The Veteran on the Canadian $10 Bill

**Lallans** · 5th November 10, 06:13 AM

I got this on an office email. Interested non Canadians or Canucks who are as broke as I am can access the same story plus an image here (or use Google if the very lengthy link gets broken.)

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...:1&um=1&itbs=1

The poem faintly visible in the bottom left of the bill is the first stanza of "In Flanders Fields" as posted by Anne the Pleater on another current thread, the one about poppies. The young woman Peacekeeper with a binocular standing completely unarmed and unprotected is the object of satiric comment in some circles.

THE VETERAN ON OUR TEN DOLLAR BILL

If you look at the back right-hand side of a Canadian $10 bill, you will see an old veteran standing at attention near the Ottawa war memorial. His name is Robert Metcalfe and he died last month at the age of 90.

That he managed to live to that age is rather remarkable, given what happened in the Second World War. Born in England, he was one of the 400,000 members of the British Expeditionary Force sent to the mainland where they found themselves facing the new German warfare technique - the Blitzkrieg.

He was treating a wounded comrade when he was hit in the legs by shrapnel. En route to hospital, his ambulance came under fire from a German tank, which then miraculously ceased fire. Evacuated from Dunkirk on HMS Grenade, two of the sister ships with them were sunk.

Recovered, he was sent to allied campaigns in North Africa and Italy . En route his ship was chased by the German battleship Bismarck.

In North Africa he served under General Montgomery against the Desert Fox, Rommel. Sent into the Italian campaign, he met his future wife, a lieutenant and physiotherapist in a Canadian hospital. They were married in the morning by the mayor of the Italian town, and again in the afternoon by a British padre. After the war they settled in Chatham where he went into politics and became the warden (chairman) of the county and on his retirement he and his wife moved to Ottawa.

At the age of 80 he wrote a book about his experiences.

One day out of the blue he received a call from a government official asking him to go downtown for a photo op. He wasn't told what the photo was for or why they chose him. 'He had no idea he would be on the bill,' his daughter said.

And now you know the story of the old veteran on the $10 bill.

**CDNSushi** · 5th November 10, 07:49 AM

Thanks for that. It's easy to feel out of touch with one's homeland as an ex-pat. It's also very apt as Remembrance Day is coming. As I did last year, I will be attending this year's ceremony at the Commonwealth cemetery in Yokohama. The Canadian embassy is organizing the event this year, so I made it a point to make it out.

Since I left Canada I've become more familiar with the faces and scenes depicted on the Japanese yen notes -- I can tell you who the people are and what they are known for, and yet, if you asked me (prior to reading this post) what was on the back of a Canadian tenner, not only would I not have known, but I'd be clueless as to the history and background behind it as well.

Sometimes I feel like I'm becoming a man without a country. Canada has become foreign to me, and Japan will never adopt me as their own. Hmmm.

In any event, thanks for posting that.

**Macman** · 5th November 10, 10:05 AM

Thanks for that! I had to look over a bill with my magnifier to read the poem. It's great to know the story behind the bill.

**Pleater** · 5th November 10, 10:30 AM

**kc8ufv** · 5th November 10, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Pleater

Question is, is home in the foreground or background?

**Lallans** · 5th November 10, 10:48 AM

Talk about hijacking a thread! But hey I can see my house from the moon!

**ThistleDown** · 5th November 10, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Macman

Thanks for that! I had to look over a bill with my magnifier to read the poem. It's great to know the story behind the bill.

May I borrow your glass, Macman? Mine seems to have gone missing. Thank you, Canuck, for a good story well told.

**Highland Logan** · 5th November 10, 12:32 PM

Just a note... this story may warm the heart, but may not be true. Read on.

Link

Frank

**Lallans** · 5th November 10, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Highland Logan

Just a note... this story may warm the heart, but may not be true. Read on.

Link

Frank

If the account is not true, there have been several years to disprove it: although new to me, the link shows that it was first published in a Canadian veteran's magazine in circa 2005. But if it's nonetheless a total confabulation, that will certainly emerge shortly because the story is being widely circulated here in Canada. I'll let you know!

**Highland Logan** · 5th November 10, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Canuck of NI

If the account is not true, there have been several years to disprove it: although new to me, the link shows that it was first published in a Canadian veteran's magazine in circa 2005. But if it's nonetheless a total confabulation, that will certainly emerge shortly because the story is being widely circulated here in Canada. I'll let you know!

I'm from, in and never left Canada and it's the first I have heard of it. I also doubt that the Bank of Canada would get it wrong.

Frank