Lest We Forget

Ottawa is a city with many statues to heroes and historical figures, some well known and some lesser known. Some of these statues are in places where they are not often viewed as they are somewhat off the beaten track. Recently a friend posted a photo of one such statue. It's downtown but it's found along Sussex Drive where there is not a lot of parking and not many restaurants or tourist attractions to draw people to the area.  I decided I would take a drive downtown to walk around the area where this statue is located, luckily on Sunday I found that the visitors parking at the National Research Laboratory was open. 

The statue is that of Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, the author of the poem In Flanders Fields.

I'm sure many of you have read or heard this poem before. And many of you wear a poppy in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. This year marks the centenary of using the poppy as a symbol of remembrance.

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

I hope on Remembrance Day you can take the time to remember our veterans especially those who gave their lives in battle or who served, came home but then struggled with battles unseen. 

I will remember especially friends, colleagues and my father who served their country at home or on deployed operations abroad. 

MCpl Daniel Stewart

Sgt Craig Gilliam

Maj Ray Ruckpaul

Maj Scott Foote

Col Marie Leloup

Lest We Forget!

Lest We Forget

One Thousand Men Are Walking

One thousand men are walking

Walking side by side
The spirit as their guide
they walk toward the light milord
they walk towards the sun
they smoke and laugh and smile together
no foes to outrun
these men live on forever
in the hearts of those they saved
a nation truly grateful
for the path of peace they paved
they march as friends and comrades
but they do not march for war
step closer to salvation
a tranquil steady corps
the meadows lit with golden beams
a beacon for the brave
the emerald grass untrampled
a reward for what they gave
they dream of those they left behind
and know they dream of them
forever in those poppy fields
there walks one thousand men
Joshua Dyer 2019 (aged 14)

In Sep, my sisters and I had the opportunity to visit the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.  If you are ever in the Washington, DC area, it is a place you definitely must see. The cemetery is free to visit but there is a cost to ride the trolleys where there are guides to explain some of what you see.  Uniformed members of the Armed Forces get to ride the trolleys for free, active service members get 75% off and veterans get 50% off. You also get to bring one guest at that price with you.  The cemetery is huge so using the trolleys is almost a must if you want to see all the highlights of the cemetery and have limited time; with two of us being veterans we all were able to ride the trolley at half price. The site I wanted to see most was the Tomb of the Unknowns so it was the first place we got off the trolley while many people had gotten off at the first stop which was the Kennedy grave site.

Tomb of the Unknowns

Honor Guard

Wreath Laying

Cross of Sacrifice (Canada)

Arlington Pentagon Memorial

There were wreath layings going on when we arrived, one was just finishing. We stayed to watch two more, one by school boys and another by Armored officers for their fallen comrades. One of the guides told us that one of the tombs, there are four (WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam), was empty as DNA evidence had identified the solider who had lain in the tomb. Everyone in the crowd was quiet and respectful. Below is a video of the Tomb of the Unknowns and our visit to Arlington.

Guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns

I don't know how anyone can go to a military cemetery and then say the Remembrance Day glorifies war; it doesn't, it remembers sacrifice and lives lost, hopefully for what was a just cause.   At Arlington, you can see so many lives that have been lost, although not all the graves are of soldiers, many are those of family members as well.  

Not all the grave stones at Arlington are what you'd expect of a military cemetery. At one time they could have whatever gravestone their family could afford. Now the gravestones are all the same, row upon row and to allow for more burials at Arlington there now is a niche wall.  I hope to go back to Arlington someday and just wander through the graves to remember and thank a service man or woman for their sacrifice.

Civil War Unknowns

Every soldier, sailor or airman has sworn to go into harms way when so directed by our government; so even if you do not agree with that action, remember the courage of the men and women who gave their all doing their sworn duty.

Sgt Craig Gilliam

Maj Ray RuckPaul

Maj Scott Foote

Remembrance


 

For most of my life Remembrance Day seemed like a historical event, remembering the dead of wars past.  I had really no family or personal connection. My grandfathers were too young for the first war and too old for the second. My Mother's father was a pattern maker in the shipyards in Halifax during the second world war and so was likely also in a protected occupation. My father and uncles were all too young for the Second World War and none ever served in the Korean war either.



Major Ray Ruckpaul



Even though I was in the military, deaths of soldiers on UN Missions were few and far between and still I had no personal experience. That is until Afghanistan; now I have a personal connection with Remembrance Day. Two of the soldiers who have died on the mission in Afghanistan were colleagues and friends from my time as the Quartermaster of the Armour School in Gagetown: Maj Ray Ruckpaul and Sgt Craig Gilliam.

Sergeant Craig Gilliam



Every year I take the time to look at the photos of every person who has died while we have been Afghanistan. For those that say we should not be there, take a moment and think that there were also people who probably said we had no business taking a stand against Nazi Germany. It really is no different, oppression against a people even by their own government is still oppression.   But really for the soldier, sailor and airman; it is just the job they have sworn to do, to go into harms way when so directed by our government. So please even if you don't agree with our role, remember the courage of the men and women, this Remembrance Day, who have served and paid the ultimate price.

Craig and Ray, in addition to being soldiers, were fathers, husbands, sons and friends.

With the going down of the Sun, we will remember them.