November 11th: Lest We Forget

[Jaimoe]

Thank-you to the veterans of all wars and peace keeping conflicts for our freedom and in making our countries and world a safer place.   

Folks in the Commonwealth countries began wearing poppies on Remembrance Day November 11th (the official end date of WWI) because of the popularity of this moving WWI poem by Major John McCrae, second in command of the 1st Brigade Canadian Field Artillery during the Second Battle of Ypres in April and May 1915. McCrae wrote it after he witnessed the death of his friend, who was killed in action in Belgium by a German shell.




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, May 1915 

[BH]

Thanks for the thoughtful post Jaimoe.

It's ironic that most of us, including me, really only show our thanks by enjoying and relishing our freedoms.  And our children's freedoms and so on.    I try hard not to take that for granted.  My father served, and lots of other older relatives, but I know very few my age that I can thank personally.

[Fully]

I just got back from my daughter's Jr. Beta Club induction. At the ceremony, the school had a teacher who was a Vietnam War veteran speak. He told about the sacrifices that his friends had made: one had been exposed to Agent  Orange, suffered for years, and died seven years ago from complications; another saved Oliver Stone's life in Vietnam and was mentioned in the movie, Platoon, and had suffered for the rest of his life with foot problems associated with jungle rot and trench foot; and then he told about his father who had spent forty days without a bath or change of clothes, sleeping in rice paddies, and would never speak about his experiences.  I got rather teary-eyed during his speech. Our soldiers have and do sacrifice so much for this county. Thanks, Veterans.

[Jaimoe]

Thanks for the thoughtful post Jaimoe.

It's ironic that most of us, including me, really only show our thanks by enjoying and relishing our freedoms.  And our children's freedoms and so on.    I try hard not to take that for granted.  My father served, and lots of other older relatives, but I know very few my age that I can thank personally.

And Remembrance Day and Veterans Day are more relevant than ever due to Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

I'm wearing my poppy proudly today and I'm seeing more and more people, compared to what I've witnessed in the past, in Toronto doing the same. November 11th is NOT a national holiday in Canada, but I think this is better since schools, businesses etc... are more likely to pay attention to the importance of the day.

[searchinbig]

Thank you is right. I watched a show on PBS last night about Vietnam Vets. Nearly made me puke. I said to my wife every kid in America should be watching this.