Remembrance Day

[Colin]

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Canadians are asked to pause and remember the thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives fighting for freedom and democracy during the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War and during peacekeeping missions.

During the First World War, (1914-1918) more than 600,000 soldiers volunteered to go overseas. As of November 2004, Veterans Affairs Canada is aware of 8 veterans of the First World War who are still alive. One is a woman. Their average age is 103.

These soldiers fought in a series of costly and bloody battles and by the end of the war, more than 69,000 Canadian soldiers had died and 172,000 were wounded.

They died fighting at Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Bourlon Wood, Mons, Passchendaele and Ypres. In Ypres, Canadian soldiers were exposed to German gas attacks, yet continued to fight. They showed amazing tenacity and courage in the face of danger.

During the Second World War, (1939-45) more than one million men and women from Canada and Newfoundland served in combat in the army, air force and navy. More than 47,000 men and women did not come home from that battle.

Canadians lost their lives fighting in Dieppe, Normandy, the North Atlantic, defending Hong Kong, during the liberation of Italy, and in many other important air, sea and land campaigns.

As of November 2004, 268,110 veterans from this world war were alive, with an average age of 82.

In Korea, 516 Canadian soldiers died during the 1950-53 conflict, in which 26,791 Canadians served. The battles of Hill 355 and Hill 187, among others, saw Canadians fighting in swamps and rice fields, through torrential rain and snow, in the air and at sea.

In 2003, Canada marked the 50th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice by unveiling the Monument to Canadian Fallen at Confederation Park in Ottawa.

The words "WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU BRAVE SONS OF CANADA" are inscribed at the base of the monument, which also contains the names of all 516 Canadians who lost their lives in Korean War service or subsequent Korean peacekeeping service.

In 2004, Canada also remembered the 60th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, where Canadian troops suffered 18,444 casualties. Among them, 5021 were killed. Of all the divisions which formed part of the 21 Army Group, none suffered more casualties than the 3rd and 2nd Canadian.

It was a huge sacrifice – and a huge factor in turning the tide of the war against Hitler's Germany.

The first Remembrance Day, held in 1919 throughout the Commonwealth, was originally called Armistice Day. The day commemorated the end of the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m.: the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.


The Poppy

The association between the poppy and war dates back to the Napoleonic wars when a writer saw a field of poppies growing over the graves of fallen soldiers.

During the Battle of Ypres in 1915, Canadian Lt.-Col. John McCrae was inspired to write the poem In Flanders Fields on sighting the poppies growing beside a grave of a close friend who had died in battle.

The poem was a great inspiration in adopting the poppy as the Flower of Remembrance in Canada, France, the U.S, Britain and Commonwealth countries.

The first poppies were distributed in Canada in 1921. Today the volunteer donations from the distribution of millions of poppies is an important source of revenue for the Royal Canadian Legion that goes toward helping ex-servicemen and women buy food, and obtain shelter and medical attention.


In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- John McCrae

[MacMullen]

Thanks for the explanation on the poppies. My dad always used to have one hanging from the sun visor of his car when I was a kid. He'd received it in exchange for a donation to a veterans' group, although I didn't know the significance of it, except that you received it in exchange for a donation. So, of course, when I bought a car, I had to have a poppy there, and have gathered a small collection of them on various Veteran's Days over the year.

Thanks again and thanks to all my brothers in arms, wherever and however they've served.

[sav]

Dr. John MacRea's poem is one of my favorite, if not my favorite poems. I choke up almost every time I read it.

[millar]

Colin
Thanks for the explanation and the poem. I remember my father reading that to me years ago and like Sav it touches me everytime.

[macwilkin]

A very timely and sad article on the BBC today. I will be wearing my poppy tomorrow that a friend of mine in Australia sent me. I would ask all Xmarks members to please take a moment at 11.00 am their time and remember the fallen.

Todd

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
-- Laurence Binyon, "The Ode to the Fallen"

Final Australia WWI veteran dies
The last Australian veteran to see active service in World War I has died, aged 106.
William Evan Allan joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1914, aged only 14.

He served on a cruiser, HMAS Encounter, until 1918, escorting troop convoys and tracking German warships. He remained in the navy for 34 years.

Mr Allan, who also saw active service in World War II and retired with the rank of lieutenant, will be given a state funeral in Melbourne.

Born in the New South Wales town of Bega in 1899, Mr Allan enlisted at the start of World War I and served as an able seaman from 1915.


The HMAS Encounter sailed in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
Mr Allan remained in the navy until 1947, and was the only surviving Australian veteran of both world wars.

He spent much of World War II aboard the cruiser HMAS Australia, but according to friends was reluctant to talk about his experiences.

Australia's Minister for Veterans Affairs, De-Anne Kelly, said his death meant an entire generation who left Australia to defend their nation and the British Empire had been lost.

One Australian WWI veteran is still living, John Campbell Ross, 106, but although he enlisted in 1918 he never saw active service.

Five survivors of the war are believed to be still alive in Britain.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...ic/4351852.stm

Published: 2005/10/18 02:56:30 GMT

© BBC MMV

[Southern Breeze]

MacRea's poem still touchs me every time time I read it.A lot of people don't know the significance of the poppies the veterans make.Thanks for posting it.