Photo credit Lee Sorenson
“Attached are photos from Beny-sur-Mer the Canadian Cemetery in Reviers, France, in honor of their sacrifice to those of us who are still free. My thanks to the Canadian Army.”
Others: 1, 2, 3, 4
42 Replies to “We Will Remember”
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.
Thank you to all veterans and those who currently serve our country.
And that both CBC and CTV have decided to politicize by running reports in the 10-10:30 run-ups to the services about the veterans’ issue that, suddenly, has concerned the MSM so sincerely.
Following a comment heard on the radio this morning, I just visited ancestry.ca which is offering free access to their database of Canadian war records [from Nov 11 -14]. Seems like they have mainly WW1 documents, but I found the sign up form for my grandfather back in 1916. Very interesting.
Neo and catch 22 – did the search last year and found my Grandad’s sign up form. Was like finding a pot of gold especially when I gave a copy to my mom.
I visited Beny-sur-Mer as part of a battlefield study tour with the Land Force Command and Staff College in Kingston back in ’93. As part of our tour of Juno Beach and the whole Caen operational area, S.V. Radley-Walters and Lockie Fulton were our guides.
Beny-sur-Mer is a powerful place to walk into, but I think the biggest impression of the trip was Mr Fulton describing the assault on Carpiquet airfield, or maybe it was a side trip to see the grounds around Dieppe.
The history books hardly do justice to the men who actually performed these tasks, I have nothing but admiration and respect.
* “catch22 says… I found the sign up form for my grandfather back in 1916”
note that ancestry is merely showing you the info that is in the free cef database.
it’s a business and they want to sign you up for their subscription service.
go to the url in my post at 10:36 above and avoid having to go through a registration
process. link also supplied to the commonwealth war graves commission.
*
Today’s Remembrance day post – the 7th Battalion CEF, perpetuated by the British Columbia Regiment (DCO)
Kate, thank you for the post.
I’ve visited the Beny-sur-Mer cemetery and dozens more. Commonwealth, French, American and German.
They all have one thing in common, an almost other worldly quiet.
On this day, my thoughts go to the familys of PO2 Craig Blake and Sgt Darcy Tedford. RIP boys.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were: any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.
…
If a man carry treasure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into current money, his treasure will not defray him as he travels. Tribulation is treasure in the nature of it, but it is not current money in the use of it, except we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven, by it. Another man may be sick too, and sick to death, and this affliction may lie in his bowels, as gold in a mine, and be of no use to him; but this bell, that tells me of his affliction, digs out and applies that gold to me: if by this consideration of another’s danger I take mine own into contemplation, and so secure myself, by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security.
John Donne
NDHQ: HANS ISLAND
A Mari usque ad Mare (“From Sea to Sea”), Canada’s motto, was derived from Psalm 72:8, which reads in Latin
“Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terrae,”
and in the King James version,
“He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Lest we forget (which sadly, most on the left of the political spectrum have).
God bless all those who have served, and especially to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Probably not the appropriate thread, but I just read a story in the London Ontario FREE PRESS that a Muslim group called “Muslims against Crusades” approx. 50 people, held a ceremony in London’s Hyde Park where they burnt poppies. I was so angry when I read this…I hope this story grows legs. Even more disturbing is their website.
A hearty thank you from south of the 49th! We Yanks were often too late to the party, especially in the World Wars. To our Canadian comrades who fought the good fight from the beginning! Merci! Thank You!
EJHill
Just as more Canadians fought in the War of northern Aggression than in the War of 1812…..many, many Americans came north on their own nickel and mustered into Canadian Forces in both World Wars…..much as many Canadians mustered in the US forces during the Viet Nam War….
I salute both!
sasquatch, I have ancestors who served in that “War of northern Aggression”, to preserve the United States, so you can take your “War of northern Aggression” phraseology and shove it up your arse.
neo – thanks for the links. My family were soldiers in both world wars and I salute all who fought in those, and other wars, to preserve our freedom.
