This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the World War I armistice. 2018 marks the centenary recognition of the signing of the armistice document onboard Marshall Ferdinand Foch’s train carriage[1]. The signing called for a cease of hostilities to take effect at eleven o'clock in the morning the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.
The signing of the armistice lead to the signing of Treaty of Versailles one year later. That was 100 years ago. A lot of emphases is put on the remembrance of WW1 and rightly so. It put a stop to the death toll that was in the tens of millions. Unfortunately, it does not stop there.
World War II became the deadliest conflict in human history with over 70 million deaths both military and civilian. It involved many of the world powers and redefined global politics. It's the oldest conflict that many of us have personal connections to. Both my grandfathers served and fought in World War II - one in the RCAF - and the other with the British Army in North Africa.
A rare photo of one my Grandfathers (RCAF) with grandmother, 1942
It was because of these two men that I joined. It wasn't because of the stories they told because they talked very little of their time in the war. They instilled in me the pride for my country and to do the right thing, always. These were men with stoic valour and distinguished comportment that I idolised as a young man. It wasn't until after I announced that I had joined that they took me aside, in their own way, and recounted some of the good times they had but also some of the challenging and difficult times.
Between World War II we have many more conflicts that men and women have fought in and paid the ultimate sacrifice. And as in WWI and WWII they deserve our remembrance.
A more poignant point to this remembrance day, not only the centenary but the most recent Iraq/Afghanistan conflict. While in Afghanistan we lost 158 Canadian Forces personnel. We also lost 43 of our U.S. brothers-in-arms while under Canadian command, in theatre.
Original Vigil at Kandahar Air Field cenotaph - http://www.afghanistanacanadianstory.ca
Above are the original commemorative plaques at the Kandahar Air Field. It was built by the soldiers in Afghanistan to commemorate the fallen. The recovered plaques from cenotaph were made into a Vigil that travels around the country and has also made stops in Washington to commemorate our fallen U.S. comrades.
Travelling Afghanistan Memorial Vigil in Washington D.C>
Over 40,000 Canadians served during the mission in Afghanistan, and thousands of other CAF members supported the mission. The Vigil stands as a reminder for everyone who has a connection to the mission to never forget those who fell. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a private to a colonel. If you’ve fought in Afghanistan, you had comrades, you lost your best buddies…your comrades in arms,” said CWO Mahon.[2]
On remembrance day remember the individual courage, individual commitment and ultimately individual sacrifice.
Be sure to find a remembrance day ceremony near you and remember.
Veterans Support Groups
If you know a Veteran that needs help. If you are a Veteran that needs help please reach out to one of these organizations. You are not alone.
Canada
Wounded Warriors - https://woundedwarriors.ca/
Royal Canadian Legion - http://www.legion.ca/support-for-veterans
United States
Wounded Warrior Project - https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/warrior-care-network
Veterans Crisis Line - https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
United Kingdom
The Royal British Legion - http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-support
Veterans Gateway - https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk/
Australia
Soldier On - https://soldieron.org.au/
Department of Veterans’ Affairs - https://www.dva.gov.au/health-and-wellbeing/mental-health
If there are others please put in the comments below.
Pro Patria!
Air Son Ar Duthchais – “For Our Heritage”
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Veterans Affairs Canada
National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces
Afghanistan A Canadian Story - http://www.afghanistanacanadianstory.ca