Remembrance day 2016

REMEMBRANCE DAY

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THE DAILY COURIER, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

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Private was fatally shot just minutes before war was to end at 11 a.m.

OTTAWA (CP) — George Lawrence Price was just one of the estimated 66,000 Canadians who died during or as a result of the First World War. By many accounts, his service during what was hoped to be “the war to end war” was unremarkable, except that he is widely believed to have been the last Canadian — indeed the last Commonwealth soldier — killed before armistice took effect at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918.

But it’s where Price was laid to rest that links the beginning of the deadly campaign to its bitter end and is perhaps the most poignant reminder of the futility of war, says Tim Cook, the Canadian War Museum’s First World War historian.

Official records indicate that Pte. Price took a sniper’s bullet in the chest at approximately 10:50 a.m. on the last day of battle while on house-to-house patrol in Ville-surHaine, Belgium, just outside Mons.

The 25-year-old runner for A Company, 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion, died of his wounds a few minutes later, just two minutes before the fighting was to end. He was later buried at what is now Belgium’s St. Symphorien Military Cemetery.

Only 30 metres away, in the same cemetery, are the remains of Pte. John Parr, the first British Empire soldier to die in the war, who was killed on Aug. 21, 1914.

“There’s something symbolic there . . . there is also perhaps something about the futility of war,” said Cook.

“The first soldier killed and the retreat of the British armies and the mobilization of tens of millions of soldiers, titanic battles around the world, on the oceans, various continents, empires have fallen and all of the fighting gets us back to the start line.”

The museum recently acquired Price’s war medals, along with a memorial plaque, from the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Kentville, N.S., where they had been on display largely unnoticed by the rest of the country — and even by his family — for decades.

“I didn’t even know they existed until I’d seen (the medals at the legion),” said George Barkhouse, Price’s nephew, now 87 years old, of Kingsport, N.S. Not much was said about his uncle when he was growing up, said Barkhouse and there was little family involvement in commemorations of his death until a footbridge was built in Price’s honour in 1991 over the Canal du Centre in Ville-sur-Haine.

Price’s surviving wartime comrades marked the 50th anniversary of his death in 1968 by placing a plaque on a home near where he died, which was later enshrine in a brick and stone monument after the house was demolished.

CENTRAL OKANAGAN REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONIES Kelowna City Park Cenotaph. Organized by the Royal Canadian Legion, Kelowna Branch No. 26 At approximately 10:30 a.m., a parade of participating organizations and the Colour Party will march from Stuart Park along Abbott Street to the Cenotaph in City Park for the ceremony.

Following the ceremony, participating youth groups are invited to the Legion Branch, 1380 Bertram Street for lunch. A period of social remembrance will be held in the Parkinson Recreation Centre, from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Rutland Lions Park Cenotaph. Organized by the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit 376.

The Canadian Press

Resident Marilyn Lahaeu holds up a photo of First World War soldier George Lawrence Price, who was killed in the Belgian village of Ville-sur-Haine, in 1918, near her home in Villesur-Haine, Belgium. Price was just one of the estimated 66,000 Canadians who died during or as a result of the First World War. He is widely believed to have been the last Canadian — indeed the last Commonwealth soldier — killed before armistice took effect at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. Below: The war medals of George Lawrence Price.

There are also no official records indicating why Price had exposed himself to a sniper’s scope. On the last day of battle, commanders had been told to instruct their men to “go to ground” until the armistice was in place.

Nobody wanted to be the last soldier to be killed, said Cook.

But for reasons that are still a mystery, Price who was born in Falmouth, N.S., and was conscripted in October 1917 while working as a farm labourer in Saskatchewan, became that last casualty.

“Some say that, in fact, there was a young woman who waved at him, and he waved back,” said Cook. “And then he rose from his position, perhaps to kiss her, perhaps to be the first liberator. We’re not sure.”

Of the hundreds of medal collections held by the museum, the Price medals hold a symbolic significance in that they mark the end of the First World War, said Eric Fernberg, a collections specialist at the museum.

But each set is important in helping Canadians to remember the sacrifices that were made which helped to shape Canada’s history, he said.

Things get lost in time,” said Fernberg.

“But the important thing in the end, things find a home.”

The Price medal set is to go on display in 2018 as part of an exhibition marking the Last Hundred Days campaign of the First World War.