* mot says… I just read a story in the London Ontario FREE PRESS”
sadly… this one is true… via bcf… “As the clock struck 11am, the Islamic protesters burned a model
of a poppy and chanted ‘British soldiers burn in hell’.”
as vlad says in his blog… “objects in history are closer than
you think.”
*
From a email I received:
THESE COLORS DON’T RUN
In France, at a fairly large conference, Prime Minister Steven Harper was asked by a French cabinet minister if Canadian involvement in Afghanistan was just an example of “empire building”. Mr Harper answered by saying, ‘Over the years, Canada has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.’. You could have heard a pin drop.
A Canadian Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the Canadian, US, English, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks, but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, North Americans generally learn only English. He then asked, ‘Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?’ Without hesitating, the Canadian Admiral replied ‘Maybe it’s because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn’t have to speak German’. You could have heard a pin drop.
When Robert Whiting, an elderly Canadian gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane at the French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. ‘You have been to France before, monsieur?’ the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. The official replied ‘Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.’ The Canadian said, ‘The last time I was here, I didn’t have to show it.’ ‘Impossible, Monsieur. Canadians always have to show passports on arrival in France !’ The Canadian senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ”Well, when I came ashore on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn’t find a single Frenchman to show a passport to.’ You could have heard a pin drop.
Regardless of whatever idiocy may be going on elsewhere, I was driving to London (Ontario) this morning and saw that Remembrance Day was very well attended in several small towns in Southern Ontario. Delhi and Tilsonberg turned out en mas for cenotaph observances, as did my town of Cayuga.
We do not forget.
sounder – thanks for the anecdotes – and the tale about Harper’s support of freedom and of our troops.
While I wish Sounder’s quotes were accurately attributed, they are not. They are very pithy, though.
Searching on “The only amount of land we have ever asked for” returns a large number of hits. Somehow, a black, American former general speaking in Switzerland has turned into a white, Canadian prime minister speaking in France. http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-colin-powell.htm
The admirals and Mr Whiting have also switched nationality.
But by all means, let’s promote things Harper actually says that are worthwhile, like Kate’s earlier post on Israel.
“We do not forget”, unfortunately we have become complacent after successive Liberal governments have brainwashed Canadians into thinking that we are ‘Peace-Keepers’. Today we pay tribute not only to the “Blue Berets” of the “Peace-Keepers” but to the “RED, GREEN, and BLACK Berets” of the “PEACE MAKERS”. The men and women of past generations that gave their all in the defense of freedom for this country and way of life must surely be wondering if perhaps they passed the ‘Torch’ to the wrong hands. Something is amiss in Western society when we allow and accept into our midst people that are diametrically opposed to our freedoms!
Another Calgary Marc – I believe that you are wrong about your negation of PMSH comments; I’m fairly sure that sounder got it right. Google is not always reliable – I will attempt to find this quote and give it a proper reference (link). I do know that our Prime Minister does not rely on a teleprompter and does deliver dynamite one liners, off the cuff. I have heard some of these ‘thinking on your feet’ remarks from a live audience.
I find the piece about the poppy burning protesters as appalling as anybody here, but also know that there are Muslims serving in the CF.
After a week of heavy rain and high winds in Halifax, the sun finally shone today. I was glad that the vets at cenotaph ceremonies were spared the miserable weather, but I couldn’t help but wonder how many there were thinking about the comrades that never got the chance to feel the sun again.
God bless all those who served and look over those who still serve today.
Antenor, this may be true for official public consumption. However, I saw three cenotaphs services today and zero blue berets.
Nobody is buying the hype out here.
I have my dad’s air force jacket hanging in my closet and my granddad’s honourable discharge certificate hanging on the wall downstairs, June 14th, 1917. Still had shrapnel pieces in his legs.
They, along with my uncles, fought the good fight, bless them all.
Another Calgary Marc as I revealed, I received that in a email, unattributed, that is correct. The statements are interesting though, whomever to attribute.
