Salute to a brave and modest nation

My friend George sent me this on Friday, it was written by Kevin Myers, The Sunday Telegraph, London.

Until the deaths of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan, probably almost no one outside their home country had been aware that Canadian troops are deployed in the region.

And as always, Canada will bury its dead, just as the rest of the world, as always will forget its sacrifice, just as it always forgets nearly everything Canada ever does. It seems that Canada's historic mission is to come to the selfless aid both of its friends and of complete strangers, and then once the crisis is over, to be well and truly ignored.

Canada is the perpetual wallflower that stands on the edge of the hall, waiting for someone to come and ask her for a dance. A fire breaks out, she risks life and limb to rescue her fellow dance-goers and suffers serious injuries. But when the hall is repaired and the dancing resumes, there is Canada the wallflower still, while those she once helped glamorously cavort across the floor blithely neglecting her yet again.

That is the price Canada pays for sharing the North American continent with the United States and for being a selfless friend of Britain in two global conflicts.

For much of the 20th century, Canada was torn in two different directions: It seemed to be a part of the old world yet had an address in the new one, and that divided identity ensured that it never fully got the gratitude it deserved.

Yet it's purely voluntary contribution to the cause of freedom in two world wars was perhaps the greatest of any democracy. Almost 10% of Canada's entire population of seven million people served in the armed forces during the First World War, and nearly 60,000 died. The great Allied victories of 1918 were spearheaded by Canadian troops, perhaps the most capable soldiers in the entire British order of battle.

Canada was repaid for its enormous sacrifice by downright neglect, it's unique contribution to victory being absorbed into the popular memory as somehow or other the work of the 'British.'

The Second World War provided a re-run. The Canadian navy began the war with a half dozen vessels, and ended up policing nearly half of the Atlantic against U-boat attack. More than 120 Canadian warships participated in the Normandy landings during which 15,000 Canadian soldiers went ashore on D-Day alone.

Canada finished the war with the third-largest navy and the fourth largest air force in the world. The world thanked Canada with the same sublime indifference as it had the previous time.

Canadian participation in the war was acknowledged in film only if it was necessary to give an American actor a part in a campaign in which the United States had clearly not participated - a touching scrupulousness which of course, Hollywood has since abandoned, as it has any notion of a separate Canadian identity.

So it is a general rule that actors and filmmakers arriving in Hollywood keep their nationality -unless that is, they are Canadian. Thus Mary Pickford, Walter Huston, Donald Sutherland, Michael J. Fox, William Shatner, Norman Jewison, David Cronenberg, Alex Trebek, Art Linkletter, Mike Weir and Dan Aykroyd have in the popular perception become American, and Christopher Plummer, British.

It is as if, in the very act of becoming famous, a Canadian ceases to be Canadian unless she is Margaret Atwood, who is as unshakably Canadian as a moose, or Celine Dion, for whom Canada has proved quite unable to find any takers.

Moreover, Canada is every bit as querulously alert to the achievements of its sons and daughters as the rest of the world is completely unaware of them. The Canadians proudly say of themselves - and are unheard by anyone else - that 1% of the world's population has provided 10% of the world's peacekeeping forces.

Canadian soldiers in the past half-century have been the greatest peacekeepers on Earth - in 39 missions on UN mandates and six on non-UN peacekeeping duties, from Vietnam to East Timor, from Sinai to Bosnia.

Yet the only foreign engagement that has entered the popular non-Canadian imagination was the sorry affair in Somalia, in which out-of-control paratroopers murdered two Somali infiltrators. Their regiment was then disbanded in disgrace - a uniquely Canadian act of self-abasement for which naturally, the Canadians received no international credit.

So who today in the United States knows about the stoic and selfless friendship its northern neighbour has given it in Afghanistan?

Rather like Cyrano de Bergerac, Canada repeatedly does honourable things for honourable motives but instead of being thanked for it, it remains something of a figure of fun. It is the Canadian way for which Canadians should be proud, yet such honour comes at a high cost. This past year more grieving Canadian families knew that cost all too tragically well.

Lest we forget.

*********************

Please share this with any of your friends or relatives who served in the Canadian Forces or anyone who is proud to be Canadian; it is a wonderful tribute to those who choose to serve their country and the world in our quiet Canadian way.

What is remembrance Day?

