Oh, shit!
Another quick German thrust into Belgium.
Not a great history there. 
Well, we withdrew without notably occurrences.
One thing though, on thursday (November 11) I -like every morning- wanted to buy my imported German newspaper at the local store - just to find out there weren’t any available. I asked the employee about it and, well, she peered at me saying “It’s November 11…Wapenstilstandsdag” (= Armistice holiday).
I admit it took me several seconds to savvy it, then I recalled I was in Flanders and that there are countries to celebrate the end of WW1 with an official holiday. Guess one never quits learning…
We don’t have an Armistice holiday here, but we have a tradition of observing a minute’s (originally two minute’s) silence at 11 a.m. on 11/11. http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/remembrance/tradition.asp It’s not a celebration but a remembrance of our war dead.
We suffered the highest casualty rate of British forces, so there was plenty to remember for the WWI generation and their children and grandchildren.
Country % Casualties of those embarked
British Isles 50.71
Canada 49.74
Australia 64.98
New Zealand 59.01
India (native) 12.77
http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/ww1/anecdotes/stats01.html
The tradition has been diluted over the past few decades, probably in large part as a result of immigration by people who don’t share our history and lack of interest by younger generations for whom WW1, and even WWII, is ancient history.
ANZAC Day, which is a holiday, is much more the current focus for rembrance of our war dead. http://www.anzacday.org.au/
I’d suspect that the casualties for the Newfoundland Regiment would be even higher (Gallipoli then Beaumont Hamel - what a start to the war!)
Going to be away intermittently until early January. Moving out of my flat into new house tomorrow night, but I don’t think it’s got internet yet. Flying out to the US Saturday morning anyway to spend Christmas/New Year with fiancée and future in-laws - not far down the road from Nick actually. Will try to swing by every now and again, but probably won’t have much time to do any proper moderating.
Funny, just like in real life after people get promoted…
If you take a look at my rank tabs you’ll find that hasn’t happened yet 
But I bet you’ve been practicing the Royal wave,
Would have been handy yesterday - took them about 45 minutes to decide that I wasn’t actually an illegal immigrant yesterday!
This would be on trying to re-enter the UK?
Nope, trying to enter the US. I never have this trouble coming home, but every time I go into the US at an airport I’m treated like scum.
They were just angry because someone took their pinup girls away.
Coming a fairly political correct person: I think you’re the victim of political correctness. You’re a relatively young, educated man with a nice British accent. Therefore, they can accost you as a great statistical evener for when the DHS actually singles out actual potential threats to security who might be more nefarious travelers from the Middle East or Asia, they can’t be called biased’…
Sad, but true.(or they thought you were Jeremy Clarkson)
And the joy of it all is that the geniuses making these decisions aren’t necessarily the sharpest tools in the shed. Some of them aren’t even in the shed. Although, like a lot of wannabe cops who can’t make the grade such as court protection officers, they are definitely tools.
She looks like she’s been boned, big time.
Probably didn’t help that I had to put a private address on the customs form, and when asked who I was staying with had to say it was my fiancee’s family… The fact that I wasn’t carrying my return air ticket in my hand when going through immigration was proof that I intended to get married and stay over here illegally…
That will surely put you on the Group W Bench…
Group W?
Seriously, next time I’m coming over here is for the wedding. I think I’m going to get a letter from the US Embassy in London saying something along the lines of “this guy lives over here and is actually coming back again, if you ever want a chance of a highly skilled immigrant coming over here legally, stop being such an ar**hole every time he comes through”
A reference to Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s restaurant Massacree” Wherein he has been drafted, and since he is a “suspicious person,” is put on the Group W bench with various other suspicious people. Best to listen to it, Arlo tells it far better than I.
When I go to Scotland through London, or Manchester, I am well treated, and the security folks are as polite as possible.(a bit odd at times, but still polite) Its usually when I return Stateside that i get the Group W treatment. Though I may at times appear to be from India or some such. The pic is me next to my son in law who is quite white. (and to answer the Question, there is no actual proof that I think)
