Rememberance Day

November 11th is the day to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty, and those who have come before us. It commemorates the end of First World War hostilities. Hostilities formally ended “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918. The signing of the Treaty of Versailles was the official end of WWII, in late June, 1919.

^{Penned by Canadian poet, soldier, and physician John McCrae in April 1915 at battle in Belgium’s Ypres salient}

Remembrance Day 2020

“In Flanders Field” was written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

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.

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I’d like to thank my friend Sargent Jeffrey Elo of the Ontario Regiment for doing virtual meetings with my Cubs, both the 1st & 13th, and our Beavers.. I was surprised & happy with how engaged the youth were during his presentation. With no veterans left from WWI & so few left from WWII, we have to keep remembering the veterans who died in these wars and the so many other missions since then.