November 11

[OhioFisherman]

Lew, like me you're one of the older kids here, back in the day it wasn't hard to find anyone dad's in the neighborhood that saw some action.

 

WW2 Korea and even Viet Nam.

[lew]

I was born in '46 Paul, right after the war, and most of my folks friends were veterans and growing up I was always around them so it was just a natural progression for me to join the Navy.

 

Not many of those old vets left these days, on either side of our border.

[OhioFisherman]

'51 for me, the old vets are few and far between these days, may they rest in peace.

[mr blizzard]

No matter what race or background, the picture depicts it all....the crop is only as good as what went into the soil, period

 

People from other countries come to Canada or the USof A because their countries are messed up in some cases

 

My wifes parents are originally from Holland, her dad is gone but her mom at 90 is still alive in Mississauga

 

My mother in law tells stories of what went on in her house would give chills to the toughest of people on this board yes she ate tulip bulbs things were that tough sometimes

 

On a footnote with many of my wifes relatives still in Holland it is interesting how the schools still teach and respect what we did to help them,,,,I was talking to one of my wifes relatives a couple of years ago and the kids had a better understanding of things than even my 20 year old son

 

And one one last footnote my father in law who I never met after serving in the Dutch military and becoming an engineer had to wait TWO years to get someone to sponser him in Canada before he could come here

 

MY HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED

 

Lets all hope more and more people regardless of who they are spend some time to reflect on what the vets had to go through, whether its the men and women who are smiling down from above or the retired or the present serving

Edited November 9, 2015 by mr blizzard

[DanD]

Our family is from Belgium, both my grandfathers were in the army and fought during WW1 . My Dad's father was hospitalized after a mustard gas attack; he pulled through; but the last 10 years of his life he had to ware an oxygen mask, because of the damage the gas had done to his lungs.

My dad was 12 when WW2 broke out and Germany occupied Belgium. Dad told a lot of stories of what they did to survive. There were no bomb shelters in the countryside for them to go too during a bombing raid; these raids were mostly from the British/Canadians trying to push the Germans back. My Grandfather taught them to not run when they saw the planes coming; but wait an listen; if you could here the whistle of the bomb, run to the closest ditch in the opposite direction of the noise.

With my grandfather's experience with the mustard gas, he was terrified that the Germans would use it again. No such thing for a civilian to have gas-masks; so he placed pails filled with water and rags soaking in, all over the property. If they saw planes coming from the East (Germany) they would go to the closest pail and take it with them to where they would hide. Once the bombs started dropping they would breath through the water soaked rags.

Dad said that yes these things were bad; but the lack of food was the worst; the Germans would confiscate anything eatable as they marched trough.

So yes there are 10's of thousands of solders that died for the cause; but there were also 10's of thousands that suffered under the occupation of the German army.

By 1942 my Dad (yes he was only 14 but hated the Germans) joined the underground and work with others to sabotage as may things as they could.

So yes remembrance day means a lot to our family; they weren't all in the military but they fought to survive.

At 11 o'clock on remembrance day; I ask my guys to stop whatever they're doing and honor the meaning of remembrance day

 

Dan.

 

[manitoubass2]

Our family is from Belgium, both my grandfathers were in the army and fought during WW1 . My Dad's father was hospitalized after a mustard gas attack; he pulled through; but the last 10 years of his life he had to ware an oxygen mask, because of the damage the gas had done to his lungs.

My dad was 12 when WW2 broke out and Germany occupied Belgium. Dad told a lot of stories of what they did to survive. There were no bomb shelters in the countryside for them to go too during a bombing raid; these raids were mostly from the British/Canadians trying to push the Germans back. My Grandfather taught them to not run when they saw the planes coming; but wait an listen; if you could here the whistle of the bomb, run to the closest ditch in the opposite direction of the noise.

With my grandfather's experience with the mustard gas, he was terrified that the Germans would use it again. No such thing for a civilian to have gas-masks; so he placed pails filled with water and rags soaking in, all over the property. If they saw planes coming from the East (Germany) they would go to the closest pail and take it with them to where they would hide. Once the bombs started dropping they would breath through the water soaked rags.

Dad said that yes these things were bad; but the lack of food was the worst; the Germans would confiscate anything eatable as they marched trough.

So yes there are 10's of thousands of solders that died for the cause; but there were also 10's of thousands that suffered under the occupation of the German army.

By 1942 my Dad (yes he was only 14 but hated the Germans) joined the underground and work with others to sabotage as may things as they could.

So yes remembrance day means a lot to our family; they weren't all in the military but they fought to survive.

At 11 o'clock on remembrance day; I ask my guys to stop whatever they're doing and honor the meaning of remembrance day

 

Dan.

 

Thats a horrible story but a good read.

 

Between my grandpa and my exs grandpa, the stories were just wicked. But grandma was from holland and her stories were unreal horrible. She prostituted to the germans for bread/potatoes. Her and others lived in an underground crapper. She was found by my grandpas best friend and recruited as sort of a spy for the west and they fed her. She didnt know how many times she was raped. My grandpas friend brought her to canada when he was disharged and married her.

 

He had horrible ptsd and developed a drinking problem. His wife and children moved in my grandpas basement because of his violence. He later sobered up and got help and they remained very close.

 

My gramps hated the war(although he lied about his age to go fight)

 

He told me stories of being able to see clear through germans charging as the canadians fired at them with the .303. Said the would run a clear ten feet before they realized they were dead. He couldnt remember how many he had killed? But after my grandma died he would tell me stories almost every night and it seemed like therapy to him. He was so disturbed by killing he even quit hunting. He couldnt handle to the sound of guns anymore.