The ceremony at the cenotaph in Lions Park will be preceded by a parade that will start at 10:30 a.m. from the Unit Clubhouse parking lot at 270 Dougall Road North to Gray Road and into the park. Following the ceremony and parade dismissal, an open house reception will be held at the unit clubhouse, 270 Dougall Road North.

Lake Country George Elliot Secondary School. Organized by the Royal Canadian Legion, Oyama Branch No. 189.

Please be seated inside the school by 10:30 a.m. A sign language interpreter will provide translation services during the ceremony. After the ceremony, an open house will be held at the Legion Branch, 15712 Oyama Road.

Peachland Peachland Community Centre, 4450 6th Street. Organized by the Royal Canadian Legion, Peachland Branch No. 69 Fall in at 10:20 a.m. at the community centre.

Following the ceremony, adults and children are welcome at the Peachland Legion on 2nd Street, where refreshments will be served.

West Kelowna Royal LePage Place, 2760 Cameron Road.

Organized by the Royal Canadian Legion, Westbank Branch No. 288 Arrive by 10 a.m., as a parade involving participating organizations and the Colour Party precede the 11 a.m. ceremony. Following the ceremony, lunch will be served at the branch for members and invited guests.

The soldier that almost was

By WILLIAM S. PECKHAM Special to The Daily Courier

Puttees wrapped my ankles, breeches ballooned at my knees, jacket sleeves hung six inches past the end of my fingers, and the steel helmet . . . slid down over my eyes . . . but I was a soldier.

My Grandpa Mac proudly served in the Army in World War One, and I imitated him every chance I had.

When he returned from France in 1919, he brought many souvenirs with him, among them his complete uniform.

When we visited my grandparents in Niagara Falls, my brother, Bob, and I loved to play in the attic of their home. Grandpa kept his souvenirs in a footlocker in the attic.

This visit, it was my turn to dress up; and dress up I did from head to toe: Gas mask to puttees. I was a soldier in the Canadian Army.

When Grandpa Mac saw me, he laughed and then hugged me close. He said he hoped I would never have to see the things he had seen and do the things he had done. When I asked what those things were, he just shook his head and hugged me again.

My father played a bugle and learned all the military bugle calls. When the army was recruiting men in 1914, he went to the Niagara Falls Armouries and asked to enlist as a bugler. The recruiters smiled and asked him to play several of the calls then asked their superior officer to listen.

Dad really wanted to go into the army as a bugler, but, he was born in 1904 and was only nine years old at that time.

I always thought the recruiters could have just sent him away and laughed at him, but they let him play for them and then, asked him to come back with a note from his parents with permission to ‘join up.’

He never forgot that adventure.

The military was in his blood and when World War Two came along, father tried to enlist, but was unable to join the active army because of health reasons. He joined the reserve instead.

We lived in a military town, Kingston Ont., with a long-standing military tradition. I cried when he came home in his uniform, a private in the Canadian Army. I thought he was going to leave our family and fight for our country. I was only 10 years old, too young to really understand the implications of war, but old enough to hear the adults talk and know that war was a tragedy.

My father’s brother, my uncle Ted, was an officer in the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, in Niagara Falls, and he left for ‘overseas’ in early 1940.

I remember Uncle Ted in his uniform and that huge revolver on his belt. My brother and I emulated Uncle Ted and played war games in those years, wishing we were of age to ‘join up.’

The war was over before I was old enough to join the service. However, I did join the army cadets in high school. We trained and marched and wore ‘real’ uniforms. Boy, were they itchy. I served in the cadet bugle band for several years and wore white puttees (a shadow of my father); they reminded me of my Grandpa Mac’s puttees, the ones I had worn so many years before.

Eventually, I transferred out of the bugle band and became Sergeant Major of the senior company. It was hard for me as I was only 5-foot-1 and 100 pounds, soaking wet, and the ‘men’ in my company were the school jocks, stars of football, basketball and track.

On parade, it must have been a hoot to see me in front of all those big guys shouting commands.

When the Korean War came along, my brother Bob and I were the right age for the military. The Princess Pats were recruiting in Toronto at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds.

Bob was working in a store, and I was on a farm at the time. On the weekend we planned our trip to Toronto for the following Wednesday to enlist, since Wednesday was his day off.

We did not tell our parents about what we were planning as we did not want to worry them until it was necessary and we had been accepted into the army.

Tuesday evening came, and the Niagara Falls Review arrived at our door with headlines as big as the back of a Mac truck: PRINCESS PATS FULL. NO MORE RECRUITS ACCEPTED. Foiled again. I am . . .

