Off Topic Remembrance

[Deleted member 5866]

Being that, like many, I have family and friends who have or are currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, (or American as I do have American relatives who also served their country) including both my grandfathers, an uncle, a cousin and 3 of his sons, one of whom served in Afghanistan with his father, I sat down yesterday and wrote this.

I have not gone where soldiers go,
Nor have I seen the things they see.
I haven’t stared down the barrel,
Of a gun that’s aimed at me.

I have not been surrounded by,
Explosions on each side.
I haven’t obeyed an order,
That’s left me nowhere to hide.

I have not sacrificed the life,
They left behind at home.
I haven’t missed my child’s birth,
Nor slept in caves of mud or stone.

I have not seen the suffering,
They went there to end.
I haven’t held a dying man,
Nor cried, because he was a friend.

I have not gone and then come home,
With scars no one can see.
I haven’t had to fight for funding,
To treat my injuries or my PTSD.

We must Honor and Respect them,
For the sacrifices they’ve freely made.
For a debt we owe to them,
That can never fully be repaid.

No, I have not gone where soldiers go,
Nor have I seen the things they see.
But I am thankful every day, for the freedoms
Through their sacrifices, they provided, for me.

Trevor M
November 5, 2018

 

[Loonietoon]

Very well written Trevor

 

[Loonietoon]

There is a video on youtube called a Pittance of time by Terry Kelly Very Excellent for people to Remember

 

[Wave Runner]

That's beautiful Trevor and yes I was one of the few fortunate enough to have a father who returned from the war safely or I wouldn't be here. Remembrance Day has always been dear to me because my father ingrained it into his children that it's a day far more significant than just wearing a poppy on our lapel as not to ever forget the horrors of war or the price paid. He was with the Allies as they launched Operation Market-Garden beginning with the Battle of the Scheldt. He was part of the First Canadian Army that led the way in fierce combat under harsh conditions to clear the German occupiers from the shores of the Scheldt River and open the waterway to vital shipping. More than 6,000 Canadian soldiers were killed, wounded or captured during the fighting. Thousands of Dutch men, women, and children also perished of starvation and cold during that brutal winter of conflict. I will never forget what those brave men and women did for us but we will probably never fully comprehend what they went through.

 

[Loonietoon]

Nice remembering story Wave Runner

 

[Deleted member 5866]

When we were old enough, we were told, if your grandfather wants to talk about the war, you sit and you listen, but you NEVER ask. After I posted it yesterday, the first person to like it was my cousin's son who had served with his father in Afghanistan. It has now been shared 20 times that I am aware of, and liked by more than double that. Every once in a while, I write a good one. My cousin read it as well yesterday and he thanked me, and I immediately responded to him privately telling him, he does not thank me, I thank him.

You're right Bob, even if or when they talk about it, any many can't or won't, unless you experience it first hand yourself, you can never know what they experienced, what they saw, what they did, or how they feel or felt.

I am somewhat of an amateur historian when it comes to the wars. I have in my collection well over 1000 hours of documentary footage, some of it VERY graphic that they will never show in schools. Although I do have some on WW1, which is a little harder to find today, and Vietnam, most of what I have is about WW2, and of course I have a lot of hollywood movies on the subject. Although I find the hollywood films entertaining, I much prefer the documentaries.

 

[Dand]

I have and always will shut my shop down, as in all work stops; for the minute of silence.
I have a nephew that is in the Canadian armed forces; he's a combat engineer. He's one of the solders that build the bridges for water and obstacle access into the combat zones. He and his team are the first ones to the other side and the last ones to leave whatever the obstacle was.
Very proud of him; even though when he was a kid, I wanted to tie him down to the seat in the boat. The kid couldn't sit still for a second. LOL

Dan.

 

[JohnW]

Very well done @Trevor M

 

[Loonietoon]

Time too move it up for all to REMEMBER

 

[Wave Runner]

 

[HTHM]

This not meant as a political post, but rather something that just offended me to my core:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...etery-remembrance-world-war-one-a8627571.html

 

[Loonietoon]

No Comment

 

[David Leckie]

Being that, like many, I have family and friends who have or are currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, (or American as I do have American relatives who also served their country) including both my grandfathers, an uncle, a cousin and 3 of his sons, one of whom served in Afghanistan with his father, I sat down yesterday and wrote this.

I have not gone where soldiers go,
Nor have I seen the things they see.
I haven’t stared down the barrel,
Of a gun that’s aimed at me.

I have not been surrounded by,
Explosions on each side.
I haven’t obeyed an order,
That’s left me nowhere to hide.

I have not sacrificed the life,
They left behind at home.
I haven’t missed my child’s birth,
Nor slept in caves of mud or stone.

I have not seen the suffering,
They went there to end.
I haven’t held a dying man,
Nor cried, because he was a friend.

I have not gone and then come home,
With scars no one can see.
I haven’t had to fight for funding,
To treat my injuries or my PTSD.

We must Honor and Respect them,
For the sacrifices they’ve freely made.
For a debt we owe to them,
That can never fully be repaid.

No, I have not gone where soldiers go,
Nor have I seen the things they see.
But I am thankful every day, for the freedoms
Through their sacrifices, they provided, for me.

Trevor M
November 5, 2018

Very well done Trevor

 

[Red Hering]

Sorry for the late reply,but my wife and I went to Victoria Park in London for Remembrance Day to honour our veterans just like we have done so many years before.The crowd of people that were there at the Cenotaph was amazing to see.After we left the Cenotaph,we had lunch downtown and waited for the London Knights & Kitchener Rangers OHL game at 2 p.m.Before the puck drop,there was a Remembrance Day ceremony for our veterans there as well at the Budweiser Gardens. Thanks again to all of our veterans for our Freedom that we all enjoy today.??