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Topic: Remembrance Day - What is it to you? (Read 204 times)

Nick
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Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Thread Started on Nov 5, 2008, 4:42pm »

Remembrance Day (or Veterans Day, for those south of the 49th) is coming around again, next Tuesday. As far as I am concerned this is one of the most important days of the year. This is the day we set aside a few minutes of our time to honour those people who have fought and died for the freedom that so many of us take for granted. The soldiers, sailors, airmen, pilots, nurses, doctors, officers and countless other men and women of our Armed Forces were and are out there every day so that we can enjoy what we have. Next time you take a ferry trip, and remark about the beautiful scenery and how fortunate we are to live how and where we live, remember those people who paid for that. To use an overused, yet powerful phrase: "Freedom is not Free".

I have been at the Remembrance Day ceremony held in Sidney since I was 6 years old. I have missed one year since then. As a cadet, I had a few opportunities to meet and talk with modern day heroes. One such person received a medal for bravery for saving several of his fellow soldiers from inside a hospital in Afghanistan that had been ambushed by Taliban fighters.

So, on November 11th, take two minutes, and reflect on what freedom means to you. Take those two minutes to thank those people who gave it to you.

This is a powerful video, by Terry Kelly. The song has since been used by the Royal Canadian Legion to promote awareness for Remembrance Day.

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Flugel Horn
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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #1 on Nov 5, 2008, 9:49pm »

Thanks for posting that, Nick.

I'm a big believer in pausing to remember, as an explicit act of our remembrance.

It's one of the most meaningful holidays to me.

My admiration isn't just "because of our freedom", but also simply to honour those who obeyed and went where they were told to go (ie. a soldier's obedience in service of his/her country). That sentiment takes the politics away for me, and lets me focus on those who simply did what their country asked of them.

I also have a love of history, and dramatic moments. Nov.11th gives me lots of reason to think, and then to pause and show my respects.

---------

I'll contribute more of my thoughts re specific things that capture my intrigue, between now and Nov.11th.

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The Essential Mill Bay
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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #2 on Nov 7, 2008, 7:55pm »

I can't really find the words to express how deeply the sentiment runs for me...

I consider that there are certain experiences one can have that are almost akin to war without the noise and guns... a silent war, if you will; but just as much of a deadly struggle and just as devastating emotionally. In that way I think I could at least begin to understand the trauma of the battlefield.

My favorite part of Nov. 11th is always to hear them read The Ode, because I think it sums up all the sentiments possible in one simple verse.

The ODE

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.

LEST WE FORGET

For more of a sentiment, I submit my current signature photo...

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« Last Edit: Nov 7, 2008, 8:01pm by The Essential Mill Bay »

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Flugel Horn
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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #3 on Nov 10, 2008, 3:56pm »

Here's one of my Canadian military heroes:

John W. Foote, VC.

http://www.rhli.ca/veterans/foote_story.html

Here are some excerpts from the above link:

Quote:

John Weir Foote was born in Madoc, Ontario, on the 5th of May 1904. He was educated at the University of Western Ontario, London; at Queen's University, Kingston; and at McGill University, Montreal. He then entered the Presbyterian Ministry, serving congregations in Fort-Coulonge, Quebec and Port Hope, Ontario. In December 1939 he enlisted in the Canadian Chaplain Services and was posted to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. Following the action described in the citation, Major Foote was taken prisoner and was not released until the 5th of May 1945.

Quote:

Major Foote is the only member of the Canadian Chaplain Services ever to be awarded the Victoria Cross

Quote:

CITATION
At Dieppe on 19th August 1942, Honorary Captain Foote, Canadian Chaplain Services, was Regimental Chaplain with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.

'Upon landing on the beach under heavy fire he attached himself to the Regimental Aid Post which had been set up in a slight depression on the beach, but which was only sufficient to give cover to men lying down. During the subsequent period of approximately eight hours, while the action continued, this officer not only assisted the Regimental Medical Officer in ministering to the wounded in the Regimental Aid Post, but time and again left this shelter to inject morphine, give first-aid and carry wounded personnel from the open beach to the Regimental Aid Post. On these occasions, with utter disregard for his personal safety, Honorary Captain Foote exposed himself to an inferno of fire and saved many lives by his gallant efforts.

During the action, as the tide went out, the Regimental Aid Post was moved to the shelter of a stranded landing craft. Honorary Captain Foote continued tirelessly and courageously to carry wounded men from the exposed beach to the cover of the landing craft. He also removed wounded from inside the landing craft when ammunition had been set on fire by enemy shells. When landing craft appeared he carried wounded from the Regimental Aid Post to the landing craft through heavy fire. On several occasions this officer had the opportunity to embark but returned to the beach as his chief concern was the care and evacuation of the wounded. He refused a final opportunity to leave the shore, choosing to suffer the fate of the men he had ministered to for over three years.

Honorary Captain Foote personally saved many lives by his efforts and his example inspired all around him. Those who observed him state that the calmness of this heroic officer as he walked about, collecting the wounded on the fire-swept beach will never be forgotten.'

