11-11-11

Well here we are again.

Take moment this Sunday to remember friends that never grew old.

Cheers

..MJ..

Flag is at 1/2 staff.

 

 

Back in 1974, I was lucky enough to be selected as one of 20 serving soldiers to go to France with some WW II veterans from my regiment. When you consider the CO, Adjutant, RSM, and many other senior ranks were included in that 20, a 19, almost 20 year old private was very lucky. Only 2 privates went.

One week was official duties, one week free time. The main reason was the 30th anniversary of Louvigny by my unit. While there with a veteran whom I thought was old but probably was about my current age, I got a living history lesson not found in any of the history books! More later if anyone is interested.

We did visit the big Canadian war cemetery in Normandy. To see so many graves and read the names and the ages. Many were only my age!! It was such a sad but yet a tranquil feeling I had and later I went back on my own to walk among the rows.

I encountered a French family and it looked like they were having a picnic. Being in uniform, they called me over and after introductions I learned that the French adopt a war grave. Thank goodness there are more people than graves. In my school boy French and his limited English and a French/English dictionary we communicated quite well.

I learned they were celebrating “their” soldier’s birthday. I asked as he was an unknown Canadian soldier how they knew? He said they did not. This was the day the man’s father had adopted the grave so it would be his birthday. He told me, and I remember like it was yesterday, that his father had specifically chosen an unknown soldier.

He said to me that his father was dead and now he looks after the grave and in turn his son will and down the line. Their soldier had given everything so they could be free. Not only his life, but his very identity. His family would never know what happened to him or where he was buried. He said the soldier’s family had loved him in life, in death my family will now love him forever. Should he be loved less than those here who have a name?

That visit to France really changed me. Like so many of us, I took freedom for granted. I met people who had lost theirs and lived under enemy occupation. Met soldiers who fought on the battlefields I walked on and I saw the graves of those who did not get to ever come home.

On this Remembrance Day, I want to say I remember all those living and dead who went before me and I do remember every day.

Thank you all for the world and for the freedoms that I have today.

CQMS.

 

Yesterday i traded text messages with five of my surviving school mates who served during my tour. I was surprised to learn just how many served from our class. Just under fifty from our small school and twenty from my class of 1965. Of my class eight didn't come back and of the remaining twelve six of us were WIA and two later died from their injuries or related service connected issues. We made a promise to connect next year for another roll call. None of us are in good shape two have COPD and are also on dialysis and one is about to start another has heart and liver trouble.  It seems that  soldiers never really stop giving. I can only imaging the unreported suffering from WW1 and WW2. Booth my parents served in WW2 and died young from service related problems.

Bless them all.