I try to buy my poppies early. I need them in March for the St Nazaire raid reunion

But still get more as we reach November 11th.

The RBL only have two weeks each year to fund the work they do - it’s important never to forget all whose lives have been lost in conflict and we who live in a safer world should respect that sacrifice.

I posted this earlier today on a social media site but I think some of the members here will be interested too;

“Recently found a book that I have owned since about 1979 called “Norwich at War” but never read - it was quite an eye opener of things that I suspected but didn’t know and others that surprised me.

As part of the Blitz/Beiderbecke raids 30,000 houses in Norwich were damaged including my mothers and the entire “yard” where my father grew up.

340 civilians lost their lives with Norwich being the first city attacked by the Germans in July 1940 where 27 died as there was no warning of the raid.

In addition to the bombs being dropped the Germans machine gunned the citizens from their planes which sometimes were flying lower than the height of the Cathedral Spire.

I always knew that there were bomb craters in the woods at the end of the street that I grew up on but didn’t know that (unexploded ) bombs landed in the garden of the house opposite and next door to my Sister’s current house.

Today I will remember the sacrifice of the citizens as well as those that lost their lives in a foreign field.

The book is called “Norwich at War” by Joan Banger and there are copies available on eBay if anyone is interested.“

Posted By: biffbro, Nov 8, 12:32:40