This quote is indeed unattributed, Sounder. One unattributed source that I found gave Colin Powel credit for the quote. I don’t know if you are correct or not, another Mark but it would certainly be true if our Prime Minister had made that remark.
Jema 54, if Colin Powell was the originator, good for him! What a excellent put down toward a utter ignoramus!
Today, at the Vancouver ceremony, Marc Emory’s wife hung an “End All Wars” banner out her office window, across from the Cenotaph. Nice slogan, lady, but meaningless in the real world.
Notice in piture #4, the Star of David on one gravestone, and the Cross on the next.
’nuff said.
That ‘urban legend’ quote has been attributed to many over the years. It’s a profound statement, no matter who originated the story.
I would sure like that quote to have been Harper, I admit, but like I said, it’s definitely pithy. I know that it’s not Sounder’s originally and I wasn’t trying to be critical of him/her, but I have a habit of trying to slow the dissemination of faulty information. My family can attest to the number of similar emails from them I’ve done this to (e.g., of the Mars-closest-approach type), my usual reference being snopes.com.
But no matter the origin, it applies equally to Canada as to the US, in that we are not a militarily imperialistic nation, and to suggest something like that deserves such a smack-down…harder, if possible. Imputing a motive like that to Canada really does nothing more than expose the profound ignorance of the speaker.
I guess I just want to make sure that we don’t get sucked into the pitfall of circulating–and thus perpetuating–something “false”, for lack of a better word, even through good intentions. The other side has a nasty habit of pouncing on things like that with those oh-so-fetching hobnailed boots.
Attended ceremony in my small town of which 1/10th the population turned out. Grateful for that. Also my 7 year old ‘cub’ got to march from the Legion with the Vets to the ceremony. Just like his older brother did 14 years earlier – only with his Grandpa. Sadly my 7 year old will never have that chance.
I am so grateful for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. I am now only beginning to appreciate the sacrifice given by those who returned home.
Thanks to my Dad (in past years) and every Vet who keeps coming out to teach and remind us of what the price is for precious freedom.
Lest we forget.
“Marc Emory’s wife hung an “End All Wars” banner out her office window, across from the Cenotaph. Nice slogan, lady, but meaningless in the real world.”
Meaningless doesn’t even begin to describe the utter stupidity of such a mindless slogan.
This is tantamount to hanging a banner proclaiming “End all disease” or “End all poverty”.
There will always be evil in the world. Evil cannot be appeased or ignored. It must be beaten down. The only way to end a war is to mercilessly pound the enemy then put your boot to his throat until he’s no longer able to fight.
FYI: I posted some movie footage shot by my grandfather in 1928 when he went back to Ypres, Passchendaele, Arras and Vimy if anyone cares to see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mt13G29-aQ
It’s not OK to forget about WWI and WII, but it is ok to forget about the treaties signed with Canada’s First Nations.
Thank you for the photos of Beny-sur-mer. There is something eerily compelling about that place and others like it. As you walk up and down the silent rows of headstones, you feel you must read each and every name and every poignant family message. Of course, you don’t have time to do that so you leave with this feeling of guilt and a longing to some day return and complete your hommage.
The Commonwealth war cemeteries are beautifully kept and are created to be oases of tranquility. We visited several in France two years ago where the fallen of both World Wars rest. There is a comforting sameness about all of them — the Cross of Sacrifice being the dominant feature of each.
I am happy that we are bringing our fallen from Afghanistan home for burial. The European and Korean war graves are in friendly countries where our fallen soldiers will be honoured by the people they died to help. That may not be true about Afghanistan. It would be awful for Canadians, especially the families of those who died, if the Islamist barbarians were to re-gain control of that country and desecrate the graves of our soldiers — something they would do without hesitation. We saw these barbarian minds at work in the links above to footage of the Remembrance Day disruptions in the UK caused by muzzie demonstrators. Absolutely disgraceful.
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.
Thank you to all veterans and those who currently serve our country.
