Chat Aux Sphynx: Remembrance Day

Showing posts with label Remembrance Day. Show all posts

Friday, November 11, 2016

Remembrance Day

Let us remember to pause for two minutes of silence at 11 am today, to honour all those who gave their lives in service of their country. We also remember all those who served in the past, and those who continue to serve today.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Remembrance Day: Lest We Forget

November 11th is Remembrance Day. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we pause for two minutes, to remember those who have lost their lives in war and in peace support operations, and to honour those who have served and who continue to serve.

As many of you know, our human dad is an officer in the Canadian Forces, and we are very proud of him. His grandfather served in the Second World War. Although we have never met him, we are very proud of him and his service as well.

Please take a moment to attend your local Remembrance Day ceremonies. If that's not possible, Canadians can watch the ceremony at the National War Memorial on CBC. At the very least, please pause for two minutes of silence at 11:00.

Also take a moment to reflect on the lines in the poem, In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian physician, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, in the trenches in WW I on May 3, 1915.

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.
In Flanders Fields, by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

More resources on Remembrance Day:

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Blog Blast for Peace and Thursday Thirteen

Today is the BlogBlast for Peace! We are purring for peace.

It is also Veterans' Week (November 5-11). Since our human dad is an officer in the Canadian Forces, Veterans' Week and Remembrance Day are very important to us. Our dad's grandfather is a veteran who served in the Second World War. We would like to thank all the men and women who have served their country, and those who continue to serve, in order to protect our freedoms and to bring freedom to others throughout the world, and who try to bring peace or keep the peace in areas under conflict.

13 Ways to Take Part in Veterans' Week (courtesy of Veteran's Affairs Canada)

Pause for the "2-Minute Wave of Silence" at 11:00 a.m. on November 11 for the men and women who served our country during wartime.
Attend commemorative ceremonies at the local cenotaph.
Watch the national Remembrance Day services on television and remember that the National War Memorial in Ottawa is dedicated to those who served in time of war.
Wear a poppy in tribute to the men and women who sacrificed their lives for freedom.
Plan a candlelight tribute to commemorate a special anniversary with one of the regiments, air force groups or naval associations in your area. Visit Veterans Affairs Canada's Web site for links to Veterans' groups and organizations.
Spread the word about Veterans' Week.
Organize a lunchtime discussion on how the wars still have an impact on our lives today.
Encourage your local public library or archives, both important resources for community history, to create a display of wartime memorabilia (for example, photographs, uniforms, badges, military medals and decorations, diaries) in your office complex.
Hold a series of readings during the Week on books by or about Veterans and the wars.
Organize a walking tour of historic sites related to Veterans' achievements in your community, for example businesses, hospitals, museums, grave sites, etc.
Contact your local Royal Canadian Legion Branch, local historical or genealogical society, the history department at a nearby university or community college, or local Veterans' groups for information and speakers. Bookmark Veterans Affairs Canada's Web site for links to Veterans' organizations.
Visit a Veterans' residence, senior citizens' residence or nursing home to talk to older men and women about their lives and experiences during times of war.
Ask your local school board, a trustee or teachers to use the school resources provided free each year by Veterans Affairs Canada in the classroom.

and for those currently serving:

Get in touch with a member of the Canadian Forces either in Canada or overseas. All the addresses for Canadian Forces bases and overseas operations are listed on the National Defence Web site at Write to the Troops.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Memorial Monday

Yesterday, my humans attended a Remembrance Day ceremony at one of the Commonwealth War Graves south of Munich, Dürnbach War Cemetery. This cemetery contains 2,934 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 93 of which are unidentified. Among these are British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and Indian burials, many of them air force personnel. There are also 30 war graves of other nationalities, most of them Polish.

It was cold and windy, typical weather for Remembrance Day. It threatened to rain, but the precipitation held off for the duration of the ceremony. Military personnel from many countries were at the ceremony: British, Canadian, German, and a handful of other nationalities, and many of them had their spouses with them. They were all happy to brave the inclement weather to honour all those who gave their lives for our freedom, and to honour those who have served in the past and who continue to serve.

The ceremony consisted of prayers, two minutes of silence at 11am, and laying of the wreaths on the central cross in the cemetery. The Gospel of John 15: 9-17 was read in English and in German.

₉ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. ₁₀ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. ₁₁ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. ₁₂ This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ₁₃ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ₁₄ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. ₁₅ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. ₁₆ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. ₁₇ These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Due to the weather, my humans did not bring their camera or take any photos, but I do have a scrapbook layout from Vimy Ridge, Canada's National First World War Memorial, that I would like to share with you.

(Click image to view a larger version. Credits for the scrapbook layout can be found here.)

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Lest We Forget

This morning, my humans attended a Remembrance Day ceremony at one of the Commonwealth War Graves south of Munich. As part of the very moving ceremony, they paused for two minutes of silence at 11. It was rainy, cold, and windy, typical weather for Remembrance Day. But they didn't mind braving the inclement weather to honour all those who gave their lives for our freedom, and to honour those who have served in the past and who continue to serve.

As many of you know, my human dad is an officer in the Canadian Forces, and I am very proud of him. His grandfather served in the Second World War. Although I have never met him, I am very proud of him and his service as well.

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.
In Flanders Fields, by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

From Canoe.ca:
Following is a rundown of Canadian casualties in the wars fought since 1899 and in peacekeeping since 1947. (Figures for the First and Second World Wars include Newfoundland, which at the time was not part of Canada.)

Boer War (1899-1902): 277 killed, 252 wounded of 8,300 who served.

First World War (1914-18): 68,260 killed, 173,000 wounded of about 620,000 who served.

Second World War (1939-1945): 45,615 killed, 54,000 wounded of about 1.1 million who served.

Korean War (1950-53): 516 killed, 1,542 wounded of 27,000 who served.

Gulf War (1990-91): No deaths or injuries.

Afghanistan (2002-): 71 killed of more than 10,000 who have served so far.

Peacekeeping (1947-): 116 killed of more than 125,000 who served so far.

The next time you see a veteran, thank them for all they have done for us and our country.

More resources on Remembrance Day: