STOP

[Kip Powick]

As the eleventh hour of the eleventh day passes across this great country of ours, please stop for a minute and think...really think...about how fortunate we are to have had those fellows, since passed away looking out for our future.

There will be those few brave and hearty souls standing in the cold, perhaps a tear or two trickling down their wrinkled faces, REMEMBERING their long gone friends who were with them "over there", or some unimaginable horror that we will never be able to comprehend but REMEMBER they got involved for OUR sakes.

As trite as some may think it sounds...

Enjoy your freedom ?? Thank a vet.

[Guest CabinDweller]

We had a very touching service.

***Today.***

This was followed by a surprise fly-by of 4 T-6 Harvards,

many broke down at the sound of these:

***Harvard fly-by.***

To all who have served… and more… Thank You.

DL

[Kip Powick]

This was followed by a surprise fly-by of 4 T-6 Harvards,

many broke down at the sound of these:

Memories...memories..basic flight training, RCAF Stn Penhold, AB a few decades ago..thanks

[Guest rattler]

Seems that the day continues to lose it's meaning to Canadians in general.

Went out at 1130 am to a shopping center. Of course all stores open (Christmas remains the only day when that is not true) Watched the folks (staff and customers) for a while.

Poppy wearers (majority) in uniform (don't mean store uniforms) or grey/white hair ...... all races

Non poppy wearers...... the rest.

[AME]

PLEASE WEAR A POPPY

"Please wear a poppy," the lady said

And held one forth, but I shook my head.

Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,

And her face was old and lined with care;

But beneath the scars the years had made

There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street,

Bouncing along on care-free feet.

His smile was full of joy and fun,

"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"

When she's pinned in on he turned to say,

"Why do we wear a poppy today?"

The lady smiled in her wistful way

And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,

And the poppy there is the symbol for

The gallant men who died in war.

And because they did, you and I are free -

That's why we wear a poppy, you see.

"I had a boy about your size,

With golden hair and big blue eyes.

He loved to play and jump and shout,

Free as a bird he would race about.

As the years went by he learned and grew

and became a man - as you will, too.

"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,

But he'd seemed with us such a little while

When war broke out and he went away.

I still remember his face that day

When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,

I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry.

"But the war went on and he had to stay,

And all I could do was wait and pray.

His letters told of the awful fight,

(I can see it still in my dreams at night),

With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,

And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.

"Till at last, at last, the war was won-

And that's why we wear a poppy son."

The small boy turned as if to go,

Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.

That sure did sound like an awful fight,

But your son - did he come back all right?"

A tear rolled down each faded check;

She shook her head, but didn't speak.

I slunk away in a sort of shame,

And if you were me you'd have done the same;

For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,

Thought our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!

And so when we see a poppy worn,

Let us reflect on the burden borne,

By those who gave their very all

When asked to answer their country's call

That we at home in peace might live.

Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!

by Don Crawford

[GDR]

I went to a Rememberance Day Service in Sidney BC today. The weather was very unusual for here in that it was pouring rain, but the area around the cenotaph was crowded to the point that most of us couldn't even see the proceedings.

The vets including my friend Whitey Kelsey, (AC retired), stood there, as well as marched, for close to 2 hours, as I said, all in the pouring rain.

It seems that the numbers that go to that service seem to keep growing every year.

Hopefully we will never forget the price they paid.

[vanishing point]

Saw a bit of the ceremony in Ottawa this morning on the Vancouver news. Sad bit of info that this was the first year no WW1 vets attended.

God bless them all.......and thank you.

[newgirl]

Kip

Are you too young to remember a flight instructor at Penhold in the early 60's by the name of Hal Bratrud ?

God bless all who have served. I am thankful.

[Kip Powick]

"Hal" is not in my logbook...Some of the names I remember are ;

Hank Omara

Frank Birchall

Murray Lee

Brian Ferris

Denny Lambert

Lou Glussich

Ron Ehrne

Of course it would also depend in which "flight" he was in. I was in "Delta" flight...summer of '62

[newgirl]

Kip

Missed by one year. We visited in "61 and then he transfered to Manitoba . He was my uncle.