The Soldier That Almost Was. William S. Peckham is a Kelowna resident and an author.

Footnote from the author: I was never able to join other Canadians in the service of our country, but these veterans have my respect and my undying gratitude for putting their lives on the line for our country and our freedom.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

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THE DAILY COURIER, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Lest We Forget: More than just a phrase

By WILLIAM S. PECKHAM Special to The Daily Courier

Lest we forget . . . . Forget what?

Forget the troops, men and women, who fought for the freedom and rights of other people, the people of all the countries under siege.

They laid down their lives for others, without thinking of their own safety.

They helped people in the countries in which they were fighting by caring for them, helping feed them, at the same time giving up some of their own food for starving children.

We will never forget the men and women who put their own lives at risk during the great wars, the lesser wars, the “incidents” and the UN peace-keeping assignments, which have ravaged, and are still ravaging, much of this world.

Many of our troops who have served in skirmishes, incidents and other battles, have never been given the respect and honour which they deserve.

Those of us who were too young, too old or not fit enough to serve alongside these brave men and women, stand here free and able to live our lives in comfort because of the sacri-

fices of so many.

No matter which battle, large or small or which country it may have been fought in, there is always pride in accomplishment.

No matter the country or the battle, it can be said our troops fought to free a land from terror. It could be said that the country in which they fought was: A country that spawned terrorists, or A country that taught young children to make bombs and kill, or A country that grew poppies for drugs, or A country that turned its growing fields into killing fields, or A country that our Canadian troops built bridges for, or A country that our Canadian troops built roads in, or A country that our Canadian Troops built schools for education, helped teachers, supplied teaching materials and made that country a better place in which to live.

This is the country in which Canadian troops fought the enemy, watched for roadside bombs and mines and with the other eye watched out for the people of a war-torn nation.

They worked and died to free these oppressed people.

I wrote about myself in on the previous page in the soldier that almost was. I was only 15 when World War Two ended but, like so many other kids, I fought the war, in my own way, with war bonds and war stamps.

Each week, our allowance went for war stamps. No movies or candies or treats; we were fighting alongside our troops in the only way we could.

Our school held Red Cross sales, and we sold our toys and our creations. In art class, each Friday, we made things for the sales. I was a painter and painted many objects, such as salt and pepper shakers, cups, teapots and more for the sales.

We collected scrap metal, steel, aluminum and copper for the war effort. All across our country, school ‘kids’ were donating, working, buying and serving.

Our families rolled bandages for the Red Cross, our women knitted ski masks, scarves, socks and ‘rifle mitts’, the ones with all fingers encased but, the trigger finger was free.

Families sent care packages from home with the goodies the troops missed so desperately.

We kids wrote letters to children in warstricken countries, and some of us even became pen pals after the war.

It is our responsibility, as veterans, military or civilian veterans, to remind the young people of today that without the sacrifices of the Canadian people during any of the conflicts and wars, this country would not be as wonderful to live in as it is.

The young people who think they are owed an education (not work for it as we did), owed a high-paying job (just because they are Canadians), must be told that the people who died and suffered to keep Canada free did not do it for them to rant and rave and demonstrate because they think they are “owed” a life.

They need to work for this country, defend it and commit to it if they are to enjoy all of its freedoms.

Lest We Forget is more than just a phrase that we trot out and dust off on November 11, but a phrase to live by and drive us through life.

From the decisive victory waged by the Red Coats at Fort York and the dangerous trek by Laura Secord, a civilian, in the war of 1812, to the killing fields of Afghanistan, today, Canada’s military and civilian veterans have shaped this country called Canada.

To all those who served and are serving, we salute you with pride.

TV program to profile vets from storied Canadian regiment Docu-drama Black Watch Snipers to air on History channel on Nov. 11 TORONTO (CP) — They suffered more casualties than any other Canadian regiment on the Allied Western Front during the Second World War. Now, their stories are being told in the docu-drama Black Watch Snipers, premiering this Remembrance Day on History. The film profiles Canada’s Black Watch regiment through the true stories of five snipers who worked side by side to help defeat the Nazis in the 10 months following D-Day on June 6, 1944.

Four of them, all in their 90s, were alive during the making of the film and appear on camera to describe their harrowing experiences.

“It’s a long and storied regiment,” says Robin Bicknell, the film’s director/producer. “They had three or four Victoria Crosses in (the First) World War . . . and so I think it was in and of itself a story that needed to be told.

