Remembrance Day ~ Thank You

My great grandfather was a WW1 veteran , his name was Fred Dawson , I only remember him in my very earliest childhood memories . He fought in France in WW1 and was in many battles , he was wounded and lay in no mans land for 5 days and nights before being found by some troops of the Canadian Scottish Regiment .

As the years progress , we've lost the connection to the people that lived through the horrors of WW1 , and are losing those from WW2 .

According to my mom , Fred never talked much about the war , but my Great Aunt pressed him when she was writing some family history and this is a letter he sent her .

When Remembrance Day comes around each year , I read this letter , and I feel it helps me to not lose sight of why it is important to show my respect at this time of year , and throughout the rest of it .

Lest We Forget




“You seem to be worrying about our most famous regiment, the fighting seventh 1st. B.C. regiment, 2nd. brigade, 1st. Canadian division.

We worked in conjunction with the guards, Irish Fusiliers and Norwicks and Canadians. General Plumber was the army commander and General Alderson was our company commander. We worked with the Gurkas of India for a short time but they were too restless and also lousy and they were sent to another front.

No other regiment in the whole Canadian army came any where near the casualties the 7th. had, our colonel volunteered for anything he thought would bring him some honours. Our battalion had more honours than any other regiment. Casualties, officers and men killed: 1435, wounded and poison gas: 3294, prisoners of war: 134, total dead: 4863, death due to natural causes not included. Total honours and decorations bestowed to the battalion: 431 including 3 Victoria Crosses.

I hope the description is clear. I was in the Battle of Gevincy, Festerbert, Ypres and got finished along with my whole company in a sacrifice charge, 8 a.m., bright sun in our faces, June 3, 1916, the King’s birthday. I was in charge of two junior officers with a major they caught at the transport lines who was court marshaled.

Out of the 1 1/2 company of men, 7 of us lived. Your mother was notified I was killed in action, also the paper had the news but on the 5th. day they found me in no man’s land.

I hope this will satisfy your curiosity. Our regiment fought in many bloody battles from the Marne to Vimy. We have many battle honours and our flag is flying in Christ Church in Vancouver.

During my 14 months tour I had ten company officers, some killed and some wounded and one or two we booted out of the trenches and they were sent back to Canada.

Those days we had nothing: no planes, no artillery to speak of or machine guns. The Huns had been collecting it for years and how that British army held on nobody knows.

What a country, getting under ground, digging mine pits, what a life. We could never get up to strength. My company, 250 strong, was never up to 100 including cooks and batmen. We had about 90 counter charging.

Oh, what a horrible life.”

 

Thanks for posting this Peter.

 

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.

 

what a story. Remembrance Day to you and to all the brave men who gave it all and the sacrifice they endured during those wars.

 

• My grandfather served in the Seaforth Hylanders in both WW1 and WW2. From what I remember he told similar stories of deprevation and sacrifice.

Today we properly remember and honour them. On another day we can reflect on the idiocy of those who directed the mayhem.

I am off to the service in downtown Vancouver. The past few years it has been attendEd by more including many young folks. Good to see and and be a small part of.

 

Lest We Forget

 

I really like the fairly new tradition of the public that wait for the official ceremony in Ottawa to finish so they can lay their poppies on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the War Memorial , 35 000 in attendance this year .

For the last couple years , I place my poppy at our local cenotaph

http://youtu.be/HtDs0UqPp10

 

My grandfather was away from home fighting in WW2 for 5 years (including the Italian campaign) and he too didn't talk about his time there. It seems men of that generation were much less interested in talking about the horrors of war. My father respected his wishes not to talk about it but since his death 13 years ago, my father has spoken with several men who fought alongside my grandfather and the stories of what those men went through together both warms and breaks your heart. It will be a shame when the last of our WW2 veterans are no longer with us and able to participate in Remembrance Day ceremonies. It will be much more difficult for future generations to appreciate the sacrifices that were made.

 

Grand dad signed up with his brother May, 1915 having arrived in Calgary from Detroit (Born in St. John Mew Brunswick). His brother died of his woulds in 1919.

When I was 15 I asked hi if he would do it all over again if he could. His answer was simple without hesitation. He said, " They would have to shoot me first". He was at Vimy, along with the rest of the boys and finished the war around Mons in 1918.

 

Lest We Forget

 

Thank you to our Korean and Afghanistan veterans

 

Lest we Forget

 

Lest we forget

 

I don't know if you've gotten the chance to check out Peter Jackson's 'They Shall Not Grow Old', but if you can go, I recommend it.

For me never having that relative link to the first world war this really helped me bridge the gap. It's moving and better yet no bs, no love story, just a day in the life off.

 

Great post Peter, just found it. Live in the states, but always appreciate what Canadian’s have done in the world to keep it safe. Thank you all,past and present. I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas.

 

Lest We Forget

 

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.

 

Lest We Forget