Like many of you my Dad fought in the Second World War, my Uncle was a Peace Keeper in Cypress and had a full career in the services. My Nephew is currently serving, and from time to time has been in harm's way. Remembrance Day, marks Armistice Day,  the day on which the hostilities between the Allies and Germany ceased on the Western Front.   It is a day to honour those who gave their lives to protect our lives and liberty. It is an honour to be able to say thank you to all of the men and women who have served and who are serving today. 

Remembrance Day, also known as Poppy Day, due to the tradition of the remembrance poppy, is a day observed in Commonwealth member states. The tradition goes back to the end of the First World War to honour the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. King George V began the holiday in 1919.

The tradition of Remembrance Day evolved out of Armistice Day. The initial Armistice Day began at Buckingham Palace, with the king hosting a banquet honouring the French president. Later, during World War II, many countries changed the name of the holiday. The U.S. chose Veterans Day.

Remembrance Day in Canada, known as Jour du Souvenir remains a statutory holiday in six of the 10 provinces. The government, in 1931, officially changed the date to November 11. The name also changed to Remembrance Day.

Canada has declared that the date is of “remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve the country during times of war, conflict and peace”; particularly the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and all conflicts since then in which members of the Canadian Armed Forces have participated.

The government also runs a program called Canada Remembers with the mission of helping young and new Canadians, most of whom have never known war, “come to understand and appreciate what those who have served Canada in times of war, armed conflict and peace stand for and what they have sacrificed for their country.”

Remembrance Day Day 18

With Colleen in the hospital, I spent Remembrance Day in Australia.  In Canada Remembrance Day is a public holiday and is dedicated to Canadians who died as a result of war. In Australia the Day is also dedicated to Australians who died as a result of war, particularly from World War I onwards. I was not surprised at the differences between Canada and Australia as my daughter and her friends put more focus on the celebration of Anzac Day in April. as this is their public holiday. 

Australians stop what they are doing at exactly 11 am in their local times on November 11 each year to dedicate a minute of silence for those who died in war, especially soldiers from as far back as World War I. Those who join in this act of remembrance include teachers, students, politicians, and workers of public and private sector enterprises.

A minute of silence is dedicated to the deceased, especially for soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation. Many people wear artificial poppies on the day and key political figures make speeches in remembrance of the nation’s fallen heroes. Services are held at 11 am at war memorials in suburbs and towns across the country, at which the “Last Post” is played by a bugler and a one-minute silence is observed. In Australia, Remembrance Day has been partly eclipsed by ANZAC Day as the national day of war commemoration.

Many ceremonies, parades and other activities are held on ANZAC Day to remember the lives of those who participated or died in military action, particularly on the Gallipoli Peninsula in World War I. Dawn prayer or church services are a particularly important aspect of ANZAC Day. These represent the comradeship that the soldiers experienced as they rose each morning to prepare for another day of military action. After the services, gunfire breakfast (coffee with rum in it) is often served.

In major cities and many smaller towns, parades, marches and reunions of current and past military personnel and memorial services are held. The fourth stanza or verse of a well known poem, known as The Ode, is read aloud at many ceremonies. The poem is called "For The Fallen" and was written by Laurence Binyon in 1914. It commemorates those who died and can never grow old. For those who don't know the poem, here it is:

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

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.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Anzac Day (April 25),  is not celebrated in Canada, but it is an important day for Australians to remember so here is some background for those back home about ANZAC Day

In the early months of 1915, World War I was raging in most of Europe, including the Ottoman empire in the geographical area that is now Turkey. Russian troops were fighting on many fronts, particularly against troops from Germany and the Ottoman and Austro -Hungarian empires. At dawn on April 25, 1915, forces from France, Great Britain and the British Empire, including Australia and New Zealand, landed at a number of places on the Gallipoli peninsula. The campaign aimed to open up new fronts for the Allied forces and a trade route to Russia.

In the ensuing battle, many lives were lost on both sides and the Allied forces did not succeed in opening a trade route to Russia. The last ANZAC forces withdrew from the Gallipoli Peninsula by December 20, 1915, in a successful operation with very few casualties. In spite of their losses, the ANZAC servicemen and many Australians and New Zealanders saw this battle as the start of the ANZAC spirit. This is an Australasian ideal based on the "mateship" and cheerful suffering the forces showed during this campaign

ANZAC Day is a public holiday and day of remembrance in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tonga. It is also commemorated with special services and events on or around April 25 in a range of countries across the globe. These include: the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Canada and the United States (including Hawaii).

