BRISTOL 14th November 2021 Wonderful Music and Solemn Remembrance.

The Great War is supposed to have ended in 1918 on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month of the year. So it is on 11th November that two minutes of  solemn silence is kept at 11:00 a.m. in both of my countries. Veterans Day in the U.S.  Remembrance Day in the U.K. 


In the U.K. the broader solemnities take place on the Sunday after 11th November.  Many of you have seen on television the ceremonies at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday.

My home City of Bristol also has a Cenotaph. It so happens (and by accident) that I was there this year on Sun Nov 14th.  I could not get near to the Cenotaph because of the enormous crowds  ten deep.

But I did get some candid  shots of Bristol's solemn procession, 




Bristol Cathedral Choir


Civic leaders in ceremonial robes


Here comes the Judge


Mounted Police. The one in front of this pair had left a calling card


??  Perhaps a school based programme (like ROTC).  Love the braids!


Veterans



Police.  They walk rather than march in such parades. Marching might suggest that Police are a semi-military force. I am guessing that the lead woman was on 14th Nov the Acting Chief Constable.  She has since been confirmed  as the Chief Constable.



Ceremonial Police





Army


Navy


Air Force



The Bristol Bishops.  Declan Lang Roman Catholic, Vivienne Faulds Church of England. Followed by representatives of other denominations and religions.


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Meanwhile at the Harbour,  some distance from the Cenotaph, a detachment of soldiers were under orders. Upon command they mounted a Howitzer.





The Howitzer was fired at 11:00 - with a noise that startled us. By instinct we knew that this was the begging of the great silence. The Howitzer was fired again two minutes later.

Shared silence is awesome.  

So is great music. 

Before the ceremonies began at the Cenotaph the solemn tones of Elgar's "Nimrod" ( from his Enigma Variations) drifted through the air as it was played by a band.  Another awe inspiring time.

Here is Nimrod, as played at the London Cenotaph a few years ago.

https://youtu.be/O5sX99HODzg 













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