Do you remember where you were? Do you remember your
feelings and your thoughts, as the news reports came through? I remember very
well. I remember where I was, I remember my confused thoughts and feelings. I
remember a total sense of bewilderment. Looking back over twenty years, I
remember much more than I expected. The media reports and public reaction after
the event, being most likely responsible for those seared memories.
It was Tuesday the 11th of September 2001, being English we
put the numbers before the month. The day began with an early start and a
meeting with two of my friends for a trip out. We were all at university back
then. I was a mature student, Maxim and Adam were younger.
We changed buses at Derby and headed out on the Manchester
route, reaching the village of Rowsley in the late morning. It was a slightly overcast
day, with patches of bright sunlight in competition with small formations of
cloud. The countryside about us was speckled by these patches of shade and
sunlight. The day was neither cool nor too warm, it was an ideal day for a hike
across the lower Peak District.
We began the slow but enjoyable climb from the village, up
to the plateau of Stanton Moor. We meandered our way, passing other quaint
English villages, attractive gardens and fields of sheep. We were completely
cut off from the outside world. That sense of peace was then, as much of an
attraction as it is now. We were away from the busy roads, very few aeroplanes
went over us and we saw only a few fellow ramblers. Our mobile telephones,
which were still something of a novelty in 2001; had long ceased to receive a
signal.
We almost stumbled upon the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, the
heather and trees obscured our view as we came up from the north side, the
Reform Tower standing far off to our left. This stone circle which may
technically be a henge; as there is evidence of what could be an eroded bank
around it, is ancient. It was built during the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age,
it is believed to be between three and six thousand years old. The lower figure
being favoured by the majority of archaeologists, places the structure in the
Bronze Age.
It was the first visit to this part of the Peak District for
my friends, so we spent a short time exploring the immediate area and viewing
the stone circle. We spoke very briefly to other hikers, all equally oblivious
to the death and destruction now taking place across the Atlantic. The peace, tranquilly
and emptiness of the moor, would stand in stark contrast; to the horrific chaos
of which we were soon to learn.
We began to head south for Birchover, walking across an
expanse of deserted moorland. We entered the village looking for a suitable
public house or perhaps a shop for snacks. We came down from the hills to enter
an equally deserted village. The school bus had not yet been through, so there
were no children out and the Red Lion was closed. We found the village shop and
I remained outside. Max and Adam entered.
They came out with snacks and news. Adam was pale and
concerned. Max was rather flushed. His words, 'The Russians have dropped the
bomb, New York is on fire.' One can never really tell with Max whether he is
joking or not. I really had no idea what to make of his words or his expression.
I went into the shop myself. There was a television on a shelf in the corner,
two shop workers and two, perhaps three customers were watching it. This was
the largest group of people we had seen since we left Rowsley. It was not a
modern television like we have now, flat screen and colour. It was an old
portable black and white. On the small fifteen inch screen the news played over
and over, showing at least one Boeing jet hit a tower.
I was speechless. I turned to Max and Adam saying, 'Is this
real?' I thought I was watching a video, it looked so much like a Hollywood
blockbuster. I could not accept the reality of the situation. Someone said,
'It's real.' Another said, 'It's a terrible accident.' Max said, 'It's the
Russians.' I was mentally paralysed by a deep sense of disbelief and resentment.
The latter caused by fear. How dare Russia start a war and ruin our lives.
We stayed there for a few minutes, long enough to ascertain
that it was not the Russians or the start of a Nuclear war. We left the shop
and headed out of the village to wander home. We believed that there had been a
terrible accident, the full enormity of the situation would not become apparent
for quite some time. It was all so distant and faraway, a tragedy yes but not
really touching us.
No doubt many people reading this piece will now laugh but prior
to the 11th of September 2001, I had never heard of the Twin Towers. I was in
complete ignorance of the existence of the World Trade Centre and why would I not
be? It had no bearing or relevance upon my own existence then. I can however,
assure the reader that I did know that New York did exist. I am not that insular
nor oblivious, to the greater world environment.
We made our way out across farmland in the general direction
of Winster and the river Derwent. Here my usual lack of any sense of direction
and my poor map reading skills, became a minor hindrance. We missed Minster,
got lost and eventually found our way back to the river Derwent by a ridiculously
convoluted route. Not that it was a major issue, we were still walking through
the beautiful Derbyshire countryside, the weather had improved. It was warm, we
had bright sunshine and magnificent views across the Derwent valley.
Our journey home once we had found the correct bridge and
the main road, was uneventful. True that we had passed through some dense woodland
and a field of collapsed mine workings, carefully avoiding the pits as we went.
It was perhaps not the safest route out but we lived to tell the tale. There was
little or no mention of the events in New York on the journey home. Our fellow
bus travellers, many on their way home from work in Bakewell and Matlock, were
as oblivious as we were to the details of the event. It was only once we were
all safely back home, with access to others, the television and news reports;
that the true catastrophic nature of events became clear.
In those first few days and this may seem quite at odds,
with what many of the younger generation will now know. There was not a
universal outpouring of grief and support for the USA. Many in the UK and in
continental Europe, while expressing sadness at the loss of life, observed that
US foreign policy was at fault. It was suggested that decisions made by
successive US Governments since the fifties, bore some responsibility for the
radicalisation of terrorists across the world.
Others observed that while countries such as the UK, France,
Germany and Spain had suffered acts of terrorism, the USA had not always been
as supportive as the people of those countries would have wished. These views,
expressed not by Government officials but by citizens; illustrated that USA
foreign policy had been frequently viewed with suspicion.
These opinions which we rarely hear today, should not in any
way detract from or devalue the tragic loss of life. Approximately three
thousand people lost their lives that day or died of their injuries soon after.
Whatever the politics, the blame or the cause, people died. Innocent people
died. The full impact, the importance and approximation of victim numbers, was
not fully appreciated in those first few days after the event.
Whatever the politics and whatever the consequences that
followed, the attack of the 11th of September 2021 was a criminal act. It was
an act of terror, a catastrophe and those that died were murdered. Rather than
apportion blame and make vain inappropriate excuses, we should remember the
victims of terrorism, before, then and since.