“For example, their first battle at Verrieres Ridge, the first big battle, 97 per cent of the kids who went up that hill didn’t come back.”

The snipers who recount their tales in the doc are Jimmy Bennett, Jim (Hook) Wilkinson, Russell (Sandy) Sanderson and Mike Brunner.

HO-Corus Entertainment Inc. “Some of them have told their stories, even to their fam- A still image from Black Watch Snipers is shown. The television program will air on Remembrance Day on History channel. ilies or whatever, but certainly Jim Bennett . . . it was “They didn’t really know anything about what had hapShe also hired actors for re-enactment shoots in Elora, like I had turned a faucet on and it all just came pouring out and he said, ‘I’ve never told anyone this — not my family, not pened to their dad after he had gone over,” she says. “They Ont. knew some vague thing and they have the telegram that said “It was moving, it was powerful, they laughed, they cried,” my wife. No one,”’ says Bicknell.

The film is narrated through the story of Ontario-born Dale what happened to him. They didn’t know the impact he had she says of the first-person accounts they filmed.

“It’s almost like we time-travelled a little bit and it felt like Sharpe, who died in battle and was said to be the hero of the on all of these men.”

Bicknell says when she started the project, there were only they were right back there and could describe it in such visgroup’s platoon.

Bicknell says she tracked down the Sharpe family and inter- about 20 veterans left out of about 5,000 that served in the ceral detail. It was astounding, actually. My memory is not viewed them for the film after hearing the other veterans talk Black Watch regiment, and of those, there were maybe 10 that good!” or 12 that could actually sit for an interview.

Two of the real-life snipers who appear in the film — about him. The film has been “life-altering” for the family.

When she started production, she realized that four of the Sanderson and Wilkinson — have since died. interviewees were not only personally close, but they were Bicknell was able to bring them and Brunner together durpart of the same platoon and had saved each other’s lives. ing shooting (Bennett was unable to fly), and their reunion “Then on top of it, all four of them, separately, spoke about is captured at the end of the film. this Dale Sharpe character with such great reverence and “I took them to a gun range and gave them their old sniper sadness and honour, so I really felt like he had to be part of rifles and sure enough, they could still hit those targets, honthat film as well,” she says. est to God,” she says. “The muscle memory just kicked it. It Bicknell retraced the steps the regiment took in 1944. was amazing to watch.”

JOHN HUDSON

Helping Hand

Al Hudson, the father of Daily Courier ad rep John Hudson, washing a pup in Europe in 1943 during the Second World War.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

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THE DAILY COURIER, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

A trove of Canadian First World War artifacts on display MONTREAL (CP) — The book is labelled A Soldier’s Diary and its century-old pages tell a story of the Great War that might otherwise have been forgotten.

The First World War relic, in remarkable condition given its age, once belonged to a Montreal private named Clarence (Buster) Booth of the Victoria Rifles and was actually forbidden for soldiers.

“Diaries were not actually permitted, they were illegal, and the idea was that if you were ever captured, you could accidentally give information to the enemy,” Caitlin Bailey, curator of the Canadian Centre for the Great War, explained in an interview. “But pretty much everyone kept some sort of notebook.”

The diary is one of the nearly 5,000 First World War artifacts collected over nearly three decades by Montreal businessman Mark Cahill. Some of the massive collection is on public display, tucked away on the second floor of Cahill’s company’s offices in a refurbished factory. The collection — about 90 per cent of the display is made up of Canadian items — includes everything from pins, medals and helmets to uniforms, weaponry, personal effects and letters.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about a war, it’s about all our families, all our friends, a common experience,” Cahill said. “It’s what we try to do here, we try to tell the individual story — the story of the common people and the experiences they had.”

Cahill’s interest in war is personal — his grandfather was a First World War vet, a member of the U.S. army. His father served in the Second World War. “I come from a family that’s always been interested in anything related to the war — and a long line of veterans involved in wars going back to the American Civil War,” he said.

Cahill said he started wondering what to do with the growing collection and agreed with Bailey there were so many Canadian First World War stories that could be told.

One yarn is from Booth’s diary, which contains entries from his enlistment in 1915 until mid-1916, when the writing abruptly stopped following the private’s hospitalization for severe shell shock.

He would survive the war.

