Remembrance Day

[eat5hams]

In honour of Remembrance Day (Nov 11), I thought I would post some pictures from Flanders Fields. For all you Americans, Remembrance Day is a day when we remember and honor those who died in the Great War (WWI) and WWII and other conflicts. I don't mean to disrespect the USA, but I feel that in Canada much more emphasis is placed on the importance of these events... Here in America, Veterans Day is just another day, and Memorial Day is a boating holiday. Okay, Maybe that was too harsh. I have met several people this year who knew that it was Veterans Day and actually did something to honour the Veterans, such as putting out a flag and keeping them in their thoughts.

In Canada, as a child in elementary school, we would learn a lot about the wars (obviously at an elementary level...) around Remembrance Day. We would have an assembly each year where WWII veterans would come in full uniform and stand at attention as some of them, along with students and people from the community would lay wreaths on crosses. A bugler (or a recording of a bugle) would play Last Post, after which we would observe a minute of silence for those who gave their lives. One or more of the veterans would speak, as well as others. For me these experiences solidified in me a gratitude for freedom, and a respect for the price that was paid.

In regards to my comment above about how I don't feel these things are emphasized in the US, I do not mean it on a personal level, as I know many patriotic Americans who greatly honor those who fought and those who died. Rather, I was stating my own observations on a personal level. After living here 5 years, I personally have not seen anything like Remembrance Day.

That being said, I found upon visiting Europe this spring that they place much more emphasis on the World Wars than anything I experienced in Canada. Obviously it was a LOT closer to home for them (as it WAS IN their home....), but it still amazed me. Though I had been to Europe several times before, this last trip was very educational for me, as we went on a tour of many of the famous WWI and WWII sites. We spent most of the time on the Beaches of Normandy, touring around northern France to visit all the beaches as well as other key places in the war. Something that really surprised me was how much the people of those small towns along the coast still respect and care about their liberators.

Despite all the anti-French sentiments that seem to be so popular here in the States (and in Canada too for that matter, although there it is more directed against French-Canadians... or at least in the west it is...), those people (I don't know about the general French population....) are STILL so grateful for their liberators. There are paintings and murals on buildings that depict American, British, and Canadian soldiers, paratroopers and sailers all over the place with signs saying "Thanks to our Liberators!!"

The US Cemetery at Normandy is one of the most powerful places I visited, with its seemingly endless fields of white stone crosses. There I saw many groups of French schoolchildren touring and learning about what America did for them. I stood with one group of small children as their teacher told them something (in french) and then asked them to have a moment of silence for those who had died.

All in all it was a powerful experience, and got me thinking. I really am grateful for those who fought and died for my freedoms. I really need to be more grateful for them more often, and to do whatever I can to continue to preserve our freedoms.

Well, that turned into quite the rant. I appologize.

Following are some pictures from the Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres, Belgium. "In Flanders Fields" is a poem that was written by a Canadian Soldier, John McCrae while stationed in Ypres. The poem is probably one of the most well known war poems in Canada, and is quite well known in Europe as well.

I'll probably post some more pictures from this trip as I work on them (I'm quite busy lately with the school semester drawing to a close....)

[eat5hams]

Since this post is already so outrageously long that probably nobody will make it down this far, I thought I might as well post a few more pictures.

If anyone is interested, I posted a more pictoral version of this first post over on my blog, www.eat5hams.com, with less talking and more pictures...

Now, switching from a mostly WWI theme, most of these are from Normandy...



German 120mm gun (if I remember right) inland from Normandy.


US Cemetary... There were only a few Jewish headstones, and they caught my eye, especially given the backdrop of the holocaust. Many American (and others) lives were given to save the Jews, and in the long run, to save Christian and Jew and all others alike from Hitler. Many Jews also fought in their country's armed forces to save their fellows as well.

[Phil Hanlon]

Eric,

You may have a point. It seems to me also that Veterans day is considered by many as just an extra day off, if they get the day off at all. It is probably frowned upon in our schools to even mention the subject for fear of upsetting the apple cart.


I personally give all my empolees a paid day off, over 50% of them, like myself are veterans of one war, conflict, or another.

If you look close you will find many veterans observing the day, but I fear to many others just take it all for granted.


Thanks for your posting, and thanks for viewing my post.

regards,

Phil

[eat5hams]

Phil,
First of all, thank you for your service. Second of all, I am sure that you are right that there are many Veterans quietly observing the day, and I respect that and only wish and hope that others, especially those who are not veterans, would take time to appreciate what others have done for them so they wouldn't have to do it themselves.

My school, which is a completely privately owned institution, didn't do anything for veterans day that came to my notice. Now granted there are 35,000 students, but if I didn't notice it at all, even if they did do something, it wasn't advertised very well... Which dissapointed me a bit.

Well, my brain is fried from looking at my computer too long, and I have to go take a test, and I am probably getting repetitive, so I will sign off.

[martijeffers]

Eric,

This is a very moving series of images.

My father was one of those young men who saw Europe for the very first time on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. He past away a few years ago and never spoke much of his experiences, except to become a little emotional at his military reunions.

Fortunately, for me, he came home after a few years -- otherwise I'd not be here.


Thank you for the reminder and for the journey through your images.

[wes]

Thank you for a very touching post, Eric. I also see your point and was concerned when I heard someone ask why there wasn't any mail today. They didn't realize that it was veteran's day. So I see what you are saying.

Your images are very powerful and I am glad that you posted them as a reminder of our veterans.

Wes