*
Do you know someone who enlisted in
World War I in Canada?
— Search the WWI CEF database —
*
And that both CBC and CTV have decided to politicize by running reports in the 10-10:30 run-ups to the services about the veterans’ issue that, suddenly, has concerned the MSM so sincerely.
Following a comment heard on the radio this morning, I just visited ancestry.ca which is offering free access to their database of Canadian war records [from Nov 11 -14]. Seems like they have mainly WW1 documents, but I found the sign up form for my grandfather back in 1916. Very interesting.
Muslims disrupt 2 minutes of silence and burn poppies at London service. I can’t wait until they let loose the dogs on these guys.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/world/2010/11/11/16088711.html
Neo and catch 22 – did the search last year and found my Grandad’s sign up form. Was like finding a pot of gold especially when I gave a copy to my mom.
I visited Beny-sur-Mer as part of a battlefield study tour with the Land Force Command and Staff College in Kingston back in ’93. As part of our tour of Juno Beach and the whole Caen operational area, S.V. Radley-Walters and Lockie Fulton were our guides.
Beny-sur-Mer is a powerful place to walk into, but I think the biggest impression of the trip was Mr Fulton describing the assault on Carpiquet airfield, or maybe it was a side trip to see the grounds around Dieppe.
The history books hardly do justice to the men who actually performed these tasks, I have nothing but admiration and respect.
*
“catch22 says… I found the sign up form for my grandfather back in 1916”
note that ancestry is merely showing you the info that is in the free cef database.
it’s a business and they want to sign you up for their subscription service.
go to the url in my post at 10:36 above and avoid having to go through a registration
process. link also supplied to the commonwealth war graves commission.
*
Today’s Remembrance day post – the 7th Battalion CEF, perpetuated by the British Columbia Regiment (DCO)
Kate, thank you for the post.
I’ve visited the Beny-sur-Mer cemetery and dozens more. Commonwealth, French, American and German.
They all have one thing in common, an almost other worldly quiet.
On this day, my thoughts go to the familys of PO2 Craig Blake and Sgt Darcy Tedford. RIP boys.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were: any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.
…
If a man carry treasure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into current money, his treasure will not defray him as he travels. Tribulation is treasure in the nature of it, but it is not current money in the use of it, except we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven, by it. Another man may be sick too, and sick to death, and this affliction may lie in his bowels, as gold in a mine, and be of no use to him; but this bell, that tells me of his affliction, digs out and applies that gold to me: if by this consideration of another’s danger I take mine own into contemplation, and so secure myself, by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security.
John Donne
NDHQ: HANS ISLAND
A Mari usque ad Mare (“From Sea to Sea”), Canada’s motto, was derived from Psalm 72:8, which reads in Latin
“Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terrae,”
and in the King James version,
“He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Lest we forget (which sadly, most on the left of the political spectrum have).
God bless all those who have served, and especially to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Probably not the appropriate thread, but I just read a story in the London Ontario FREE PRESS that a Muslim group called “Muslims against Crusades” approx. 50 people, held a ceremony in London’s Hyde Park where they burnt poppies. I was so angry when I read this…I hope this story grows legs. Even more disturbing is their website.
A hearty thank you from south of the 49th! We Yanks were often too late to the party, especially in the World Wars. To our Canadian comrades who fought the good fight from the beginning! Merci! Thank You!
EJHill
Just as more Canadians fought in the War of northern Aggression than in the War of 1812…..many, many Americans came north on their own nickel and mustered into Canadian Forces in both World Wars…..much as many Canadians mustered in the US forces during the Viet Nam War….
I salute both!
sasquatch, I have ancestors who served in that “War of northern Aggression”, to preserve the United States, so you can take your “War of northern Aggression” phraseology and shove it up your arse.
good thing for the veterans HARPER wasn’t in power in 1946:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/887299–outgoing-veterans-ombudsman-says-he-ll-sue-government
neo – thanks for the links. My family were soldiers in both world wars and I salute all who fought in those, and other wars, to preserve our freedom.
