Remembrance Day

[Diane CBPFC]

What do you do for Remembrance Day?  We usually stay home but watch the CTV service on Parliament Hill and stand for our two minutes of silence – when I say “we” – the kids and I – hubby always seems to find work to do - but then he is part German 

This year I have been invited to a community scrapbooking (I would do art instead) and potluck event at the country hall. It seems weird to be turning this into a regular holiday but at the same time I would like to go.

What do you do on this "holiday"?

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I'm half German, Diane, and I like to think that Remembrance Day gives thought to all who made the ultimate sacrifice for the folly of war, no matter what nationality or 'side', the overwhelming majority being pawns in the consequences of man's inhumanity and naked ambition towards his fellow man.

I will usually try to be sitting alone at my drawing board come the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, and down tools for two minutes of silence if I can. If I can't do it then (I won't impose my feelings about this on the rest of the family), I'll do it when I can, and continue with my own folly, in praying that mankind may one day take stock of the absolute futility of war, and refuse to fight for their kings, politicians and generals.

Okay - can I get back to taking the p*** now? 

[Roger Kettle]

As I sit at my desk in silence all day, the occasion tends to pass me by. If I remember, I switch on the T.V. at eleven and watch the news bulletins for a few minutes. The footage of the First World War always gets to me----the sheer futility and horror of it is impossible to comprehend.
The 11th of November is also my daughter's birthday so I also manage a smile or two!

[Diane CBPFC]

Sure Tarqs, as soon as Nige shows up...

[The Peepmaster]

I couldn't find my poppy this year, so I bought a new one.

[Diane CBPFC]

 

That would make a good FB status.

[Diane CBPFC]

Happy Birthday Miss Kettle! 

[Diane CBPFC]

I wrote this for Facebook - but thought I would post here too.

The “Tobackie” Tin.

I am in the process of filling shadow boxes for my three children to help them know a little about my parents. My father passed on the year Evan was a baby and my mother when Kate was a baby. Although my father gave me his original medals – I thought they should go to my older sister as she was the one who was raised without our father while he was away all those years during the war.

In these shadow boxes will go their wedding photo, a copy of the book written about my dad’s wartime escapes during WWII and a few small personal knickknacks such as one of my mother’s brooches; things that will fit within the width of frame... along with a representative set of the five medals that were awarded to my dad during WWII.

It took many months to buy each of my kids a set of five medals by watching for the auctions on eBay – I would buy three from perhaps one seller and then one separately and then wait for what I was looking for to come up on auction. Some were sold by individuals selling family property and some came from medal sellers. On average, with postage they cost around $20 Canadian dollars each. Two lots of three medals came in the original tiny cardboard boxes in which they were mailed to the recipients: official paid O.H.M.S. “On His Majesty’s Service”. One was addressed to a Mr. J Nicol of East Whitheen, Scotland and one a Mr. G. Thomson of Hawick.  One set of four medals came wrapped in tissue paper in a two ounce tin of Ogden’s St. Bruno Flake pipe tobacco.

I am pleased to be able to own these original medals and will handle them with care and respect, however, I can’t help but feel sad that these old soldiers had no relatives in their lives who wanted to keep their medals as family mementos and heritage but would rather get a few dollars for them on eBay.

This remembrance day 2009, as I hold the tiny tobacco tin from the 1970s in my hand,  I particularly think of an old soldier, sitting by a small coal fire Remembrance Day evening savouring his pipe, lost in memories of sacrifice and valour...forgotten by the world. 

[Joan]

That's a lovely thing to do, Diane. I think I remember you talking about it before.  It is sad that these soldiers had nobody to hold on to their medals and remember them, but they do now and the boxes will be treasured and looked at for a long time to come.

We were sitting in a queue for petrol yesterday when 11am came around.  I thought about Uncle Ken and how his life was cut short at 24 and George (Trevor's father, who spent 4 years in WWII in Europe, three of them in pow camps) and yes, TT, the futility of war and waste of life.  I doubt that the world will ever learn, unfortunately.

[Diane CBPFC]

Joan - I did have these started last year. I only just bought the "first army" metal plates last month; they go on the Italy medal - they are new and shiny so don't match. I can't believe I still don't have that little project done - still have to get photos developed too.

I was at a scrappbooking meeting this afternoon (I took in art as I don't scrapbook) one lady was doing a double page of her two uncles - both pilots - one who is coming up here to hunt this month at age 88 :-) the other didn't make it, he was shot down in Africa.

There will always be war - until it is made a non-profit activity.