Thursday, November 11, 2010

Poppies for remembrance

Today is Remembrance Day.  We were at our local service to remember the veterans of all the wars where Canada has had a presence.


There was a red poppy pinned on everyone's lapel.  Wreaths of poppies were laid at the cenotaph.  I didn't take my camera- these are poppies  in our garden last summer. 


My dad served in WW2  with the Air Force as a rear gunner.  Having seen the planes with their protruding gun turret 'bubbles', I can only imagine - and not very well - how terrifying it must have been.  Dad never talked about 'his' war with us.  The Air Force we heard about and it was a part of our lives for many years.  But never the war. 

Like so many of the WW2 vets, Dad is no longer here to to march in the parade.  He did so for many years.  He played the snare drum in the local pipe band.  When I was a kid, hearing the 'Last Post' played brought tears to my eyes.  This morning, played so hauntingly by a young woman, it happened again. 

Thank you, veterans. 

7 comments:

Andrea said...

Thanks for that, Mom.

Our quintet was "the band" for O Canada, a hymn, and God Save the Queen. I always think of Grampa too, even though, as you say, he really didn't talk about it. We had two trumpets playing the Last Post as a harmonized duet, and I admit to a tear in my eye...

Joanna said...

What a nice tribute to your dad. That's a sweet photograph.
Joanna

Ginny Hartzler said...

A beautiful picture of the poppies, and what touching personal memories about your dad! He looks so very young in the picture!!

Mimi said...

Your Dad is so handsome, Stephanie!
It must have been terrifying for him, in the war.
Love the poppies, they're one of my favourite flowers, and always a reminder of brave men and women who fought and died for us.

Mimi said...

and I'm the same as you with regard to music- it has power to really stir emotions.
It's cool that your Dad played snare drum.

Jeannette StG said...

You can be proud of your dad! All the veterans' service are worth remembering!
Glad your computer is up and running again (or did you get a new one?)
Enjoy your weekend:)

Rudee said...

What a beautiful post.

My dad never saw combat. My brother did in Vietnam, but like your Dad, never spoke of what he saw--must be a pact. WHen we went on our trip to Virginia last July, I gave him Sebastian Junger's book, War, about battle in Afghanistan. About a month later, my brother called to tell me that the book took his breath away and reminded him so much of what he lived and saw in Vietnam. He thanked me for giving it to him and said not another word.

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