“When you read it, it’s a very clear picture of someone who was very excited about a very big adventure that was coming,” said Bailey. “And when he got to where it was going and realized it wasn’t quite what he thought it was going to be, it becomes increasingly sad and despondent.”

Storytelling is increasingly popular as a way to teach history as people are always interested in the lives of other people, Bailey noted.

“The way the First World War remains relevant to us today is that remembering all of the numbers everybody spouts — each one of those was an individual person,” Bailey said. “One who had a story, who had a life, who achieved something and who came back (from the war) or didn’t.”

One of Bailey’s favourite tales is that of Arsene Belanger, who enlisted in 1914 as a member of the Royal 22nd Regiment, known as the Van Doos.

“He ended up being accidentally shot in the foot, which at the time was considered the The Canadian Press easiest way to give yourself a self-inflicted Above and below: Photos, helmets, weapons and tools used during the First World War wound,” Bailey said. “Because you couldn’t from a collection of First World War memorabilia in Montreal. march, you’d be out of the war, so all foot wounds were investigated for being self-inflicted.”

Belanger, a native of Rimouski, Que., was placed in a special isolation hospital and brought before a military tribunal where it was determined he’d been struck by a stray bullet. He was quickly dispatched back to the front to fight for three more years.

Belanger’s story is a typical one — offering a snapshot of his time in the war. The fuller story remains unknown, but he survived the war and returned to Rimouski where his relatives still live.

“He went, things happened to him and he came back and had to get back into his life the best way that he could,” Bailey said.

The entire story may never be known for other items, such as the box respirator carried by an unknown infantryman in a satchel on which were scrawled the words “My Pal.” It was worn around the neck after 1915 and was the only tool soldiers had at their dispos“His buddies probably didn’t actually ever Montreal to be able to fully display all of the al to fend off chlorine gas attacks. see this (the words) because it was kept items. against his chest the whole time,” Bailey “We’d like to be known (as a place where) if said. “Maybe it saved his life so it is his ‘pal’ you have a story about the First World War, in some way.” this is the place to come,” she said.

Bailey is hoping for a larger space in On the web: https://greatwarcentre.com.

The Canadian Press

Mark Cahill shows part of his First World War memorabilia.

Help Canada’s veterans: Support the poppy fund

In 1918, YMCA Volunteer Moina Michael developed the idea of wearing a memorial poppy after reading the poem In Flanders Fields.

Thank you for wearing a red poppy as a sign of remembrance.

YMCA of Okanagan ymcaokanagan.ca

Thank You for Serving Our Country

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You see them every fall: Veterans and cadets plus men, women and children selling poppies across this great land of our.

While the Legion’s annual poppy campaign only lasts for a couple of weeks, poppy funds are hard at work all year long. Here are a few examples of poppy donations at work: Assisting any person (and their dependents) who is serving (or who has honourably served) in the Canadian Forces and needs assistance; Legion Veterans Transition Program, a relief and recovery program for trauma-related stress from military service; Housing for homeless veterans; disaster relief.

Three ways to support the poppy fund: 1. During the poppy campaign, the Legion gratefully accepts donations at Legion tables and poppy boxes across Canada.

2. Donate at your local Legion Branch.

3. Donate to National Poppy Trust Fund: The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command accepts donations (cash, money order or cheque payable to the Dominion Command Poppy Trust Fund).

Let us never forget …

We owe them everything.

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REMEMBRANCE DAY

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THE DAILY COURIER, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

The anxiety and stress Remembrance Day holds for many damaged Canadian soldiers TORONTO (CP) — After returning from Rwanda, retired lieutenant-general Romeo Dallaire avoided Remembrance Day “like the plague.”

The prospect of donning his uniform for a public ceremony, or even watching a televised parade, was too much after witnessing countless atrocities during that failed peacekeeping mission.

“I had lost soldiers under my command, I had seen soldiers grievously injured under my command, I had seen soldiers lose their mind under my command. And I avoided that day like the plague. At best — at best — I might watch it on TV,” says Dallaire, who was dismissed from service after that mission because of resulting depression, anger and suicidal thoughts.

“One year, the CBC in French had me do a play-by-play and I said, ‘I’ll never do that again.’ It was just so tormenting.”

For most Canadians, Remembrance Day is a time for gratitude, reflection and expressions of national pride. But for many soldiers and veterans scarred by trauma, it’s a time of anxiety, stress and unwelcome triggers.

