Remembrance Day
November 11th is Remembrance Day, the day when the Germans, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, unconditionally surrendered, thus ending the Great War. After four long years of fighting, over 66 000 Canadian soldiers had been killed in the trenches of Europe. On this day, we remember all of the brave Canadian soldiers who fell, over 108 000, in the Great War, the Second World War, the Korean War, UN peacekeeping missions and continue to fight and die in Afghanistan today, for their country, for our rights and freedoms.
The poppy is the symbol of remembrance. It comes form the famous poem In Flanders Field written by medic John McCrae in 1915 during the battle of Ypres and this poem has come to symbolize all of those who have fallen in service of Canada.
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
We cannot fathom 108 000 lost lives, killed in defense of our country but we can remember one soldier. Today, I will honour Corporal Nathan Hornburg, 24, from Calgary Alberta of the King's Own Calgary Regiment, Alberta, killed September 24, 2007 in a mortar attack, Panjwayi District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
May his memory and the memory of all the Canadian fallen be for a blessing.
Yehi Zichram Baruch
6 comments:
thank u for this my friend........Happy Vets day and blessings to all the ones fighting!:)
and it's veteran's day in the u.s.
G-d rest all the souls of our people in uniform who have died for a righteous cause.
a very lovely tribute, b.k.
Oh yes, BK, I can't help but concur with you and those who have commented. G-d bless all those who are fighting and all those who have given their lives for our freedom from terrorism and for the freedom from tyranny for others in and around the countries where our (U.S. and Canadian) troops are posted. Now, we must pray for a meaningful and intelligent resolution to be implemented in the right time, which will allow our troops to come home and help peoples freed from tyranny to maintain their freedom... if that's possible.
I heard a U.S. veteran speak yesterday, now a very young retired U.S. Army Major due to his injuries, whose life will never be the same again. The horrors he witnessed as he was among the first to advance into Bagdad were atrocious! His soldiers were the first to come upon the Iraqi police stations and prisons where Saddam's police tortured and killed thousands upon thousands of civilians, and those places were NOT pretty sites! It is hard to imagine one human being can do such things to another, regardless of their differences in belief or opinion. So now this veteran carries inerasable memories of not only the death and destruction of troops along the way into Bagdad but of the out of control tyranny imposed on peoples of differing beliefs from that of Saddam Hussein.
Yesterday, I was reminded how thankful we are for those who have put their lives on the line in hopes of deterring another attack on American soil, but there are also many in and around both Afghanistan and Iraq who are thankful that others came to free them from the atrocities of tyranny they suffered. Those who watch CNN may have forgotten that there are civilians in and around those countries who appreciate the sacrifice our troops have made for their freedom. CNN and our liberal leaders have blasphemed the U.S. President's intentions and efforts to bring about equilibrium and freedom for all. However, I do envision and treasure the thought of day when our men and women can come home!
To all veterans, especially on this day, I say "thank you!" God bless our troops and our veterans!
Another awesome post, BK. G-d bless you!
-Deborah
As a veteran, I am honored to tip my hat to the thousands of men and women out there who are willing to leave the comforts of home to lay down their lives so that others may have a better life. Nationality doesn't matter..it takes both a warrior's spirit and a mercy heart to stand up and fight for those who can't fight for themselves. May G-d bless the memory of those who won't return, and bring home the rest quickly. Great post, BK.
Great post BK -- you're on a roll lately. Thank you to the troops of all countries that fight for men and women to live free.
It is difficult to fathom so many sacrifices which we may never repay.
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