REMEMBRANCE DAY

[bertvorgon]

As our World is in a very dangerous place right now, we still must stop and Remember those who
sacrificed their lives and those that came back with many sorts of wounds.

To my Dad, who saw such terrible atrocities, who came back with a strength to raise a wonderful family......I salute you DAD!

[510rob]

We are living in strange times to be sure. The part that seems surreal to me is not seeing ANY news about Ukraine/Russia conflict since the eruption of the Israel/Gaza conflict.

We still need to go to the Legion for roast beef dinner. I just checked. It is Saturday at 6pm sharp, reservations necessary, $25/person.

[bertvorgon]

Morning Rob,

Yes, we too have noticed that the Ukraine has dropped off the media map. I would like to do that dinner one time for sure!

I still have that box of WW 2 medals ( originals, not re-pops) that I was to give Art, to replace for anyone that had lost/misplaced theirs. As we lose more veterans form that War, not sure how valid that still may be.

I also today brought out the 3 Silver Cross's ( WW 1) that came in as scrap, it still bothers me that those 3 individuals families have long lost interest ( if that is the right word) and they ended up in precious metals scrap. I honored them along with my Dad.

[ostaylor]

Wow - that is shocking about the silver crosses...

I have found that the coverage of Ukraine has definitely taken a back seat to the Gaza / Israel coverage but it is still covered to some degree on the CBC National (not everyone's preferred news source, I realize). There was a decent amount of coverage on it last night.

Roast beef dinner for $25!!!! That's a great find - not surprising that reservations would be required.

[bertvorgon]

Owen,

You should see the collection of medals I have from WW 1 and of course WW 2. It was so sad to see them come in! What is fascinating now, thanks to our Government, is that military records have been digitized and you can read the whole file. You could take one of those men's numbers off that cross and enter it in, then be able to see all the the person went through, medical records, injuries, pay, dental work, leave, the ships they went one, etc.. Then of course in the Silver cross case, when they were killed. This then can be co-ordinated with one of the famous battles, if the case, say Vimy Ridge, etc.. I have my Grandpas records, where we see he lied about his age to get in!!!

for WW 2 records, you can get them 20 years after the person has passed, so for my Dad it will be 2027..hope I'm around to do that. I have over the years researched the travels of the 430 Squadron, 39R Wing and have found a lot of documention, I just need to put it all together.

One of my more "prized medal sets, is from WW 1, a naval person, who had JUST left the Halifax harbour right before that munitions ship blew up! The ship he had been on was damaged by the explosion. Then, when in England, he decided NOT to go with friends to a pub that night and it was blown up by one of the first dirigible attacks from Germany on London. I have the whole history of what he did there, that is just fascinating. This set is actually my next project in the next few weeks to put together all my research papers. This set will likely go to England, as it really has the history of the dirigible attacks that Germany first started with. He also survived the bombing of a huge glass covered garden, where troops were billeted, many were killed.

You may ask, why is a naval guy on land? This is where the Internet is at it's best! In reading his records and names of places, he was assigned to a "STONE FRIGATE" a building on land on the coast. It operated under the same military laws if at sea. He was tasked with coordinating all the small fishing boats that had be conscripted to be coastal watch patrols for German submarines.

Sorry to ramble, but I just love this level of history and what you can confirm on with the Internet.

[datzenmike]

I still wear a poppy though many don't and many more won't next year. The elderly here have the stories from our parents about what war was like but the next generation may not have a grand parent to pass it along. My kids don't remember their grandfather and mother and their kids will not understand at all. Gone from living memory.