brainiac wrote:
We should remember those who fell in all wars, not just the brave and selfless Canadians. We owe it to them to appreciate what they won for us.
What they won for us? As in some minor Colony doing Britannia’s bidding?
Some times you can be a total plonker. Your sarcasm is barely disguised and rather distasteful. It's not only Wootten Bassett that sees young men in hearses. We in Canada have had 133 dead from Afghanistan. Our population is half that of the UK.
It would be nice for the Brits to actually acknowledge the sacrifice the Canadians made in both wars, that's from 1914-18 and 1939-45, these are years when we fought alongside the Brits, within British Divisions and Brigades. But that wouldn't result in a smarmy reply, would it?
EyeBrock wrote:
What they won for us? As in some minor Colony doing Britannia’s bidding?
Some times you can be a total plonker. Your sarcasm is barely disguised and rather distasteful. It's not only Wootten Bassett that sees young men in hearses. We in Canada have had 133 dead from Afghanistan. Our population is half that of the UK.
It would be nice for the Brits to actually acknowledge the sacrifice the Canadians made in both wars, that's from 1914-18 and 1939-45, these are years when we fought alongside the Brits, within British Divisions and Brigades. But that wouldn't result in a smarmy reply, would it?
Forget it most people know, well should know there are many Canadians who have died in wars. This statement he has made holds no water and it seems like he is living in the dark ages and without the US, Canadians and all other allies who knows what the world would be like today.
Oh no, I kind of knew this thread as a mark of respect on this special day around the free world would descend in to an argument as to who did what and when.
All the nations of the allies fought (and still do fight) for a common cause. Nobody who knows their history forgets or takes for granted what all the nations did in the two world wars.
The UK on Remembrance Sunday honours all nations, particularly of the Commonwealth who fought and died so we can live the way we do now.
I shan't say any more or I'll be here all night......
Every year on November 11, Canadians pause in a silent moment of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. We honour those who fought for Canada in the First World War (1914-1918), the Second World War (1939-1945), and the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as those who have served since then.
Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead!
There's none of these so lonely and poor of old,
But, dying, has made us rarer gifts than gold.
These laid the world away; poured out the red
Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be
Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene,
That men call age; and those who would have been,
Their sons, they gave, their immortality.
Blow, bugles, blow! They brought us, for our dearth,
Holiness, lacked so long, and Love, and Pain.
Honour has come back, as a king, to earth,
And paid his subjects with a royal wage;
And Nobleness walks in our ways again;
And we have come into our heritage.
The dead, by Rupert Brooke, 1914.
The first three lines of this poem are engraved into "The Arch" at the Royal Military College of Canada, my alma mater. I remember reading them my first week at the college, and they stuck with me throughout my military career and beyond.
dasrocket wrote:
+1.
...and a nice topic for your 1000th post!
Never even noticed, til you pointed it out.
Peter,Niall, Tom and Richard those pictures are worth a 1000 words
Jim and Fat Dave thanks for the poems
Thanks Jim for your service.
Dan thanks for the explanation of Veterans and Memorial Day
mfoto thanks for the link to Remembrance Day song
Lightshow thanks for the link
brainiac wrote:
We should remember those who fell in all wars, not just the brave and selfless Canadians. We owe it to them to appreciate what they won for us.
As the OP of this thread I did not realize that this day was honored elsewhere. It is important we remember all soldiers living and dead for what they won for us.
I read Brainiac's comment as let us remember all who have fought in all the wars, not as a sarcasm. He complimented Canadians by saying they are selfless and he reminded us that we should appreciate all who served.
Today we honor all those who are served and are selfless so we could enjoy our freedom.
Today I also reflected on the soldiers of the losing side. I remember A German soldier from WWII and have fond memories of this soldier.
My Grandfather was on patrol one night walking along a fence making sure the area was safe, at that sametime a German soldier came along the other side of the fence patrolling, they looked at each other,nodded and continued on their way. They were on different sides but both are heroes as both chose to give peace a chance.
So if anyone has any issues to what another posted just think of my Grandfather and the German Soldier, they respected one another said nothing and went in peace. So let us be respectful of one another as we are of our soldiers. Remember today is their day.
Brad K wrote:
Here, half a world away from my home land, Canada, I made it a point to observe two minutes of silence for remembrance at 11am local time.
Thank you for starting this thread. I wish I had a photo to share. I'd be interested in seeing more photos if anyone wants to post.
You are welcome.
May these weapons remain silent and disarmed in a park to remind us......
In fact, while not wishing to denigrate the sacrifice/commitment made by other Australians, Canadians etc in the Great War, many who joined up were actually first (or second generation at most) immigrants and considered they were returning to help the country of their or their parents birth. We need also to remember that French Canadians also signed up for the "Vingt-Douze" (the 22nd) British Canadian regiment, but many returned to Europe and joined the French army. Most Canadians/Australians etc at the beginning of the 20th century considered they were a British member part of the British Empire, just as most Irish believed they were part of Britain and did not want seperation - far, far more southern Irish joined the British Army (even though forced conscription never applied to Ireland) than supported the Irish independence movement. To quote L.P.Hartley in "The Go-between" "The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there."
Niall
burningheart wrote:
I read Brainiac's comment as let us remember all who have fought in all the wars, not as a sarcasm. He complimented Canadians by saying they are selfless and he reminded us that we should appreciate all who served.
Thanks for understanding what I meant. Being British I have a special affection for those countries whose soldiers my father and grandfather stood alongside in the Great War, the Second War, and the Cold War, and I certainly was not being sarcastic. Equally we must remember that coercion, conscription and propaganda meant that many of those they fought against had good intentions, were brave, and suffered too.
EyeBrock wrote:
What they won for us? As in some minor Colony doing Britannia’s bidding?
Some times you can be a total plonker. Your sarcasm is barely disguised and rather distasteful. It's not only Wootten Bassett that sees young men in hearses. We in Canada have had 133 dead from Afghanistan. Our population is half that of the UK.
It would be nice for the Brits to actually acknowledge the sacrifice the Canadians made in both wars, that's from 1914-18 and 1939-45, these are years when we fought alongside the Brits, within British Divisions and Brigades. But that wouldn't result in a smarmy reply, would it?...Show more →
When I said "we owe it to them to appreciate what they won for us", I meant that our generation owes our forebears the appreciation of what their generation won for ours. Sorry for the ambiguity. My father fought alongside Canadians at D-Day, amongst other theatres. I would never wish to belittle Canada's contributions in the effort to rescue Europe from Nazism and Communism.