The London Gazette, 14th February 1946

« Last Edit: Nov 10, 2008, 3:58pm by Flugel Horn »

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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #4 on Nov 10, 2008, 4:01pm »

Here's Cy Peck's Victoria Cross citation:

Quote:

War Office, 15th November, 1918.

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officers, Noncommissioned Officers and Men: —

Lt.-Col. Cyrus Wesley Peck, D.S.O., Manitoba R.

For most conspicuous bravery and skilful leading when in attack under intense fire.

His command quickly captured the first objective, but progress to the further objective was held up by enemy machine-gun fire on his right flank.

The situation being critical in the extreme, Colonel Peck pushed forward and made a personal reconnaissance under heavy machine-gun and sniping fire, across a stretch of ground which was heavily swept by fire.

Having reconnoitred the position he returned, reorganised his battalion, and, acting upon the knowledge personally gained; pushed them forward and arranged to protect his flanks. He then went out under the most intense artillery and machine-gun fire, intercepted the Tanks, gave them the necessary directions, pointing out where they were to make for, and thus pave the way for a Canadian Infantry battalion to push forward. To this battalion he subsequently gave requisite support.

His magnificent display of courage and fine qualities of leadership enabled the advance to be continued, although always under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, and contributed largely to the success of the brigade attack.

Lt. Col. Peck was one of 7 Canadians to have been awarded the Victoria Cross re that same day of action.

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Free to navigate!
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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #5 on Nov 10, 2008, 4:17pm »

My father is still alive, and at age 83 and a half he's still "with it". I am so proud of him every Remembrance Day.

In 1941, at the age of 16, he went to work for the company that manufactured Lancaster Bombers and helped assemble the planes at a Factory north of Toronto. On his 18th Birthday he enlisted and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, eventually serving as a Wireless Airgunner in the very planes he helped to build. He served in England in 1944-45, then served in the Canadian Signal Corps for 20 years after that. He was stationed at what is now the Boundry Bay Airport, the old listening post.

Every Remembrance Day I either spend it with my dad, or call him and tell him how much I love him, and how proud I am of him. So many of his generation made the supreme sacrifice and never returned home. We would share a beer at the Legion and he would tell me of this airman or that friend in the Infantry, who never came back. We'd raise our glasses and toast those brave souls.

Dad never forgot that it wasn't just the front-lines. He had deep respect for those who served further back, for those who took up the slack at home and kept industry and life going, and especially for those who waited for news of their loved ones. He reminded us that the effort was total.

I will call him tomorrow. There is so little I can say or do that would adequately honour those who made the sacrifices his generation did.

I will do as I always do, and take a time of personal reflection, and take my guitar and play songs that he loves - "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" or "Over The Hills and Far Away". But it's just me singing about people who were braver, stronger and more giving than I think I could ever be.

Thanks Dad.

« Last Edit: Nov 10, 2008, 4:21pm by Free to navigate! »

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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #6 on Nov 10, 2008, 5:49pm »

For those who can't attend a ceremony the NFB is providing the following:

"The National Film Board of Canada is invites all Canadians to share the remembrance activities by watching Claude Guilmain’s Front Lines, an outstanding artistic contribution to this important event.

"The film will be available for streaming all day long at www.nfb.ca/armistice on Remembrance Day, Tuesday, November 11, starting at 9:00 am, and will also be shown on television and at special screenings."

I think this year will be one of the few that I haven't made it to a ceremony. Peter Mansbridge is hosting from York Cemetery here with a look back at Vimy Ridge and then the same NFB film as above. The live coverage of the service at the War Memorial in Ottawa will be part of that broadcast. So I hope to at least get in on that.

As I said last year, I am hoping to one of these years get to Ottawa for the ceremony there.

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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #7 on Nov 10, 2008, 8:49pm »

My parents, grandparents and other ancestors, were all from Great Britain. I have heard many stories of what they had to put up with during both wars. Some of the stories were not very pretty. I could not imagine what life was like then, it was very tough. Especially in Britain, when at night all the lights had to be out, if one didn't want to get bombed. None of my Great-grandparents children died in the war, but my great-grandmother's brother's and sister lost a couple of their sons.
What sticks out in my mind is that my Great Uncle, who lied about his age in order to go to war, was shipped off to France ( WWI) He and some buddies were sitting on a log, when they were shot at; a bullet went right through my Great Uncle's hat, but did not hit his body. He was one of the lucky ones and lived to tell the tale. Many young men, lied about their age, and went to battle in both WWI and WWII and never made it back home. (Many of these boys were only 16 or 17 and the legal age to join the forces was 18.) Some of the men that returned from war were never the same again.

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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #8 on Nov 11, 2008, 9:51am »

Besides the Armistice ending the Great War, what other historically significant events occurred on November 11th to add even more weight to this day. Here's a short list of US Navy events I found:

1870 - Navy expedition to explore the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southern Mexico, commanded by CAPT Robert W. Shufeldt, enters the Coatzacoalcos River to begin a survey for possible interoceanic canal. Support provided by USS Kansas and USS Mayflower.

