Remembrance Starts Here.

At Arlington, November 2012.

November 11th, a special day for all of us, is little more than a month away. For me, I am starting to think about where I will spend the day - it falls on a Monday this year, by the way.

I may visit my Great Grandfather's last resting place, he fell at the Somme in 1916. I may go the the Brussels service at the tomb of the unknown soldier, or I may watch the Whitehall service on TV, and then go for a beer or two with some of my many ex-service pals hereabouts. I will certainly call the parents of a close friend who I did my basic training with way back in 1978, and who was to die shortly afterwards, just to touch base and share some memories, smiles, and tears.

The important thing is that we are approaching the 100th anniversary of the start of the appallingly named 'Great War', which swallowed up a generation of our finest. That is what we should really be thinking about.

In a few weeks we will be pinning poppies to our lapels. But this year, and especially next year, we need to think what more we, each and every one of us, can do.

We might start here....