne this summer and had my share. Chin up and heal well.

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  11. Sorry to read that your cough is still causing you problems. Hopefully your medication will work wonders!

    Lovely to see you and Nigel together at the parade, and you both look very smart!

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  12. Whewn I am in France I realise that it must have been a very different war - living with enemy occupation. Get well soon xxxxx

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  13. It is very moving tribute to victims of war.
    Interesting that your photographs from the private collection!
    What a beautiful couple you are!
    I hope to become well quickly! Do not go out in the cold.
    Many greetings and kisses my beloved friend Diane!

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  14. Graham I am glad you learnt something new. As for my health I am now very fed up and I just want to feel well again. This is just dragging on we can find no cause for the cough. Diane

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  15. Boye By Red we actually bought our poppies in the UK before we left, the French wear paper stick on type stamps with a cornflower on them. Having said that on the pamphlet which was issued to us all on the day, there is both a picture of a poppy and a cornflower. I also hope I heal quickly! Diane

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  16. Joyful if I was not with Nigel at the moment I think I would go out of my mind. He keeps me sort of sane! I really do not feel well and it just drags on.
    Glad you enjoyed the post. Diane

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  17. Delana, think your diagnosis is wrong as my lungs are just fine! It appears to be all in the throat but there is nothing there that shows up. Complete mystery! Nigel thinks I should go for hypnosis, maybe he is right :)
    Glad you enjoyed the pineau, it is a magical drink :)) Thanks for the comment, take care Diane

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  18. Thanks GaynorB, Nigel did not want me to put the photo of us on the blog but I though it was a nice photo so I won the day :)) Diane

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  19. Diane you are so right I am glad I was not here during the war it must have been a very difficult life. I hope to get well soon. Diane

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  20. Thanks Magda for your kind comments. I am trying very hard to get well but it is a very slow process. Hugs Diane

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  21. Oh Diane, I'm sorry you are still unwell, that has been a wee while not hasn't it. You must be feeling a bit fed up by now. Hope you feel much better real soon.
    Your pictures are great - your neighbour sure has a big collection to show. And that is a nice picture of you and Nigel.

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  22. Ellie it all started in early October so you are right I am very fed up by now :(
    That is a very small part of his collection, he has just masses of things, he is always so proud to show us when he adds to it. Take care Diane

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  23. Une date importante mais cela n'a pas empêché la 2ème guerre d'avoir lieu.
    A très bientôt

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  24. It was wonderful tosee both of you together. I do hope you soon mend and the doctors can take care of that cough. I'll keep you in my thoughts. Have a good day.Blessings...Mary

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  25. I always learn many new interesting things form you posts. I really love history - especially the history of France. Coughs can be very stubborn. Be sure to treat it until the end - this is very important.

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  26. You two look smashing in your red poppies. And I love your boots.

    Do whatever you need to do for yourself and feel better soon.

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  27. I hope that you'll get well soon, my friend, and stop coughing.
    Big hug from me
    Stina

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  28. Hi Diane .. interesting Remembrance Day stories and photos - good for the children to see and us too. I went to see Sarah's Key recently - very evocative and thought provoking ..

    Sorry about this cough, cracked ribs et al .. hunker down in front of a warm fire and relax if you can - now you're together .. great photo ..

    Cheers and all the best to a speedier recovery .. Hilary

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  29. Nadji. Merci pour votre visite et commentaire. A très bientôt. Diane

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  30. Thanks Mary, I also hope I mend very soon :) Take care diane

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  31. Olga glad that you enjoyed the little bit of history. I am beginning to wonder if there is an end to this cough it is now getting boring! Diane

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  32. Gaelyn I also love those boots. I found them in a charity shop, brand new still with the label attached and very cheap, perfect fit :)) Diane

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  33. Stina I am trying to get well but it seems to be a very slow process!! Take care Diane

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  34. Hilary I have not read or seen Sarah's Key but it is on the 'to get' list. It was much easier to get these books in the UK from the library....
    Thanks for the good wishes for a speedy recovery. Diane

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  35. Interesting photos of all the WW1 memorabilia. We too are very close to the WW2 line of demarcation:- it's about 6km away.
    So sorry to hear that the cough has still not been vanquished. Hope you get well soon.