1920 - Lenah S. Higbee becomes the first woman to be awarded the Navy Cross. It was awarded for her World War I service.

1921 - Washington Naval Conference begins.

1943 - Two Carrier Task Forces strike Japanese shipping at Rabaul, sinking one carrier and damaging other ships. Raid was first use of SB2C Curtiss Helldivers in combat.

1954 - November 11 designated as Veterans Day to honor veterans of all U.S. wars

1966 - Launch of Gemini 12, with CDR James A. Lovell, Jr., USN the command Pilot. Mission lasted 3 days, 22 hours and 34 minutes and included 59 orbits at an altitude of 162.7 nautical miles. Recovery by HS-11 helicopter from USS Wasp (CVS-18).

1981 - Commissioning of first Trident-class Nuclear Powered Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine, USS Ohio (SSBN-726).

Seeing that list got me started; some other events that took place on Nov 11th:

2006 - The New Zealand war memorial monument was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in London, United Kingdom, commemorating the loss of soldiers from the New Zealand Army and the British Army.

2004 - New Zealand Tomb of the Unknown Warrior dedicated at the National War Memorial, Wellington.

1992: The Church of England votes to allow women to become priests.

1972: The United States Army turns over the massive Long Binh military base to South Vietnam.

1967: Vietnam War: In a propaganda ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, three American prisoners of war are released by the Viet Cong and turned over to "new left" antiwar activist Tom Hayden.

1965: Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe) was declared independent by the white minority regime of Ian Smith.

1962: Kuwait's National Assembly ratifies the Constitution of Kuwait.

1949 - WTTV TV channel 4 in Bloomington-Indianapol, IN (IND) 1st broadcast

1940: The Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm cripples or sinks nine Italian warships in a surprise attack at Taranto.

1940: Armistice Day Blizzard: An unexpected blizzard kills 144 in U.S. Midwest.

1923 - Eternal flame lit for tomb of unknown solder, Arc de Triumph

1921: The Tomb of the Unknowns is dedicated by US President Warren G. Harding at Arlington National Cemetery.

1919: The Centralia Massacre in Centralia, Washington results the deaths of four members of the American Legion and the lynching of a local leader of the IWW.

1919: Signing the Versailles Treaty

1918 - Emperor Charles I of Austria abdicates.

1909 - Construction of navy base at Pearl Harbor begins

1865: Treaty of Sinchula is signed in which Bhutan ceded the areas east of the Teesta River to the British East India Company.

1865 - Mary Edward Walker, 1st Army female surgeon, awarded Medal of Honor

1864: Union General William Tecumseh Sherman begins burning Atlanta, Georgia to the ground in preparation for his march south.

1675 - Gottfried Leibniz demonstrated integral calculus for the first time to find the area under the graph of y = f(x) function.

1673 - Second Battle of Khotyn in the Ukraine, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forces under the command of Jan Sobieski. defeat the Ottoman army. In this battle, rockets of Kazimierz Siemienowicz were successfully used.

1620: In what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod, the Mayflower Compact is signed on the Mayflower, establishing the basic laws for the Plymouth Colony.

1606 - Turkey & Austria sign Treaty of Zsitva-Torok

1493 - Columbus discovers Saba

1215: The Fourth Lateran Council meets, adopting the doctrine of transubstantiation, meaning that bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.

And, finally, some historical figures who were born or died on Nov 11th:

Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader (b: August 24, 1929 ; d: November 11, 2004)
Lucretia Mott, American women's rights activist and abolitionist (b: January 3, 1793 ; d: November 11, 1880)
Nat Turner, American leader of slave uprising (b: October 2, 1800 ; d: November 11, 1831)
Daniel Ortega, President of Nicaragua (b: November 11, 1945)
George Patton, American general (b: November 11, 1885)
Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, Austro-Hungarian field marshal (b: November 11, 1852 ; d: August 25, 1925)
Abigail Adams, First Lady of the United States (b: November 11, 1744 ; d: October 28, 1818)

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The Essential Mill Bay
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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #9 on Nov 3, 2009, 1:39pm »

O.k... back to normal... no more political ranting... somebody on a rail forum just posted a thread of some neat images promoting Remembrance Day.

Here's a link: http://www.scalerailsonline.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4957

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Flugel Horn
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Re: Remembrance Day - What is it to you?
« Reply #10 on Nov 7, 2009, 8:37pm »

During this time in November, I'm mindful of remembering wars and the sacrifices of soldiers and other citizens.

For our ferry-history, what are some ways that ferries (I'm mainly thinking of the names of ferries) have memorialized war-sacrifice?

Here are some things that come to my mind:

The CPR ferry Cy Peck (later a short-time BC Ferry) was named for a British Columbian Victoria Cross winner.
[image]

The names of some of Newfoundland's provincial ferries honour some of the horrible battle grounds that the Newfoundland regiment saw action in, during the Great War. Such as Beaumont-Hamel and Gallipoli.

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