Keep faith with our troops

My Nephew is in the armed services, my uncle was in the services, my father was in the service and I have friends who served. We owe an obligation to our men and women in the armed services to keep our promises to them. Here in Canada our government has broken its promise to our young men and women in the armed service.

In the first World War, Canadian Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden spoke to the soldiers who were about to go into a battle. In his speech, he said “As you go forward into this action, know that your courage is known to the Nation and know that no man, whether he comes home or remains in Flanders shall have cause to reproach the government for having broken faith.”

When one joins the Canadian Armed Forces, one is required to swear an oath to “be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second”. This oath is between the Canadian Forces member and the people of Canada, as represented by the Queen. In order to be valid, an oath must be reciprocal – the member promising to defend us and our way of life and the people to Canada, through the Queen, to act according to our respective laws and customs.

On January 31, 2014, the Harper Conservatives filed its “Response to Further Amended Notice of Civil Claim” in the Equitas lawsuit. Unfortunately, in this document, the Harper Conservative Government, through its lawyers, alleges “that the statements made by Sir Robert Borden and the coalition government in 1917 were political speeches that reflected the policy positions of the government at the time and were never intended to create a contract or covenant” and “that at no time were these statements intended to bind future governments.”

Every Canadian knows, in their heart, that we owe a great deal to the men and women who have agreed to defend us and our way of life. We know that if they do not come home, we must remember them and their ultimate sacrifice. We know that if they come home wounded, mentally or physically, we have an obligation to ensure that they are looked after and are able to live their lives in hope and with dignity and respect. 

Today is the day we reaffirm our faith with our service men and women.  Canadians are proud of their men and women in service, even if our government treats them as second class citizens. 

Remembrance Day thoughts

I currently have a nephew in the armed forces, so this is a special day to say thank you to all of the young men and women who serve and protect our rights and freedoms. 
Here are some songs  and poems that pay tribute to the fallen

The Top 10 Remembrance Day Songs from top country Canada

1. Standing Strong and True – Various Artists
2. Brothers – Dean Brody
3. Travellin’ Soldier – Dixie Chicks
4. Just a Dream – Carrie Underwood
5. Letters From Home – John Michael Montgomery
6. I Want You to Live – George Canyon
7. If You’re Reading This – Tim McGraw
8. I Drive Your Truck – Lee Brice
9. Riding With Private Malone – David Ball
10. Sleeping With the Telephone – Reba & Faith Hill

The Red and White: 

A Pittance of Time:

Homefire (The Wives Of The Princess Patricia's Regiment)

Soldiers Cry

Remembrance Day (Brian Adams):

Sgt Mackenzie:

Some poems for Remembrance Day

Remembrance, a hymn for Remembrance Day - Charles Henrywood has written words that encompass a wide range of those who suffer as a result of war and the words may be sung to the tune of Finlandia by Sibelius. In notes accompanying his hymn he explains how the words came about and how they have already been used in Remembrance events.
Taking a stand - a soldier's response to those who object at soldiers' funerals
We who remain. The reflections of a serving soldier as he waits to go to a Remembrance event.
The Vision - The Angel of Mons - Peter Summers' poem poses some important questions.
Remember Me - What the dead might say if only they could speak.
Home at Last - Former soldier, Tony Church, describes the events and significance of the return of a soldier's body to the UK.
Sunset vigil - Sgt Andy McFarlane. This records the send-off of a dead soldier from Afghanistan, the ceremony and effect on the soldiers.
I do not know your name - by Kenny Martin. After a visit to war graves the poet reflects on the soldier's lot and is moved. It has been read at many Remembrance Day events.
The Crosses - The author regrets that the numbers of crosses continues to grow.
Remembrance Day - the mixed feelings of a Second World War soldier as he remembers the reality of war. Namur King (1915-1968)
Memories of past times - On remembrance day an old soldier remembers his lost friends and feels alone.
To the few - A view of remembrance day.
Do you know - A soldier asks for understanding appreciation and love.
Some Corner of a Foreign Field - How the great losses of the First World War came about. The coercion, the propaganda, the innocence of the volunteer, the hugeness of the loss.
I Went to See the Soldiers - Reflections on the soldier's lot.
New Generation Veterans - David J Delaney (Australia). It's not just the soldiers of long ago that we should remember.
Last Post - Paul du Plessis. Thoughts during the two-minute silence on Remembrance Day in Afghanistan and Britain, with memories of playing Last Post as a bugler at school in South Africa. Paul du Plessis is a retired physician who has spent most of his professional life working with The Salvation Army. Much of his poetry, published on www.thedups.comhas been influenced by his religious and spiritual journey. He lives in Bromley, Kent.
Life and soul of the mess - remembering lost comrades. First of three poems here by John Bailey. He describes how soldiers remain alive in the minds of their comrades.
The Volunteer - about the British Territorial Army and a tribute to an army friend who was killed in Afghanistan. This is a favourite poem of General Petraeus and will be printed at the front of a book about him in 2011/12.
Remembrance Sunday - An old man looks at a photograph and remembers his colleagues. He fears they may be forgotten one day.{Could the author provide her contact details, please?)