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  36. Niall and Antoinette I wish my French was better as I would so love to chat to some of the 90 year olds around here, they must have so much info stored away. I am really fed up with this flippin cough now!!!

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  37. It certainly looks like he had a lot of interesting mementoes on display! It was lovely to see a photo of you and Nigel together and to hear he has been helping you with the blog. Maybe he will be contributing more in the future. I am of course sorry to read though that initially it is because you are still feeling so poorly. Take Care my friend.

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  38. the man in the photo must be nigel. Nice to see both of you here. Sorry to hear abt your coughing, does this happen only when the weather gets cold?

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  39. Dear Diane! I sincerely hope you're doing better and the new doc. must come out with some answer to that cough, which I know from personal experience can be very annoying. I loved the picture of you and Nigel. Poppy day is not even mentioned in our continent, we have had our own wars of which I am not particularly proud. big hugs

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  40. Diane, I'm sorry to hear that you are still not feeling well. I drink a glass of warm milk sweetened with honey or make a little glass of hot toddy (equal measures of rum, honey and lemon juice)and sip it slowly. I hope one of these remedies will work for your cough. Take care

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  41. Linda, Nigel has always given me some help with the blog but at the moment he is doing more than his share :) I am sure he will always help me, especially when it comes to research.
    Feeling much the same at the moment!! Diane

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  42. Lena you are right the man in the photo is Nigel :) This cough started off after I had a very bad dose of flu in the UK at the beginning of October. I had a spell like this about 8 years ago when nobody could find out why I was coughing, that went on for 3 years so I hope this time they do find some answers!! I have to say this time is much worse. Diane

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  43. Pamela I am still waiting to see the specialist. I have had long term coughs before but this one is by far the worse. I fall asleep at night simply because I am too exhausted after so much coughing. Not pleasant.
    Take care Diane

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  44. Marco Pasha, thanks for your concern I have tried warm honey, lemon and whiskey but not rum, maybe I should switch over. I am willing to try anything. Take care Diane

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  45. I've been out of the loop for a few weeks and didn't know you weren't well. Hope you get it figured out... there is nothing worse than being sick but you are so lucky to have Nigel to care for you!!

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  46. great post important to remember sorry to hear that your unwell hugs Rebecca

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  47. What a great & interesting post. Cute picture of you too! Hope you feel better soon.

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  48. Am late visiting blogs. Nice reportage! Best wishes to you!

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  49. lostpastremembered thanks for the good wishes. It is hard on Nigel as he cannot concentrate on anything while I walk around coughing my head off! Diane

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  50. Thanks Rebecca, a VIP day for sure. I also hope that I will soon feel better! Diane

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  51. Thanks Pam for the kind comment. Happy thanksgiving. Diane

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  52. Thanks anni, better late than never, have a great day. Dciane

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  53. So sorry you're still coughing - I know how tiring it can be.

    Lovely to see you both together in France at last though :)

    Get well soon.

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  54. Diane that is a fascinating post and I love the photo of you and Nigel.

    I am so sorry to hear that you are still poorly. I do hope the specialist can come up with something to help you recover quickly. Jean xx

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  55. Hope you are feeling better by now. HUGZ.. Great post and nice photos as always.

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  56. Jacky glad you like the post. I am just not getting any better and I see a specialist on Tuesday. My fingers are crossed that they find some reason for this coughing as I cannot go on like this it has been far too long. Diane

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  57. Hi Jean have sent you an email with more news. Diane

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  58. Quay Po Cooks thanks for your visit. Sadly no I do not feel any better. I see the specialist next week and hope they come up with some answers! Take care Diane

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  59. I am always touched by the Memorials to those children who died for France and the huge numbers of names for WWI compared to the number of dead from WWII. Thanks for the pictures. I like the one of the two of you with your poppies. I hope you are feeling better soon.