Those experienced with treating mental health issues stemming from military service say they often see these anxieties in those who have not adjusted well to life after a tour of duty. Their ability to handle Nov. 11 generally corresponds to the experiences they had with the military, how much support they receive from friends and family, and what, if any, treatment they are offered upon return.

Dr. Ruth Lanius notes the day can be especially difficult for those battling post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition marked by recurrent memories of a stressful event, nightmares, and severe emotional distress or physical reactions to any reminders of wartime trauma.

The Canadian Press

After returning from Rwanda, retired lieutenant-general Romeo Dallaire said he avoided Remembrance Day “like the plague.”

Even though well-meaning citizens organize these events to recognize sacrifice and offer gratitude, a damaged soldier might find the hoopla only increases their survivor’s guilt, or highlights their perceived failures.

“I’ve seen veterans who it’s taken years for them to be able to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony because it triggers them so much and it brings back their own memories,” says Lanius, speaking from London, Ont. How to handle that stress varies from person to person, she adds. While it might be important for some service members to work through that anxiety and learn to embrace Remembrance Day, that might be too overwhelming for others.

“In some cases it can also be experienced

as a tremendous relief because it makes them feel closer to some of their buddies that they’ve lost in war,” she says.

“I met one man last year who hadn’t been able to attend in years and this was the first time he’d been able to attend. Even though I think it caused a lot of emotional distress for him, I think it really also led him to experience a sense of mastery for having been able to attend after such a long period of time.”

Dallaire recalls how his own soldier father, who commanded an infantry regiment in the Second World War, would grudgingly participate in the Remembrance Day parade.

“And he hated it. Because if there’s a time when those that you saw suffer, those that you saw die or injured come back to life in a

haunting way, it is that day, during those ceremonies,” says Dallaire, who outlines his battle with PTSD in Waiting for First Light: My Ongoing Battle with PTSD, co-written by Jessica Dee Humphreys and published by Random House Canada.

“They would wash that down with gallons of beer and so on afterwards at the legions.”

Dallaire says his own feelings about the day have swung widely from both extremes.

Early on, he joined the parades with pride — but this was before he had suffered any casualties under his command.

“I was a peacetime soldier and so it was a great ceremony, commemoration, and we looked at the vets, we listened to their stories and we got pissed with them and had a great time,” he says.

Things were different after serving in Rwanda, where he was a helpless witness to a horrifying genocide that slaughtered hundreds of thousands of people.

“All those people you lost and all your buddies . . . they all come back to life,” he says of Remembrance Day. It’s digitally clear. It’s slow motion. They’re alive. They’re there with you. The orders you gave to send soldiers to their death, that’s there and real.”

Still, he encouraged the Canadian public to participate in the annual ceremonies, especially politicians and public servants.

And he urged citizens to acknowledge soldier sacrifices and express thanks directly to any military member they might encounter.

All of that matters, he says.

“It is a fundamental duty of the citizenry to feel that pride. And to express it. To express it by being there, to express it by buying the poppy, to express it by shaking the hands of a vet or a serving soldier. Actually stopping somebody in uniform on the street and thanking them,” says Dallaire.

A sea of red: Selling poppies, sharing memories

By WILLIAM S. PECKHAM Special to The Daily Courier

It was the first time I had volunteered to sell poppies for the Legion.

Strangely, I had never thought about volunteering for this special day before.

It seemed each year the time came and the time went. I did not think about how all those poppies were sold; who stood in the cold and talked to people about what the money did for our veterans.

I just took for granted that Joe would do it.

Well, Joe and Mable and Art, the list goes on, still do it, but some have gone, some are too sick and frail now.

These are the people who served our country, who were active members of our Legion here in Kelowna.

The veterans of World War One are all gone now and the veterans of World War Two are not as great in numbers anymore. They served their country in battle and they served the Legion at home.

They sold poppies while people like me went to the Legion for dinners, dances, and social functions, only . . . does that seem right?

One afternoon, in October of 2013, the phone rang and the voice on the other end said she was calling from the Poppy office.

They needed help; could I do a shift or two?

It caught me by surprise.

I thought they had volunteers coming out of the woodwork.

Not so.

I agreed to do a shift and went to the Legion on the appointed day to pick up my container of Poppies and my location assignment, The Mission Park Plaza.

This is a good location, especially for a beginner. Lots of people are in and out of the stores. I was set up in front of the liquor store and the pharmacy; high traffic.

It was a cold, breezy day.