Remembrance Day or Veterans Day Thank you to our troops

I have nephews in the services and so today is always a special day. A day for paying service to the men and women who gave their lives to defend our way of life, a day to say thank you to the families who lost members who fought for our right to be free.

The following is written by Ann MacMillan, CBC News to give us a brief history of the day and why it is important to all of us.

A time to remind our youth that freedom is a hard fought victory and that democracy is fragile. Men and women died to protect our way of life, to honour them we need to continue to preserve and protect our liberties from those that would take away our fundamental rights. The best way to do this is to get involved in the political process, to get out and vote in the election and to stay informed about what your government does between the time you elect them and the time they come back asking for your support again.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Canadians are asked to pause in memory of the thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives in military service.

Why 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.

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.

At public gatherings in Ottawa and around the country, Canadians pay tribute with two minutes of silence to the country's fallen soldiers from the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, the Afghanistan conflict and peacekeeping missions.

Also known as Veterans Day in the U.S., Remembrance Day was first held throughout the Commonwealth in 1919. It marks the armistice to end the First World War, which came into effect at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, a year earlier.

It isn't a national holiday across Canada, but employees in federally regulated employees do get the day off. Several provinces and territories — including Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon — do observe a statutory holiday.

Canada's military and the First World War

Two minutes before the armistice went into effect, at 10:58 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918, Pte. George Lawrence Price was felled by a bullet. Price would become the final Commonwealth soldier — and the last of more than 66,000 Canadians — to be killed in the First World War

They died fighting at Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele and Ypres — battles remembered for atrocious conditions and Canadian valour. In Ypres, Canadian soldiers were exposed to German gas attacks, yet continued to fight, showing amazing tenacity and courage in the face of danger.

In many ways, the identity of the young country was forged on those bloody battlefields.

About 650,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders (the province then still a colony of Britain) had served during the war, beginning in 1914. The last Canadian veteran of the conflict — John Babcock — died in February 2010 at the age of 109.

After Babcock's passing, the federal government announced that it would hold a national commemorative ceremony on April 9 to honour all Canadians and Newfoundlanders who served during the First World War.

Second World War

Wreath laid by a nephew at his uncle's grave at Canadian Cemetery No. 2 at Vimy Ridge. Between the declaration of the Second World War in September 1939 and the conflict's end in 1945, Canadians fought in Dieppe, Normandy, the North Atlantic, Hong Kong, during the liberation of Italy, and in many other important air, sea and land campaigns.

In total, more than one million men and women from Canada and Newfoundland served in the army, air force and navy. More than 47,000 did not come home.

Canadian troops played a crucial role — and made a mighty sacrifice — in the 1944 D-Day invasion and the Battle of Normandy, a major turning point in the war's Atlantic campaign. More than 5,000 were killed in the land invasion in France.

The Canadian Army went on to play a significant part in the liberation of the Netherlands, which ended in 1945. The Dutch, having suffered through an extremely harsh winter, enthusiastically greeted the Canadians and forged a strong friendship between the two countries that lasts to this day.

Korea and Afghanistan

Since the end of the Second World War, Canadians have taken part in dozens of United Nations peacekeeping missions around the globe, from Cyprus and Haiti to Bosnia and Somalia. Troops have seen active combat as well.

In Korea, 26,791 Canadians served during a conflict that raged between 1950 and 1953. 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 Canadians who lost their lives in Korean War service or subsequent Korean peacekeeping service.

Canada has steadily increased its military involvement in Afghanistan since the Taliban regime fell in 2001.

By 2006, Canada had taken on a major role in the more dangerous southern part of the country as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

The fighting grew fiercer, and the casualty count rose. By November 2010, 152 Canadian military personnel had died in the country. One Canadian diplomat, one journalist and two Canadian aid workers have also been killed.