Halli~SPARTA~ Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. My avatar is of Sgt. Adam L. Cann fallen in Iraq In remembrance Thank you Soldier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicSN6 Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeno~SPARTA~ Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 So young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halli~SPARTA~ Posted November 11, 2008 Author Share Posted November 11, 2008 Sgt. Charles Stuart MacKenzie Sgt. Charles Stuart MacKenzie went to fight in France during World War I and was shot in the shoulder. The military sent him home to Scotland for treatment, where the surgeon wanted to amputate his arm. Sgt. MacKenzie refused, stating that he had to go back to his men. While recuperating in the hospital, he was asked what it was like to kill "the hun" (as the Germans were called then). He replied, "what a waste of a fine body of men". His last picture, with him in uniform, was taken on the steps of the hospital. This picture hung in his home above the fireplace. Upon his return to the front, he and his men were engaged in fixed bayonet combat. The composer says, ? To the best of my knowledge, and taken from reports of the returning soldiers, one of his close friends fell, badly wounded. Charles stood his ground and fought until he was overcome and died from bayonet wounds. On that day, my great grandmother and my grandmother were sitting at the fire when the picture fell from the wall. My great grandmother looked, and said to my grandmother "Oh, my bonnie Charlie's dead". Sure enough a few days passed, and the local policeman brought the news - that Sgt. Charles Stuart MacKenzie had been killed in action. This same picture now hangs above my fireplace. A few years back my wife Christine died of cancer, and in my grief I looked at his picture to ask what gave him the strength to go on. It was then, in my mind, that I saw him lying on the field and wondered what his final thoughts were. The words and music just appeared into my head. I believe the men and woman like yourself who are prepared to stand their ground for their family - for their friends - and for their country; deserve to be remembered, respected and honoured. Sgt. MacKenzie, is my very small tribute to them. After Sgt. MacKenzie was first released on our Tried and True CD album in 2000, a copy of the song made its way to the hands of Hollywood director, Randall Wallace and actor Mel Gibson. Immediately they both agreed that Sgt. MacKenzie should feature prominently in their upcoming movie We Were Soldiers. The rest, as they say - is history! ? ? Joseph Kilna MacKenzie Scots Tongue Lay me doon in the caul caul groon Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun Lay me doon in the caul caul groon Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun When they come a wull staun ma groon Staun ma groon al nae be afraid Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears Ains a year say a prayer faur me Close yir een an remember me Nair mair shall a see the sun For a fell tae a Germans gun Lay me doon in the caul caul groon Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun Lay me doon in the caul caul groon Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun English Translation Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone When they come I will stand my ground Stand my ground I'll not be afraid Thoughts of home take away my fear Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears Once a year say a prayer for me Close your eyes and remember me Never more shall I see the sun For I fell to a German's gun Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone Where before many more have gone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 This is a great thread. Thanks for the story too. I have never seen the translation of the song before either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halli~SPARTA~ Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 Good to see ya Bud!!!! And a many thanks to you and your Bro for what ya'll are doing no matter where you are we too are there in Pride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
custard~SPARTA~ Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Good to see ya Bud!!!! And a many thanks to you and your Bro for what ya'll are doing no matter where you are we too are there in Pride. Amen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicSN6 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 (edited) Days like Veteran's Day/ Remembrance Day are particularly difficult for me as I am sure they are for other vets like Pro-Soldier, DurkaDurka, and Postal. We all have our stories of family and/or friends who have served and been wounded or killed. I know I have my share. I just wanted to thank you guys for remembering. That is what is important. And not to go political, but I think a good many have already forgotten. Freedom isnt free and God bless those who know and honor this simplest of truths. Thank you Edited November 14, 2008 by Medic~SPARTA~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 I picked this little article up today and thought it was pretty > fitting to how I would like to spend my Veteran's Day. Instead, I > ended up working and missing dinner. Such is life, but I ain't > complaining > > I just phoned six friends and asked them what they will be > doing on Monday. > They all said the same thing: working. > Me, too. > There is something else we share. We are all military veterans. > And there is a third thing we have in common. We are not > employees of the federal government, state government, county > government, municipal government, the Postal Service, the courts, > banks, or S & Ls, and we don?t teach school. > If we did, we would be among the many millions of people who > will spend Monday goofing off. > Which is why it is about time Congress revised the ridiculous > terms of Veterans Day as a national holiday. > The purpose of Veterans Day is to honor all veterans. > So how does this country honor them?... > ...By letting the veterans, the majority of whom work in the > private sector, spend the day at their jobs so they can pay taxes > that permit millions of non-veterans to get paid for doing > nothing. As my friend Harry put it: > "First I went through basic training. Then infantry school. > Then I got on a crowded, stinking troop ship that took 23 days to > get from San Francisco to Japan. We went through a storm that had > 90 percent of the guys on the ship throwing up for a week. > "Then I rode a beat-up transport plane from Japan to Korea, > and it almost went down in the drink. I think the pilot was drunk. > > "When I got to Korea, I was lucky. The war ended seven months > after I got there, and I didn?t kill anybody and nobody killed me. > > "But it was still a miserable experience. Then when my tour > was over, I got on another troop ship and it took 21 stinking days > to cross the Pacific. > "When I got home on leave, one of the older guys at the > neighborhood bar ? he was a World War II vet ? told me I was a ---- > head because we didn?t win, we only got a tie. > "So now on Veterans Day I get up in the morning and go down to > the office and work. > "You know what my nephew does? He sleeps in. That?s because he > works for the state. > "And do you know what he did during the Vietnam War? He ducked > the draft by getting a job teaching at an inner-city school. > "Now, is that a raw deal or what?" > Of course that?s a raw deal. So I propose that the members of > Congress revise Veterans Day to provide the following: > - All veterans ? and only veterans ? should have the day off > from work. It doesn?t matter if they were combat heroes or > stateside clerk-typists. > Anybody who went through basic training and was awakened > before dawn by a red-neck drill sergeant who bellowed: "Drop your > whatsis and grab your socks and fall out on the road," is > entitled. > - Those veterans who wish to march in parades, make speeches > or listen to speeches can do so. But for those who don?t, all > local gambling laws should be suspended for the day to permit vets > to gather in taverns, pull a couple of tables together and spend > the day playing poker, blackjack, craps, drinking and telling lewd > lies about lewd experiences with lewd women. All bar prices should > be rolled back to enlisted men?s club prices, Officers can pay the > going rate, the stiffs. > - All anti-smoking laws will be suspended for Veterans Day. The > same hold for all misdemeanor laws pertaining to disorderly > conduct, non-felonious brawling, leering, gawking and any other > gross and disgusting public behavior that does not harm another > individual. > - It will be a treasonable offense for any spouse or live-in > girlfriend (or boyfriend, if it applies) to utter the dreaded > words: "What time will you be home tonight?" > - Anyone caught posing as a veteran will be required to eat a > triple portion of chipped beef on toast, with Spam on the side, > and spend the day watching a chaplain present a color-slide > presentation on the horrors of VD. > - Regardless of how high his office, no politician who had the > opportunity to serve in the military, but didn?t, will be allowed > to make a patriotic speech, appear on TV, or poke his nose out of > his office for the entire day. > Any politician who defies this ban will be required to spend 12 > hours wearing headphones and listening to tapes of President > Clinton explaining his deferments. > Now, deal the cards and pass the tequila. > - Mike Royko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicSN6 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Durka, that has to be one of the funniest thing I have read for a long time. Thanks for sharing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRock_EBDA Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Rock on brother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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