craggy_steve Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Is it just me who finds the "Island at War" weekend inappropriate? It seems to be a "celebration" of wartime which people take pleasure in, and I'm struggling to reconcile that with the bombed-out houses, casualties, grieving families who have just received a WD telegram etc. What sort of message does it give to younger people who have not lived through military conflict, lost friends, neighbours, family members etc.? Maybe I'm the one who's out of step, but I'm getting heartily fed up with this annual glorification of wartime. Walked through Port Erin on Sunday and there was a Self-Propelled Gun (looked like an Abbot) parked up on the station platform, quite upset me. I can understand folks celebrating the culture, engineering, music, fashion etc. of times past, but am I out of tune in finding the island's annual glorification of WWII to be a bit sick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 No, you're not out of tune. Desperate marketing gimmicks abound here. I don't support Tony Blair's veteran day either, despite being ex-military. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Nobody's glorifying it; it's part of our history and many people find it fascinating. Many others have personal connections to the period. Walked around some of the Ramsey displays the other day and was very impressed. Well done to those who made the effort. It's on for a few more days if you've got the time and interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 16 minutes ago, Albert Tatlock said: No, you're not out of tune. Desperate marketing gimmicks abound here. I don't support Tony Blair's veteran day either, despite being ex-military. Agreed. Some don't realise that the war is actually over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 I thought the Island at War is a bit of nostalgia for the forties, rather than a glorification of war. Although Pam Crowe dressed as some sort of commandant was a little disturbing. I do take the broader point people are making that there's a bit of virtue signaling going on. The Castletown Commissioners seemingly permanent signs "Castletown Remembers" WWI, the Corpy putting poppy benches, poppy window displays in the library, and a giant permanent poppy on Douglas Head. A Rushen Commissioner wanting new streets named after WWI casualties. The generation that fought the wars and lost people during it, built appropriate memorials, left us with an appropriate ceremony and symbols to mark the sacrifice. The local busybodies pushing for this ostentatious memorials are the same sort of people that would have been on Draft Boards in WWI sending kids to the Somme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 55 minutes ago, Declan said: I thought the Island at War is a bit of nostalgia for the forties, rather than a glorification of war. Although Pam Crowe dressed as some sort of commandant was a little disturbing. I do take the broader point people are making that there's a bit of virtue signaling going on. The Castletown Commissioners seemingly permanent signs "Castletown Remembers" WWI, the Corpy putting poppy benches, poppy window displays in the library, and a giant permanent poppy on Douglas Head. A Rushen Commissioner wanting new streets named after WWI casualties. The generation that fought the wars and lost people during it, built appropriate memorials, left us with an appropriate ceremony and symbols to mark the sacrifice. The local busybodies pushing for this ostentatious memorials are the same sort of people that would have been on Draft Boards in WWI sending kids to the Somme. IMO the Island has a good number of fine war memorials, I don't see as many when I drive around Cornwall but I know where they are on the Island and they don't seem to stand out as much down here. Ramsey & Lezayre memorials are particularly good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manx-person Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 2 hours ago, craggy_steve said: Is it just me who finds the "Island at War" weekend inappropriate? It seems to be a "celebration" of wartime which people take pleasure in, and I'm struggling to reconcile that with the bombed-out houses, casualties, grieving families who have just received a WD telegram etc. What sort of message does it give to younger people who have not lived through military conflict, lost friends, neighbours, family members etc.? Maybe I'm the one who's out of step, but I'm getting heartily fed up with this annual glorification of wartime. Walked through Port Erin on Sunday and there was a Self-Propelled Gun (looked like an Abbot) parked up on the station platform, quite upset me. I can understand folks celebrating the culture, engineering, music, fashion etc. of times past, but am I out of tune in finding the island's annual glorification of WWII to be a bit sick? I remember when my kids were younger that that asked about this, I think at the Manx Museum, it stimulated a conversation about the effects of war, and a discussion about their grandfather who was a PoW in a Japanese labour camp. I'm not sure it glorifies war, it perhaps reminds us, like the poppy campaign. Lest we forget Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Colombe Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 7 minutes ago, GD4ELI said: they don't seem to stand out as much down here. They do though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Down Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 3 hours ago, craggy_steve said: Is it just me who finds the "Island at War" weekend inappropriate? It seems to be a "celebration" of wartime which people take pleasure in, and I'm struggling to reconcile that with the bombed-out houses, casualties, grieving families who have just received a WD telegram etc. What sort of message does it give to younger people who have not lived through military conflict, lost friends, neighbours, family members etc.? Maybe I'm the one who's out of step, but I'm getting heartily fed up with this annual glorification of wartime. Walked through Port Erin on Sunday and there was a Self-Propelled Gun (looked like an Abbot) parked up on the station platform, quite upset me. I can understand folks celebrating the culture, engineering, music, fashion etc. of times past, but am I out of tune in finding the island's annual glorification of WWII to be a bit sick? Where has it been advertised as a “glorification” of war? You’re reading too much into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craggy_steve Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 1 minute ago, Neil Down said: Where has it been advertised as a “glorification” of war? You’re reading too much into it. Glorification of Wartime - and no, it hasn't been advertised as such. Deeds speak louder than words and repetitive portrayal of the glamour of wartime culture without the downsides - the cripples, the body bags, the homeless, the evacuees, the orphans and widows etc. seems to me to be inappropriate messaging to younger generations. Oh! What a wonderful war. My perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTeapot Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 You've got to get people used to it, its preparation for the next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 They should do a battle-re enactment. Maybe the complete D - Day landings on Ramsey beach over a period of weeks. With additional landings to the north and south. And after managing to finally establish a beachhead in Ramsey they could spend the next 10 months taking the rest of the island. With the Soviets coming in from the other side. Another year they could do Dunkirk. Or the 900 day siege of Leningrad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 1 hour ago, craggy_steve said: Glorification of Wartime - and no, it hasn't been advertised as such. Deeds speak louder than words and repetitive portrayal of the glamour of wartime culture without the downsides - the cripples, the body bags, the homeless, the evacuees, the orphans and widows etc. seems to me to be inappropriate messaging to younger generations. Oh! What a wonderful war. My perspective. When I was in PE on Saturday it looked like folks out enjoying themselves, having a sing-song etc etc. It is an Abbot complete with Don 10 etc although why they kept it shut I don't know. Unthinkingly they had set up an exhibition table right in front of the bus timetable. Oh well. Also cadets hanging around with not one of them knowing how to wear a beret properly. But glorification? Not that I saw. Glamour in an Abbot 105mm? Don't think so. Combat is a nasty, dirty, miserable business so I don't understand what you mean by "the glamour of wartime culture" unless dpm is fashionable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhtred Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 5 hours ago, Declan said: ...Pam Crowe dressed as some sort of commandant was a little disturbing. More than a little I imagine...very relieved I didn't see that. And an unconscious Freudian reveal from the lady too methinks..."some sort of Commandant"...yes, I'll bet that's exactly how she perceives herself. With a particular fondness for black uniforms and death's head motifs most likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craggy_steve Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 I hadn't seen this when I posted originally, but I think this report seems to sum it up http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=42332 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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