*
mot says… I just read a story in the London Ontario FREE PRESS”
sadly… this one is true… via bcf…
“As the clock struck 11am, the Islamic protesters burned a model
of a poppy and chanted ‘British soldiers burn in hell’.”
as vlad says in his blog… “objects in history are closer than
you think.”
*
From a email I received:
THESE COLORS DON’T RUN
In France, at a fairly large conference, Prime Minister Steven Harper was asked by a French cabinet minister if Canadian involvement in Afghanistan was just an example of “empire building”. Mr Harper answered by saying, ‘Over the years, Canada has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.’. You could have heard a pin drop.
A Canadian Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the Canadian, US, English, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks, but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, North Americans generally learn only English. He then asked, ‘Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?’ Without hesitating, the Canadian Admiral replied ‘Maybe it’s because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn’t have to speak German’. You could have heard a pin drop.
When Robert Whiting, an elderly Canadian gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane at the French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. ‘You have been to France before, monsieur?’ the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. The official replied ‘Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.’ The Canadian said, ‘The last time I was here, I didn’t have to show it.’ ‘Impossible, Monsieur. Canadians always have to show passports on arrival in France !’ The Canadian senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ”Well, when I came ashore on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn’t find a single Frenchman to show a passport to.’ You could have heard a pin drop.
Regardless of whatever idiocy may be going on elsewhere, I was driving to London (Ontario) this morning and saw that Remembrance Day was very well attended in several small towns in Southern Ontario. Delhi and Tilsonberg turned out en mas for cenotaph observances, as did my town of Cayuga.
We do not forget.
sounder – thanks for the anecdotes – and the tale about Harper’s support of freedom and of our troops.
While I wish Sounder’s quotes were accurately attributed, they are not. They are very pithy, though.
Searching on “The only amount of land we have ever asked for” returns a large number of hits. Somehow, a black, American former general speaking in Switzerland has turned into a white, Canadian prime minister speaking in France.
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-colin-powell.htm
The admirals and Mr Whiting have also switched nationality.
But by all means, let’s promote things Harper actually says that are worthwhile, like Kate’s earlier post on Israel.
“We do not forget”, unfortunately we have become complacent after successive Liberal governments have brainwashed Canadians into thinking that we are ‘Peace-Keepers’. Today we pay tribute not only to the “Blue Berets” of the “Peace-Keepers” but to the “RED, GREEN, and BLACK Berets” of the “PEACE MAKERS”. The men and women of past generations that gave their all in the defense of freedom for this country and way of life must surely be wondering if perhaps they passed the ‘Torch’ to the wrong hands. Something is amiss in Western society when we allow and accept into our midst people that are diametrically opposed to our freedoms!
Another Calgary Marc – I believe that you are wrong about your negation of PMSH comments; I’m fairly sure that sounder got it right. Google is not always reliable – I will attempt to find this quote and give it a proper reference (link). I do know that our Prime Minister does not rely on a teleprompter and does deliver dynamite one liners, off the cuff. I have heard some of these ‘thinking on your feet’ remarks from a live audience.
I find the piece about the poppy burning protesters as appalling as anybody here, but also know that there are Muslims serving in the CF.
After a week of heavy rain and high winds in Halifax, the sun finally shone today. I was glad that the vets at cenotaph ceremonies were spared the miserable weather, but I couldn’t help but wonder how many there were thinking about the comrades that never got the chance to feel the sun again.
God bless all those who served and look over those who still serve today.
Antenor, this may be true for official public consumption. However, I saw three cenotaphs services today and zero blue berets.
Nobody is buying the hype out here.
I have my dad’s air force jacket hanging in my closet and my granddad’s honourable discharge certificate hanging on the wall downstairs, June 14th, 1917. Still had shrapnel pieces in his legs.
They, along with my uncles, fought the good fight, bless them all.