I showed up in my blue blazer with the Legion crest prominently on display. I soon realized, after about five minutes on the line, that it was too cold for that kind of dress. It was time to switch into cold weather gear; insulated jacket, hat and gloves.

The stories, to which I was made privy, were the kind of stories to warm your heart and make you think about what war did to so many people.

An older woman from the Netherlands stopped, purchased a poppy and when I thanked her said, “No, it is I who need thank the Canadian veterans. I was just a little girl when the Nazis overran the Netherlands. I remember what life was like back then and the hardships we all endured.

“I still feel the thrill of our liberation by the Canadians. The young men who marched through our town with their war-torn Canadian flag were like angels. They gave us chocolates, cigarettes, and their smiles. No, I am the one who should say thanks.”

Then, she turned and walked away, leaving me sort of stunned and speechless — an unusual thing for me.

One gentleman with a walker, a veteran’s tam on his head and a poppy stuck in his lapel, stopped to shake my hand and say thanks for taking his place with the poppy container. He explained that he was too crippled and too old to stand out there and sell poppies anymore.

He said it was so great that younger men were now stepping up to fill the older vet’s shoes. I asked him where he served when he was overseas.

His answer was he never got into the service until after the war was over because he was too young to join up while the war was on.

A young woman stepped smartly along the sidewalk and up to me. She stuffed a handful of paper money into the box and started to leave. I thanked her and told her that the money was being used for a good cause and the veterans appreciated her generosity. She stopped and came back.

“I know it is. I am a seven-year veteran with the army. I have seen where this money goes and how it is used. Many of my friends and comrades have been beneficiaries of the generosity of the Legion.”

With that she pivoted, as though on parade, and marched away. She had the bearing of a service person, head held high, back straight and a purpose in her step.

Everywhere I looked that day, I saw a poppy. The parking lot, sidewalk and the stores were a sea of red. I felt honoured that so many veterans shared so many stories with me on “poppy” day.

I, a complete stranger to all of them and yet a comrade in the Legion.

Lest We Forget Remembrance Day Parade November 11th Parade will form up at Stuart Park at 10:00am Marches to the City Park Cenotaph at 10:30am Remembrance Day Services at 11:00am

“On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, Canada Remembers.”

Remembering those who fought for our Freedom

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Honouring those who fought for our freedom.

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WINFIELD GARY NYLANDER/The Daily Courier

The sun shone brightly during last year’s Remembrance Day ceremony in City Park in Kelowna. The ceremony included the Last Post played by Dennis Colpitts with a World War One bugle, followed by two minutes of silence. More than a dozen official wreaths were laid along with many more by the public and other organizations. The Kelowna Yacht Club also laid an official wreath on the waters of Okanagan Lake.

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Thousands of local residents attended last year’s Remembrance Day ceremony in City Park, including scores of children.

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An RCMP member stands at attention during Syd Pratt, president of Branch 26 of the Royal Canadian Legion salutes during last year’s last year’s Remembrance Day ceremony.

Remembrance Day ceremony.

A movie, a bugle and a love for king and country

By WILLIAM S. PECKHAM Special to The Daily Courier

My father had led an exciting life and delighted in telling my brother Bob and me about some of his escapades.

I have started a book about dad’s adventures as a young boy. Every November, there was one story which keeps popping into my head, so I decided to write about it.

History books tell us that World War One began July 28, 1914.

Soon after, army regiments began recruitment drives at armouries all over Canada.

The Lincoln and Welland Regiment of Niagara Falls, Ont., was no exception. Young men from all over the county began to line up at the Niagara Falls armoury and pledge their lives to the service of King and country; my father was no exception.

Dad was born on Oct. 19, 1904. This meant he was only nine years old. His desire to join the service was not motivated by the desire to pick up a gun and charge the enemy, but rather by a British movie, the name of which escapes me now.

He said it was about a British regiment in India. This nine-year-old was struck, not by the violence and the inhumanity of war, but by a young bugler boy who played all the bu-

gle calls that sent the regiment into battle, called them for meals or called them back from the battle.

Dad said this young bugler was no more than nine or 10 years old. He told my brother and me that after seeing the movie, he saved his pennies and bought an old bugle from a pawnshop. With all the dings, dents and scratches, it looked as if it had served in many battles. He said he must have driven his parents and the neighbours crazy with his practising.

Finally, he learned all the military bugle calls used by the Canadian Army.

The young boy in the movie inspired my father to march down to the Lincoln and Welland armoury and enlist.