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  60. Thanks for visiting my blog "This is Belgium", am very grateful for your taking the time to visit and for your comments, I always enjoy very much getting them... I reveal the secret of the man in white very soon !

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  61. chcmichel, it amazes me that there almost no villages that have not got a war memorial. Glad you liked the one of us together. I also hope to be better very soon! Diane

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  62. anni I am intrigued I will be watching you blog closely :) Diane

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  63. It is good to remember, a very nice post. I sure hope you get down to what is going on with your cough. You need to get better! I like the photo of the two of you, what a handsome couple!

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  64. Thanks for the very kind comments. I see the specialist on Tuesday so I hope I get some answers. Take care, Diane

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  65. Je suis désolée de lire que votre santé ne va pas mieux. Je souhaite de tout coeur que le spécialiste trouve de quoi vous soulager. Espérons que cela ne tardera pas trop.Soignez vous bien.
    Bien amicalement.

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  66. Dear Diane, that's a lovely picture of you and Nigel. We celebrate Veteran's Day (formerly known as Armistice Day), and the Veteran's groups sell the red poppies. I'm glad to see that you are returning to normal life, and do hope your rib pain subsides soon!

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  67. Mercie Lucie, j'espèrent être meilleurs très bientôt. Bien amicalement. Diane

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  68. I did not know that you had poppies for Veteran's Day, interesting. I hope to get some answers on Tuesday when I see the specialist, I need to feel better now, I have had enough of feeling miserable!! Diane

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  69. Christine's Pantry Glad you enjoyed the post, take care Diane

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  70. Thank you for sharing Armistice Day with us Dianne. It's always such an incredible experience to be in other's country during a special holiday. I always think of Europe when I see poppies.

    I hope your cough continues to improve. Love the photo of you and Nigel. Take care and get well soon.
    Sam

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  71. Gosh I hope you feel better soon. It's terrible to cough so much that you're injured.

    It was good of you to remember this day as well.

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  72. thank you for taking the time to share about Armistice Day - so interesting - and important - this comes with lots of love and hoping you feel much better
    Mary x

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  73. Thanks Sam for you kind comments and for visiting. Off to see the specialist this afternoon so I hope I will get some answers.Diane

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  74. Brittany I hope we will soon get some answers for my cough, it just will not let up!! Take care. Diane

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  75. Mary (Mum's kitchen) thanks for the comment. You are so right it is important to remember those that have fallen trying to give us a better life. Take care, Diane

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  76. Hi Diane. I'm late here, so having read all the comments, now hoping your visit to the specialist yesterday was helpful. So sorry to hear you've been feeling awful..

    I really LOVED your earlier post "The Drive Sout"h - it is exactly my type of blog post, and i really enjoyed all the roadside shots, and the bits of interest about each place!

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  77. Hi Karen thanks for the catch up comments much appreciated. Just about to load a new post which will also have a catch up on my health. Take care Diane

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  78. Hiya Diane I am finally catching up on blogs I missed during my computer crashing crisis!

    I have to buy my poppies in London when I am over, as they do not wear the poppy here in Ireland, or commemorate 11th November.

    It was great to see a photo of you and Nigel together, you make such a lovely couple. I do hope by now that wicked cough of yours has finally gone away?

    Pineau sounds just the thing, a sip of that before bedtime would be grand X

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  79. Dolly I now have the computer crisis. My main computer has now been down for a couple of weeks and despite paying a fortune to speak to the specialist in the UK I am no further forward!!! Luckily I have my very old laptop which is still going, despite the fact it is very slow.
    I love pineau but at the moment all it does is to make me cough - not good. Diane x

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