Mark from the States Reacts Festival of Remembrance 2023: Alfie Boe, Drum Altar, Muster Pt 4

Copyright © 2023 BBC
Hope everyone is Happy, Healthy and Safe.
Please clickety click...it helps.
Contact: [e-mail]
Mark Masterson
P.O. Box 7645
Ventura, Ca. 93006
Intro/Outro music and logo created by Damien Masterson
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

[@patriciacortes1399]

The British sure know how to honor their military. Having Alfie Boe sing Bring Him Home is the icing on the cake. He’s absolutely magnificent.

[@elainecampbell8227]

My wonderful brother-in-law took part in the muster representing the RAF - must have been circa 1970s. Everyone in the family was terribly excited and couldn't understand why it wasn't something I was prepared to lose a Saturday night out for. Dear, dear Peter died in 2005, and if there's a list of regrets in my life it's that I didn't see him march down those RAH steps and have the fond memory of his proudest moment. No video recording, i-player, pause/fast-forward/rewind back then. I missed the best Saturday night I could have had.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Oh my sweet friend. Sorry to hear about this.

[@kirad2234]

was his name Frazer by any chance? I was one of the RAF personnel who took part in it too and made good friends with him while we were away

[@JJ-of1ir]

This was the one that really got me! Was doing well up until now. Very, very proud of the men and women of all our Services. Thank you Mark for spending time to react to this year's Festival of Remembrance. You certainly are doing us proud. All the very best to you from the UK

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Wonderful! Thank you as always JJ

[@marinamiddleton7597]

I love listening to Alfie bow what a voice

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Boe

[@annieoconnor9778]

Thank you Mark for letting me see through your eyes how moving this service is. Much love and respect from England 🙏🏻

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Awesome thanks for watching with me

[@maureenjones9107]

You are such a nice person Mark. Thank you lovely. Hope you and your family are well. ❤

[@MarkfromtheStates]

So kind Maureen. We are doing well...getting ready to head out of town to Costa Rica. Excited

[@SuperDancingdevil]

Thank you Mark for sharing your feelings with us, Remeberence for us is a time for reflection on ALL the conflicts and loss during war of our Armed services and the many civilians killed or injured, For me it’s a mixture of pride and sorrow , I wear my Poppy with the same mix of feelings and I’m pleased that you wear one too, Until next time Mark stay well and safe. 👍🏻🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Right on my friend thank you

[@cathyb46]

The soldier at the top of the stairs is the Garrison Sargeant Major Andrew Stokes who also was in charge of getting the 1000 troops for the Kings Coronation in good order. Led the cheer at the back of the Palace like he did here.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

So good

[@1889jonny]

I've attended too many drum-head services, one is too many... Thank you for exceptional coverage/reaction

[@claregale9011]

Hi Mark, very touching I've actually seen les miserables at the theatre and that song is very powerful gets me everytime 😢. Proud of all our armed forces bless them .

[@MarkfromtheStates]

So good...

[@heathertaylor-nicholson9387]

My father in law was in the merchant marine as a young man serving as an engineer's mate at the time. His ship he was serving on was attacked by German aircraft and the boat sank as a result. He never spoke of his experience save for the fact he hinted to my husband, he had spent some time needing psychiatric care for what we would now know as PTSD. I can only imagine what it must have been like for him to have to climb from the engine room in the bowels of the ship in order to escape. He did carry on with a nautical engineering career afterwards, then became a land based engineer working with petrolium companies in the Middle East, passing away a few years back aged 98.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Wow what a life...RIP

[@anthonycutt]

Oh my God, don't mind telling y'all [!], I haven't cried like this for twenty years since having my two boys, one of which might be joining the RAF. To coin a phase 'Just So Good', amazing I agree.

[@maureenjones9107]

I’m so glad you appreciate us in the uk Mark. Thank you because some of your Americans ask why we don’t speak proper English because they invented the English language. We were speaking our language before your country was even discovered!!! Makes me feel so angry at some ignorant Americans. Thank you lovely. ❤

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Thank you Maureen for the kind words. Don't get angry just laugh at how ignorant some can be. Wait! We didn't invent the English language? LOL You would think if we did we wouldn't have called it English.

[@danielferguson3784]

Claire Balding, our commentator, has been a T v presenter for many years. She started out as an Equestrian, going on to commentate on horsey events, then more widespread on sports. More recently she has taken on this sort of job, & she does it well & sympathetically. The usual speaker for this event, Hugh Edwards, has fallen from grace because of some internet posts or something, & has unfortunately left the BBC.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Oooh ok that's not good. She did great I thought

[@kirad2234]

one of the highlights of my military career so far, being part of the RAF at the Muster

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Very cool...thank you for your service

[@ottospunkmeyer9887]

Just love, respect and gratitude....❤

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Thank you for watching with me

[@CarolWoosey-ck2rg]

Youve done it again to me Mark! Bring him home, how ironic seeing that most of the soldiers never got home- a very moving song, and very apt - stay safe on your hols, enjoy! Snog those mogs x🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@MarkfromtheStates]

I'm gonna miss those cats but this get away it's needed

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Grandma is taking care of them so they're happy about the extra attention they'll be getting

[@jonathangoll2918]

About 890, to fight the Vikings, Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, organised a fleet. I believe at that stage, soldiers were local levies got together for an occasion, and it was only later that they recruited professional armies. Therefore, no doubt to the Army's enormous irritation, the Royal Navy is reckoned to have been founded first, is therefore the 'Senior Service', and takes precedence.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Thank you Jonathan

[@user-uf1yn2hn1q]

Actually the Royal Navy IS The Sovereigns Service. Known as The Senior Service. The Army has always been made up of local Lords, noblemen and landowners men. That’s how the Coldstream Guards came into being. The oldest, continuously serving regiment in the Army. Raised in Scotland by Colonel George Monk, 1st Duke of Albemarle in 1650. Its principal role is the protection of the monarchy.

[@kimarnill7648]

Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe is fantastic, such a beautiful voice.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇧I would have loved it if he was welsh but he is of Irish and Norwegian descent.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Amazing

[@dennisrobinson7587]

Excellent series of videos.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Many thanks!

[@bladeschick1]

Gives me goosebumps, proud to be British 🇬🇧 ❤

[@davidwatts-hw2dh]

WE/UK are not dead just yet, Mark🙂

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Haha no you are not. Love it

[@maxmoore9955]

Wow this made the old eyes Leak abit .😢

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Was that your phone i kept hearing, Mark?. Made me jump 😂

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Ya sorry about that...should put it on mute but always forget

[@pjmoseley243]

Mark have you noticed the design and shape of the crown has changed to a Kings Crown from a Queens Crown, similar to that of a chess board difference?

[@weedle30]

My country might be in a bit of a shambolic state ATM *coughs* 😏😣🥺PM sacking and resignations; public transport strikes; NHS crises; the cries of “you DIDN’T do this!…” combined with “YOU did this?” Blah blah but… One thing this country DOES do well and properly are celebrations and festivals - be it sad ones like the Queen’s funeral or happy ones like the King’s Coronation and of course the Festival of Remembrance…. It’s the time that I feel so proud that when “we” do things like these, no one can better it; everybody just does “their bit” for that day, that moment….and you can just put aside all that has “gone wrong” in the country’s real time and just value that on the occasion of those important celebrations, those involved will give it their all.

[@MarkfromtheStates]

Yes agreed that no one does it better

[@36thulsterdiv72]

It's called tradition and by fuck do we do it properly.