Lest We Forget
July 24th, 2011
Lest We Forget
Originally posted on 2007-05-23 11:35:32
In 1980 I attended the annual Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, on Warrior’s Day, a day when veterans of past wars are honoured.
There is a parade, the war vets march past, its quite the occasion.
The parade stopped periodically, and this group of vets paused in front of us. The short fellow in front, clearly a World War One vet, whipped out his harmonica and started playing jaunty little tunes.
In my mind I could see him doing this in one of those deplorable WW1 trenches. He played for a few minutes, going through quite the repertoire, much to the delight of his comrades (see the gentleman to his left) and to the crowd in general. We all gave him a rousing ovation.
I have no idea who he is…or rather who he was…27 years on there is only 1 living veteran of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, which once numbered 600,000.
He only crossed my path for a few minutes on a hot August day in 1980. But I’ve never forgotten him and always think of him when I read about “The War to End All Wars” or when I pause on Remembrance Day.
Later that day I saw the Scottish World Festival Tattoo. Exhibition Stadium field was packed with massed bands of pipes, drums and military bands. What an awesome experience. The show was topped off with a performance by “The Forces Sweetheart” Dame Vera Lynn. When she sang her signature tunes “Blue Birds Over the White Cliffs of Dover” and “We’ll Meet Again (Don’t Know Where, Don’t Know When)” there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
And all around me, people in their 50s and 60s, some with their sweethearts of those days, were teenagers again. The only difference being they no longer faced death in the air, on the sea or on some distant battlefield.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bXGZr-IJJ4]