 

My great grampa was on the other side. Full out nazi. He never talked to me about war but he defected to the US and his apt was full of nazi garb and medals etc. Pics of hitler in every room. Was a very creepy place. Im not sure of his original last name but when he came to the states he took on the name reich(pronounced reach)

[pics]

The history channel has some amazing programming this week leading up to November 11.. last night focused on the tunnels under Vimy Ridge.. I was reading up on the POW camps here in Canada and the 35000 German prisoners.. 6000 of them wanted to stay after the war but according to the Geneva convention had to be repatriated back to Germany.. thousands were sponsored to come back by Canadians..

[AKRISONER]

its pretty pathetic at work, i hear a lot of folks talk about how the younger generation is not in touch with the true meaning of remembrance day, but to be honest its always the people in their 40's at my work that continue typing away and talking when the lights go off for 2 minutes at 11.

 

Im not sure if its a generational thing, because when i was in school nearly the entire day was devoted to an assembly with a vet present.

 

Unfortunately I have to work (also agree it should be a national day of devotion) but im lucky that I get to watch the jets fly by over city hall in toronto from my desk on the 8th floor.

 

 

As some others have mentioned, there is even more to the war than the soldiers, many people were stuck doing whatever they could do to survive. my great gradnmother's sister was murdered in cold blood during the german occupation of poland in world war 1.

 

She was 13 years old and watched her little 8 year old sister get shot in the head...just horrific.

Edited November 10, 2015 by AKRISONER

[Woodsman]

I personally never work on Rememberance Day.

I always attend a Rememberance Day ceremony.

Actually the only time I ever worked that day was when I was in the Forces.

This year I'm in Ottawa attending the National ceremony for the first time.

 

Pro Patria: Rick

[bigugli]

This year I'm in Ottawa attending the National ceremony for the first time.

 

Pro Patria: Rick

Thanks for the reminder. My best act of remembrance was in 2000. We took our cubs and scouts up to Ottawa.Pulled them out of school, so they could visit the national war museum, aviation museum, the hill, and participate in the National ceremonies.

[manitoubass2]

Im spending the day with my kids at the local legion and visiting gramps.

 

I will pour out a beer or two for him?

 

We have a small tribute at the rrfn war memorial as well.

 

I think its a great day to pull the kids outta school and teach

[moxie]

As a first generation Canadian the simple fact my parents were allowed to share living in one of the greatest countries in the world has me forever greatful for the sacrifices made by the bravest of souls. Thank you. Always.

[LostAnotherOne]

I think the poppy brings me luck. I fished last year on Remembrance Day and landed a 44 and 39 inch musky.

Edited November 11, 2015 by LostAnotherOne

[Carp]

My son is in the Air Cadets and I work with his squadron as well. We marched in a Remembrance Day Parade and Ceremony this past Sunday as we have for several years now. It always brings tears to my eyes thinking of what our soldiers endured and the sacrifice they made. I have an incredible amount of respect for our war veterans and our military personnel in general.

[wormdunker]

Thanx for the stories folks. Definitely an eye opener hearing of personal experiences from your family members. My father was in WW2 as a teen. He was an electrician stationed in Shilo Manitoba maintaining spotlights for the incoming planes. Thank goodness he didn't have to endure the suffering you folks have written about.

[Woodsman]

Just remember when you are at the ceremonies and enjoying a beer after that some of our service people are deployed overseas and do not have the time for much of a ceremony or a chance to have a beer.

[spincast]

http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2678580545/

 

a great reading of "In Flanders Fields"

 

Take a moment today to remember them, please.

[lew]

My dad served 5 years in the Navy during the war & his brother Bill served 5 years in the Army.

 

Their dad, my grandfather, was a sniper with the British Army fighting in the trenches of France in the 1st war and told me unimaginable stories of things he saw.

 

He was wounded by shrapnel but made it through.

 

Moms brother was a bomber pilot and was killed along with his entire crew when their plane went down.

 

As mentioned earlier in this post another uncle serving with the British Army was captured in Burma and was tortured relentlessly by the Japanese. They were beaten every day with chains and rifle butts for no reason and received one cup of rice a day for the entire time he was a prisoner.

 

Several other great uncles also served in WW1

 

I'm always extremely proud of what my family has done to help keep good people safe.

 

Dad home on leave in the early 40's

 

 

And the ship Dad served on, HMCS KITCHENER

 

 

My grandfather lived a long & happy life after the horrors of trench warfare.

 

 

Moms brother flying airmail across Ontario before becoming a bomber pilot and being killed fighting the Germans.

 

Edited November 11, 2015 by lew

[Woodsman]

My father served in the Merchant Marines in WW2 and in the Canadian Army in Korea.

[lew]

My father served in the Merchant Marines in WW2

 

Took a lot of guts for those guys to face the U Boats basically unarmed.

 

My dad was on convoy escort so who knows, maybe both our dad's even sailed in the same convoys so long ago.

Edited November 11, 2015 by lew

[BITEME]

Thanks Grandad

 

PEACE

 

[pics]

CHCH is broadcasting from the warplane heritage museum with some amazing stories about the airplanes and crews that served is so well..

[OhioFisherman]

[pics]

Thank you OhioFisherman..

[DanD]

Well I'm quite proud of my guys here at the shop today; right at 11 everything went quiet for the 2 minutes of silence.

I didn't have to remind them this year; it just happened.

Even the 18 year old coop student, was standing there with his bowed.

I think this year the media did a great job of reminding people what this is all about. Even the head-banger radio station, they listen to in the shop; had remembrance day stories and songs playing most of the morning.

 

Dan.