My family on Remembrance Day

[lew]

I've always been very proud of the fact that when things got nasty so many members of my family put their lives on hold and went to war to make things good again.

 

My dad left the farm in Saskatchewan in 1940 and joined the Navy to do his part. He spent most of his time escorting the convoys across the ocean and trying to keep the U-Boats away from the merchant ships. They did a great job but still lost many many men and ships to torpedoes.

 

That's Dad on your right, covered in coal dust. He normally worked as a stoker in the engine room, but when a sub was found his job was dropping depth charges.

 

He served 5 years on the oceans doing his part and helping defeat the Nazi's

 

 

This is HMCS Kitchener, the Corvette that Dad spent most of his time on.

 

 

When Dad joined the Navy in 1940, his older brother joined the Army and also spent the next 5 years fighting for our freedom. Luckily, they both survived relatively unscathed.

 

Their father, my grandfather and one of the best guys I've ever known, fought with the British Army in the trenches of Europe in WW1 and told me stories that were almost too horrible to believe. The things those guys went thru is something that should never happen to a human being. He was hit by shrapnell at one point and carried pieces of it in his body till the day he died.

 

 

This is my mothers brother Leonard who used to deliver air mail around rural Ontario before the war. When the war started he joined the RCAF and became a bomber pilot but was sadly killed, along with his entire crew when their plane went down.

 

 

Another uncle on Mom's side fought for the British Army in WW11 and was captured by the Japanese and was then routinely beaten, tortured and starved for the next couple years. When the war ended, he weighed 1/2 of what he did when he was captured.

 

Sorry for the long rambling post but on November 11th it's important to think back on all those folks who gave so much so that we can live the way we do today.

 

As I said previously, I'm VERY proud of the part my family has played in making the world a better place

 

For many years I participated in, or attended the Memorial Services in Toronto. I'm now living in the Kawarthas and will be attending the Peterboro service this morning.

 

Wherever you live, if your off today or can spare an hour, the old Vets would be honoured to see you at the service in your town paying your respects and saying THANKS.

[Grimace]

That's great Lew. My grandfather was in France and led a bunch of Irishmen through hell. My grandmother on the same side, her job was to cut the balloons free in London when the bombs were flying. Everyone was running for cover and my grandmother was running for the balloons. The balloons would go up and the bombs would explode in the air and not on the ground. They immigrated to Canada after the war.

Edited November 11, 2010 by Grimace

[Rich Clemens]

That's a great testimonial there Lew. Sure does sound like your family answered the call and served their country with great honor. Something to be proud of for sure.

 

I know of only one relative on my side that served during war time. My one uncle was in the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded by machine gun fire. He did survive the war. My uncle really never talked about his experiences, so I don't know any of his stories. I guess you just realty can't grasp the concept of true war unless you were there.

 

My Dad served in the US Army in the late 60's and spent part of him time in Berlin as a photographer. Probably touchy times in Berlin about then.

 

Thanks Lew. This was a great read to start the day. I know there are a number of other members on here who also served their respective countries with great price and will enjoy reading this. Thanks again for taking the time to put this together.

 

Stay well my friend.

[misfish]

I cant see the photos here at work Lew,look forward to seeing them when I get home,but what a great read.

 

Thanks for posting.

 

 

 

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

Edited November 11, 2010 by BrianB

[mistyriver1]

With a family background like that, it's easy to see why you're the great individual you are. I've already shared my Rememberance day post and I enjoy reading all of them.

 

Thanks Lew

[irishfield]

Thanks for sharing Lew.

 

I just finished talking to my Brother and thanking him for his 20 years of service for our Country (and obviously others).

[Joey]

What a wonderful family tribute Lew, thank you for sharing that and thanks to your family for all they have done It's so hard to imagine what they must have gone through for our freedom.

 

Joey

[Pigeontroller]

Lew, thats a very cool family history, thanks for posting that.

[dannyboy]

My Grandparents and parents lost many family members and friends to the camps in the second war.

If it hadn't been for unselfish people like those in Lew's and many other families willing to put their selves in harms way many people, myself included, wouldn't exist and our world would be a much darker place and we certainly wouldn't enjoy the freedoms we do.

 

152 Canadian soldiers have died since 2002 fighting terrorism in Afghanistan so we can live in peace at home, let us keep them and their families in mind along with all our current and previous military personnel.

 

Many thanks,

 

Dan

[motv8tr]

That's quite a legacy Lew, but I happen to know you carried on the family tradition and spent some time in the Navy, now while you may not have seen any war action, your service was just as valuablem so thank you as well as your family

 

Maureen

[fishnsled]

Very nice tribute Lew. Thanks to you and your family for their efforts in serving our country.

[splashhopper]

[Toronto_Angler]

Thanks for sharing. Some great pictures and Stories of the some brave people! I was down at Old city hall today and its always great to see the veterans in full uniform and people paying their respect. It's the least we can do for what they did for us.

[Terry]

nice tribute

[Handlebarz]

That's quite a legacy Lew, but I happen to know you carried on the family tradition and spent some time in the Navy, now while you may not have seen any war action, your service was just as valuablem so thank you as well as your family

 

Maureen

 

Mo you hit it on the head there I was going to say the same thing Thank you to Lew as anyone who knows him he will not brag of the service he has done for Canada even though there was no war you served us well Lew. This thread as well as the others for today are just great to read.