REDWOLF OKAY, THOUGH NOT NAMED IN STORY

Post by **Dale** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:22 pm

Nicely done there, Weekster.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:27 pm

Great news and relief.

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 3:10 pm

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:59 pm

I'm glad she's okay!

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 pm

Such a relief to hear that!!! Thanks so much for the update!

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:25 am

Thanks Weeks! Beth told me the news when we met up last night, and it's a great relief. We're still waiting for a call from Red, but we know she'll have been incredibly busy reassuring the kids and helping tie things down, so we're not worried anymore.

The Blitz reference in the article is interesting. There is a week long free "Living Museum" display in St James Park this week, celebrating Britain & the Commonwealth's actions in WW2, which I wanted to see, so Beth and I met up at Admiralty Arch (opposite end of The Mall from Buckingham Palace), and visited this.

There were WW2 vehicles lined up on the north side of the Mall, and I took a few photos for my father before my camera battery died. Then we went into the "Living Museum", bags searched of course, and spent 90 minutes there. We saw a couple of slogans added to the WW2 displays - "London Can Take It", referring to the recent bombs, and tying the events to memories of the Blitz.

The British public bounce back fast, and the crowds for this event, and round Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square, were maybe slightly less than a regular Friday evening, but certainly still numerous. We ate a steak dinner, then at 9:30, after dark, went to see another event, images from the WW2 archives being projected onto the front of Buckingham Palace. The queen had her curtains drawn.

Is it strange or wrong to compare terrorist attacks to the Blitz? It's hard not to, if you live in London. Many public buildings & statues carry scars from shrapnel and bombs, and we see these often on our travels round the capital. Now London has a few more scars, and maybe people feel a little closer to their parents and grandparents for having shared some of the same dangers. At the Living Museum we saw many old folks recording and remembering their experiences of the war for the BBC archives, and younger men and women dressed in WW2 uniforms, manning guns, searchlights, observation posts etc, and honouring the memories of those who died.

The events of Thursday will never be forgotten, but will be added to the annals of a big city that has suffered much in the past, and can take it.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:32 am

I hope the kids stay and have a good visit after all. I know some of the parents in Santa Cruz must be out of their minds with anxiety but what's done is done.

Interesting about the exhibit, Martin. I don't want to get political but the obvious difference about the Blitz is the way it unified people against a visible, understood enemy. I don't know how people can materialize a vision of just who they are fighting these days. Enough about that.

Best wishes from here and condolences, for the grieving comes next, after this initial shock...

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:02 am

I'm thankful to hear that they are apparently doing fine. No doubt it's been a nerve-rattling time to be visiting London.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:04 am

The Weekenders wrote: Interesting about the exhibit, Martin. I don't want to get political but the obvious difference about the Blitz is the way it unified people against a visible, understood enemy. I don't know how people can materialize a vision of just who they are fighting these days. Enough about that.

Yes and no, (and I don't consider this political

it's just life).

For anyone in wartime London, there was very little one could do if a V1 or V2 rocket dropped, other dust oneself off and carry on.

V2 bombs didn't give any warning - much like Thursday's attacks. The V1 could be heard approaching, and when the engine noise stopped, that was the time to worry. This was happening daily and hourly until the launch sites were captured by advancing troops in Europe. Until then, civilians had the option of living with it, or moving out into the country where the chance of a bomb or air raid was less (but not zero). Most people chose to stay.

Had I been living in London during the Blitz, I could not more kill Hitler than I could assassinate Osama Bin Laden now (or whoever initiated these attacks). I have to grit my teeth, hope I and my loved ones won't get killed in the next attack, and trust that the authorities are doing everything they can to stop them. The way the aftermath was handled, calmly and stoically, is also much the same as I have seen in WW2 newsreels and films all my life.

In this, the situation is much the same today as in 1939-45 - and of course it is not just me who draws the parallels. The difference here is that the attacks are less frequent, hopefully over, and the launchsites have yet to be identified.

As long as I can remember, warfilms have been common fare on English TV, and many times during my childhood I can recall eating Sunday lunch, then watching a WW2 film on the TV. This may or may not be healthy for the mind, but I grew up fully aware of the horrors of the war, especially since both my parents and grandparents lived through it all, and could fill in details for me. This, plus regular doses of Dad's Army to show the home front, albeit in a more light-hearted way, has instilled in me the British Bulldog spirit - that I won't be cowed by the actions of an evil dictator.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 8:37 am

Excellent.

And a big tip of the hat to Beth for her efforts.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:32 pm

Redwolf just rang, she's doing well and went to St. Alban's today, and planning Hampton Court for tomorrow. I might have that backwards. Anyway, we're planning to meet up with her on the 16th.

izzarina · Post by **izzarina** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:24 pm

avanutria wrote:Redwolf just rang, she's doing well and went to St. Alban's today, and planning Hampton Court for tomorrow. I might have that backwards. Anyway, we're planning to meet up with her on the 16th.

Yay!!! I'm so glad you heard from her, Beth. And how exciting that you all will be meeting up!

scarhand · Post by **scarhand** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 12:18 pm

i am SO glad to hear Redwolf is ok! i worried about her until i saw the news!!

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 6:50 pm

Glad to hear that Redwolf and company are ok. I thought of her immediately when I heard about the attack. Then realized that our Mr. Milner too was a resident of that city. Then I began to wonder how many others on this board might be directly affected.

We are blessed that we all seem to be ok. I just wonder how some folks can think plain old killing for the sake of killing is the way to live/die?
What can they hope to accomplish?

jbarter · Post by **jbarter** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:16 am

Great news. It's been a long worrying weekend to be out of touch.