The Ode of Remembrance
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted.
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Canada United States
Veterans Affairs Canada states that the date is of “remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace; specifically, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and all conflicts since then in which members of the Canadian Forces have participated."
The memorial in this photo is in the small town of Kintore and is "In Memory Of Our Brave Heroes 1914 - 1918". We have passed this statue dozens of time over the years and finally, near the end of September, I decided it was time to stop, have a good look at it and take a few photos. I'm glad I did.
Remembrance Day will be part of my week. If you have the opportunity, thank a Veteran for their service.
Please visit Our World Tuesday for more world views.
More folk need to remember we owe a debt of gratitude to these men and women.
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right, Delores. And I'm always struck by how young so many of the casualties were and are, even today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thoughtful photo and information. It is important to remember those past and present for all they gave and continue to give. - Margy
ReplyDeleteA wonderful post and reminder of the enormous debt we owe to the men and women who have given so much and continue to give. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
We celebrate our equivalent here on 25 April, Anzac Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). On 11 November we have Armistice Day but that is not celebrated to the same extent.
ReplyDeleteHowever we do it, it's a timely reminder how much we owe those who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces.
"Lest we Forget"
We have Remembrance Day on the 11th, November too. My great uncle emigrated to Canada as a young boy and later joined the 114th Brock Rangers, they became part of the Oversea Expeditionary Force and he was sent back to England with his Regiment, then over to France, he was killed on the first day of the storming of Vimy Ridge, 9th April 1917, he was just 21. I wonder if his name appears on a monument in Canada somewhere. I plant a cross for him every year.
ReplyDeleteWe have a War Weekend every year in Pickering, 5 miles from our village, there are photo's on my RandomPics blog
I have written many times about my daddy’s serving with the Corp of Engineers in France during WWI. He rode on horseback and helped to build (create) the roads and did the trenches. I wanted to learn more about the war so a number of years ago I flew to Paris and then drove into Belgium. I am getting goose bumps just writing about it now. I could not believe my eyes the number of cemeteries where the majority of dead your found Canadians. If I had not made that sad but important trip, I never would have known and understood the number of lives of your fellow men that were lost in that war. Too bad it really wasn’t the “war to end all wars.” Though known as the Great War, there are fewer and fewer of us left who really know anything about it. Here in the US, it is put on the back burner. All of or remembrances center of WWII and after. That breaks my heart. That war did things to my daddy that he would never speak about. He could not talk about it. Thanks for your post. You and your countrymen are certainly in this old ladies mind, heart , and thoughts. genie
ReplyDeleteThanks for your sweet comment. I am still thinking about this post and tonight am going to get out my DVD with all of the photos of the Canadian cemeteries in Belgium. It was made by a Canadian teacher as a remembrance. Actually he told exactly where I wanted to go in Belgium and where to stay. Without him my week would have ben so different. It isa unbelievable PC screensaver for your computer. I only have Macs now so cannot use it anymore. I do have a little Acer notebook with is PD so I can put it on there.I will think of your post when I do it. genie
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post Elaine.
ReplyDeleteTo Jackie, above, I also had 2 great-uncles killed in WWI who were with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. There is an online memorial to our Canadian war dead called The Virtual War Memorial. If you google "Virtual War Memorial Canada" you can search the site and find your great-uncle. It should tell you where he is buried also. I found both my great uncles on this site and was able to visit the grave site of one of them when I was in France 6 years ago.
Jenny, Jackie has found out where here great uncle is buried in France. We're now hoping to find out if his name is on one of the cenotaphs here in Canada. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteA great post and tribute to those who served and those who gave their lives in the call of duty.
ReplyDelete