When dad arrived, there was a short line of young men waiting to put their names on an enlistment form. Dad stood in line and waited alongside them. He stood with his brass and copper bugle all shiny and new looking, yet with the scars of many battles showing through the glint.

When his time came to speak to the enlistment officers, they did not scorn or embarrass him; they took his request to join the army seriously. One young officer, who seemed to be in charge, asked him if he could play all the required bugle calls.

He said he could. Then, he was asked to play a call; he did, and then they asked for another and another, until they could not think of any more calls for him to play.

At this time, a senior officer came to the table to see what was going on. The senior officer listened to several calls and told my father that he was a good bugler and that the army could use a young man of his talent but, at this time, they did not need a bugler.

He also suggested that dad go home and keep practising and in a year or two come back and see if a bugler was required.

Dad told us he marched all the way home, about 10 blocks, playing his bugle all the time. He often wondered what the people on the street thought about this and what the recruiting officers talked about after he left.

He never returned to the armoury again.

This story inspired me to play the bugle. It was 1941, I was 10 years old, and World War Two was raging.

Dad helped me find a bugle in a pawnshop and taught me to play it. Just as he did, I drove my parents and neighbours crazy with my practising all those bugle calls.

In 1946, I joined our high school army cadet bugle band and played the bugle and the trumpet in the band for four years.

The Little Bugle Boy was reincarnated.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

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THE DAILY COURIER, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Most Canadians say fallen soldiers should be honoured beyond Remembrance Day: Poll

By MICHELLE MCQUIGGE The Canadian Press

A new poll suggests Canadians would like to see efforts to honour fallen soldiers extend well beyond Remembrance Day. The study commissioned by Historica Canada found a vast majority of respondents would like to see a national monument to soldiers who died in combat in modern times. About 76 per cent of them said they’d like to see a memorial similar to the United States’ Vietnam Wall, which lists the names of those who have died while serving in their country’s military. The poll also found 86 per cent of those surveyed felt creating some sort of national monument should be part of Canada’s upcoming 150th birthday celebrations.

Survey respondents also emphasized the need for ongoing education on Canada’s military accomplishments, with 62 per cent saying Canada’s stu-

dents are not learning enough about the country’s war-time efforts.

The finding comes despite a growing number of Canadian provinces emphasizing Canadian history as part of the middle or high school curriculum. Historica Canada Chief Executive Anthony Wilson-Smith said the poll results, prepared by Ipsos, carry on a trend that’s emerged in recent years.

“We continue to see very strong support that transcends political divisions or even philosophical difference for the principle of honouring veterans,” he said in a telephone interview.

The desire for a single, comprehensive monument has been a consistent theme in all of the company’s research and on-theground outreach efforts, he said.

While people appreciate the hundreds of individual cenotaphs and memorials that exist, Wilson-Smith said there is a clear appetite for a single point at which to congregate and pay tribute to soldiers who fell in conflicts spanning the First World War to the more recent mission in Afghanistan.

A desire for more comprehensive education has also remained consistent, he said,

despite recent efforts to beef up performance in that area.

Earlier this year, Historica Canada released a report card ranking provinces and territories on the quality of their history instruction in their middle and high school curricula. Four provinces and one territory earned A grades, up sharply from 2009 when four provinces were assigned an F and none received an A. The survey results highlight a long-held belief that people learn best from those who were directly involved in war, with 89 per cent of respondents saying words from veterans are the most powerful way to teach youth about the historical events they took part in.

Wilson-Smith said the number of veterans who took part in major conflicts like the Second World War are dwindling, making it more urgent to document their experiences and share them widely.

Canada also lacks the sort of physical reminders that can keep war-time memories alive across generations, he said, adding this fact highlights the need for more active instruction.

“We have never had conflict in our lifetimes on these shores. When you go to Europe. You go to a town and you see the pockmarked buildings from bullet holes from street fighting, you see the places where the bombs landed,” he said. “Here there’s a much more distant sense. Here we’re much more reliant on actually being taught than would be the case elsewhere where it’s literally part of your upbringing.”

The poll also found that 26 per cent of participants plan to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony, down six points from 2015.

More people plan to either wear a poppy or observe two minutes of silence on November 11th, the survey found, citing 77 per cent and 73 per cent of participants respectively.

The Ipsos online poll surveyed 1,004 participants between Oct. 20 and Oct. 24, then weighted the results to best reflect Canada’s adult population. The polling industry’s professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

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