The day was sunny, cold and windy. I left the house as I heard the bass drum beat of the parade of veterans. I walked quickly and got into the park from the back to see the veterans with those in service and reserves march in from the front. A great many people attended -- more than is usual I believe. I carried with me photos of my grandfather, part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, who fought at Vimy and one of him with his brother who was in the British army. Being the centenary of the end of World War I, that seemed a fitting tribute -- I didn't stand there alone, but with them.
WWI was called the war to end all wars. Sadly, this was not the case. Peace, the absence of war, is not part of the world as we know it. Even without an overt war, we live with intolerance, injustice and hate. Yet, many efforts support the movement towards freedom and peace -- a world where safety, understanding and caring are paramount. Human nature is such that this may be very difficult to achieve.
Since WWI, I have had family members who have served in WWII, Korea, the Second Gulf War, in Peacekeeping missions, and regular and reserve corps in peace time. I am fiercely proud of their service and thank them and all the others I don't know for their service time, too. Remembrance Day is a day of solemn reflection of the nature of that service - a quiet day by myself usually.
A song that I came across today tells the story of a young Scot footballer (Jimmy Speirs) who died at Passchendaele in 1917. The lyrics remind me of what many recruits must have experienced around the Commonwealth. The song was commissioned for the 2017 renewal of the Scottish Memorial in Flanders. Enjoy!
Sing for the Boys (Jimmy's Song) -- Alan Brydon
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