Another Calgary Marc as I revealed, I received that in a email, unattributed, that is correct. The statements are interesting though, whomever to attribute.
This quote is indeed unattributed, Sounder. One unattributed source that I found gave Colin Powel credit for the quote. I don’t know if you are correct or not, another Mark but it would certainly be true if our Prime Minister had made that remark.
Jema 54, if Colin Powell was the originator, good for him! What a excellent put down toward a utter ignoramus!
Today, at the Vancouver ceremony, Marc Emory’s wife hung an “End All Wars” banner out her office window, across from the Cenotaph. Nice slogan, lady, but meaningless in the real world.
Notice in piture #4, the Star of David on one gravestone, and the Cross on the next.
’nuff said.
That ‘urban legend’ quote has been attributed to many over the years. It’s a profound statement, no matter who originated the story.
I would sure like that quote to have been Harper, I admit, but like I said, it’s definitely pithy. I know that it’s not Sounder’s originally and I wasn’t trying to be critical of him/her, but I have a habit of trying to slow the dissemination of faulty information. My family can attest to the number of similar emails from them I’ve done this to (e.g., of the Mars-closest-approach type), my usual reference being snopes.com.
But no matter the origin, it applies equally to Canada as to the US, in that we are not a militarily imperialistic nation, and to suggest something like that deserves such a smack-down…harder, if possible. Imputing a motive like that to Canada really does nothing more than expose the profound ignorance of the speaker.
I guess I just want to make sure that we don’t get sucked into the pitfall of circulating–and thus perpetuating–something “false”, for lack of a better word, even through good intentions. The other side has a nasty habit of pouncing on things like that with those oh-so-fetching hobnailed boots.
Attended ceremony in my small town of which 1/10th the population turned out. Grateful for that. Also my 7 year old ‘cub’ got to march from the Legion with the Vets to the ceremony. Just like his older brother did 14 years earlier – only with his Grandpa. Sadly my 7 year old will never have that chance.
I am so grateful for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. I am now only beginning to appreciate the sacrifice given by those who returned home.
Thanks to my Dad (in past years) and every Vet who keeps coming out to teach and remind us of what the price is for precious freedom.
Lest we forget.
“Marc Emory’s wife hung an “End All Wars” banner out her office window, across from the Cenotaph. Nice slogan, lady, but meaningless in the real world.”
Meaningless doesn’t even begin to describe the utter stupidity of such a mindless slogan.
This is tantamount to hanging a banner proclaiming “End all disease” or “End all poverty”.
There will always be evil in the world. Evil cannot be appeased or ignored. It must be beaten down. The only way to end a war is to mercilessly pound the enemy then put your boot to his throat until he’s no longer able to fight.
FYI: I posted some movie footage shot by my grandfather in 1928 when he went back to Ypres, Passchendaele, Arras and Vimy if anyone cares to see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mt13G29-aQ
It’s not OK to forget about WWI and WII, but it is ok to forget about the treaties signed with Canada’s First Nations.
Thank you for the photos of Beny-sur-mer. There is something eerily compelling about that place and others like it. As you walk up and down the silent rows of headstones, you feel you must read each and every name and every poignant family message. Of course, you don’t have time to do that so you leave with this feeling of guilt and a longing to some day return and complete your hommage.
The Commonwealth war cemeteries are beautifully kept and are created to be oases of tranquility. We visited several in France two years ago where the fallen of both World Wars rest. There is a comforting sameness about all of them — the Cross of Sacrifice being the dominant feature of each.
I am happy that we are bringing our fallen from Afghanistan home for burial. The European and Korean war graves are in friendly countries where our fallen soldiers will be honoured by the people they died to help. That may not be true about Afghanistan. It would be awful for Canadians, especially the families of those who died, if the Islamist barbarians were to re-gain control of that country and desecrate the graves of our soldiers — something they would do without hesitation. We saw these barbarian minds at work in the links above to footage of the Remembrance Day disruptions in the UK caused by muzzie demonstrators. Absolutely disgraceful.