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Cambrai

Remembrance Day 2014

November 10, 2014 by Patricia Sands 11 Comments

~ Always remember ~

 NOVEMBER 11TH IS REMEMBRANCE DAY IN CANADA.

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In 2010, my husband and I went on a journey to locate the grave of my Uncle Harry whose Lancaster bomber had been shot down on June 13, 1944, near Cambrai, France. All six crew members perished.

They are buried in a small Allied cemetery in the middle of farmland rather than  one of the major cemeteries in France. It was quite an experience just finding it, but that’s a story for another day. When I enquired as to why the graves were in that location, the Office of Military Affairs explained that they had been buried there by the nearby villagers at the time and so would remain close to where they had died. It was immaculately tended … and watched over by curious cows.

France-PSandsPhotos

As a child, I had always been intrigued by stories about my Uncle Harry, the youngest of 5 boys, and only 20 years old when he died. There were framed photos of him in his uniform with a dazzling smile in my parents’ and grandparents’ homes. You could feel his pride … and their pride …

To read more, just click here …

In Canada, our Remembrance Day tradition is to wear a poppycanstockphoto12463869 like this one. Most Canadians begin wearing them many days before. This year, two members of our Armed Forces were senselessly killed in Canada in one week in October. Poppies appeared immediately as everyone sought to honour their memory. Their loss has brought a renewed commitment to respect and pay homage to men and women who serve their countries and put their lives at risk every day.

The recent tributes have been unique, and often personal, and this morning I was touched to read about this one.

On the day Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot at our National War Memorial, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ NHL team was in a hotel directly across the street. They were to play a game with the Ottawa Senators that night. Since there was no way of knowing what sort of attack was taking place on our Parliament, everything in the area went into lockdown. The game was cancelled and the players watched out the windows of the hotel as the situation unfolded.

Yesterday evening the game was rescheduled in Ottawa. Instead of their standard morning skate, both teams went to lay wreaths at the Memorial. There was no publicity. They took along one photographer and a videographer. No fans. They were able to honour our fallen soldiers in their own private way. Well done.

Tomorrow at the 11th hour of the 11th day in this the 11th month, our country will pause for two minutes’ silence to remember those  heroes who have given their lives and in respect of all who offer their service … in every country.

Thank you.

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Filed Under: Blog, France, News, Social issues Tagged With: armed forces, Cambrai, Canada, National War Memorial, Ottawa Senators, Remembrance Day, Toronto Maple Leafs

~ Always remember ~

November 11, 2013 by Patricia Sands 22 Comments

WE OWE SO MUCH TO SO MANY. TODAY IS REMEMBRANCE DAY IN CANADA.

1452417_430285330427581_1903646163_n

In 2010, my husband and I went on a journey to locate the grave of my Uncle Harry whose Lancaster bomber had been shot down on June 13, 1944, near Cambrai, France. All six crew members had perished.

They are buried in a small Allied cemetery in the middle of farmland rather than in one of the major cemeteries in France. It was quite an experience just finding it, but that’s a story for another day. When I enquired as to why they were in that location, the Office of Military Affairs explained that they had been buried there by the nearby villagers at the time and so would remain close to where they had died. It was immaculately tended … and watched over by curious cows.

France-PSandsPhotos
France-PSandsPhotos

As a child, I had always been intrigued by stories about my Uncle Harry, the youngest of 5 boys, and only 20 years old when he died. There were framed photos of him in his uniform with a dazzling smile in my parents’ and grandparents’ homes. You could feel his pride.

When we went on our mission to ‘find Uncle Harry’, we also spent a few days in Normandy and did the tours of the WW2 landing beaches, something I recommend to everyone who has the opportunity. It’s an emotional experience as the history of the war becomes vividly presented by guides who must take courses in this information and pass exams before receiving a license to guide. The French take the preservation of this history very seriously and are to be commended for doing so.

As we toured the museums and memorial centres, it struck me that in so many of the photographs of men and women in service for their country, pride was stirringly evident in their expressions. It seems to go with the wearing of the uniform and the understanding of what that represents.

Thank you to every one of the members of our armed services – past and present – for putting yourself in danger for your country and taking on that onerous task with such pride. We are proud of you and very grateful.

Thank you, Uncle Harry.

France-PSandsPhotos
France-PSandsPhotos

Wear your poppy proudly. Please make certain to preserve and keep alive the stories of the members of your families who have served in the armed forces. Always remember. After reading one of the comments below, I wanted to look up the number of these overseas graves and discovered this excellent video. It only pertains to the American cemeteries but could be talking about all of the Allied burial grounds.

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Filed Under: Blog, News Tagged With: Cambrai, Flanders Field, France, poppies, Remembrance Day, WW2

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