What does Remembrance Day mean to you and how will you observe it?

Question

Yahoo! Canada Answers Staff note: This is the real Christie Blatchford, award-winning journalist and author of FIFTEEN DAYS, which tells of her time embedded with the Canadian troops during three different assignments to Afghanistan.

Read more about Remembrance Day in the Yahoo! Canada Answers blog:

http://ca.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-OaJuSk4oRKeurd33aTnArj87yUd8E8djTA--?cq=1&p=1450

Answer 1

As a serving member of the Canadian Forces, Remembrance Day always holds special signifigance for me. It is an opportunity for us to parade with pride, showing our respect for those that went before us, and our pride in the accomplishments of our Regiments. Remembrance Day affords service members, cadets and RCMP officers the opportunity to publicly demonstrate our histories, accomplishments and our fallen comrades.

This year I will be attending the parade and service in Brandon MB, with 2 PPCLI. It is the same group of friends and comrades that were Afghanistan with one of my friends, Cpl Glen Arnold when he was killed while on a patrol. This is going to be a very personal opportunity for me to remember and pay my respects to those of my friends who did not make it home from their respective tours.

As 12 of the 71 fallen soldiers in Afghanistan were friends of mine, Remembrance Day has taken on new meaning for me. Not only will I swell with pride when I recall the Regimental histories, the successes at Vimy, Dieppe, Appeldoorn, Kapyong, the Medak Pocket, but I will also remember those friends, comrades and brothers that made the ultimate sacrifice for those who needed it in Panjuwaii, Pashmoul, Tarnak Farm, Kabul.

Following the parade, as is military tradition, there will be a gathering at one of the local Legion halls, where stories and tales will be traded with veterans of WWII, Korea, Cypress and Bosnia. A moment between former and current soldiers, sailors, and airmen to keep the flame alive, the memories burning bright, and a chance to reminisce with those who understand better than most the sacrifices that are required of uniformed members.

But that is just one man's way of celebrating and remembering.

Answer 2

Remembrance Day is a symbol to which all Free thinkers need to reflect & give thanks & honour those who heed the call to place themselves in harms way for others freedom, and never forget their sacrifices, or history shall repeat itself.

On a personal note: My father, Uncles, & Aunts joined the Military in WWII & their memories of that war taught me about the humility, fragility, honour, courage & strength to which those who died, faught, & did their part to win over human evil.
Every month of November, my pride as a Canadian swells & my empathy bursts for those young souls who lost their lives in all the wars Canadians partook. I esp. well up inside to the waning/wailing of bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" or the "Lament".

As for marking this specific day, some years I go to the services & some not. It is my belief that for the next generations to remember why we should never forget, the Remembrance service is not the solution as the average family pays little attention to this day other than it being a day off for some. Teaching the history of our past must come in a different form, because the children of today & tomorrow are technologically savy, & sometimes the old ways need to change to knew ways. When I was younger, the schools always had a curriculum based on events surrounding Remembrance Day. Some where along the way, schools abandoned this practice, though I see on the news that a few class rooms take trips & do biographes of past soldiers. I recall the entire school gathering together to watch old war footage from many sources including the extermination of peoples with the Jewish Faith. And on Remembrance Day, I either watched the War Documentaries on the TV, because there was nothing else to watch (only 3 channels) & I was interested in expanding my knowledge of life. Or I occasionally attended the Services, because my Dad played the Bugel or Trumpet during the Service, but most individuals don't have such motivations. Perhaps the Services need to be more updated? And all TV stations need to be more responsible for teaching this history & not just the History Channel or the News. Beyond that, it has come to my attention that Canadians take so much for granted as we've seen little war that truly affects our lives day to day & we've become spoiled with the material wealth that prosperity has bequeathed us from the very sacrifices of those before us whom we try to pay homage too only once a year.

To those in our Military Services today, risking arm & limb for the freedoms of others throughout the world... I salute you & God Speed.

Answer 3

I live in Calgary, and something that really bothers me about this time of year is that some people only remember our fallen heroes once a year. It is also obvious to me that some people don't remember at all. We have had a rash of poppy fund thefts here this year and last. A comment in the editorial pages the other day really bothered me. It showed the complete ignorance of the person who wrote it and the common beleifs of most people these days.
The comment was " what is the big deal and why all the concern about these thefts? It's only a few dollars." I cannot understand someone who could think like that. These men fought wars for us and many died for us. We only officially remember their sacrifices once a year, and some "people" don't get it.
In The Netherlands, there are towns where the sacrifice made by Canadian soldiers in WWII are remembered EVERY day. They are very grateful for what our boys did, and every school child knows all about the war and how the Canadians came and liberated them from the Germans. If only 1% of Canadian school kids knew as much.

Answer 4

I, and 9 others, volunteer with a Navy League Cadet Corps (9-13 yr olds) of 25 cadets not only observe it, we participate in it.

This last weekend we and the cadets were out on the streets in East York and Beaches poppy selling for our area Legion. We will be out again this Saturday. And on the 11th we will be participating in their Parade and Ceremonies.

On our meet night (called a Parade night) we used an hour to talk about the Legion, how, when & why it was formed and their mandates. We also covered how the Poppy came into being and why we help the Poppy drive and what the money made goes toward. Last year we did a history and had in a active army Lt. speak with the cadets.

Being involved to this degree is much more touching and heartfelt than observing a moment of silence at home/work/school. It involves being part of passing on the knowledge of hard fought and won battles that so many men and women died for.

To be able to convey this to the cadets in so many ways goes a lot farther than the education system takes it. And we always strive to not be repetitive in our teachings so that they are more than interested, they are avid listeners taking in the details.

So in a nutshell what Remembrance Day means to me and how I observe it are one in the same. They are about showing our respect and thanks to those who fought and those who are fighting. It's about letting the living Vet's know their patriotism to this country is, and always will be, appreciated.

My personal opinion: Remembrance Day is like Christmas: The meaning of both should be observed all year, not just a day.

"Tribute to our fallen Soldiers"
http://www.freewebs.com/asoldierstribute/videopage.htm

Answer 5

Canadians are not known for public displays of pride. We are, in essence, rather subdued. However I believe that whether you're a multi generation Canadian, or you just arrived here last week, you have to have some pride, some appreciation, and some thanks for the sacrifices made by the many men and women of our military over the years. We would not have this wonderful country and be living the lives we live without their efforts I am a first generation Canadian. My parents came here with 6 children in 1957 and, although we remember where we came from and our culture, we have all become Canadians. I believe that part of being Canadian is remembering the past and being thankful for the future that we have. My husband and I instill in our children a sense of appreciation for what others have done before us. We have had many discussions about the sacrifices made and what it all means to them. Our children will be standing proudly by our sides as we pay tribute to many brave men and women in our Town's Remembrance Day Ceremony and I'm sure, as we have done every other year, my husband and I will become misty as we sing our national anthem. We can only hope that this pride and appreciation will continue with our children and for future generations. Let us never forget.

Answer 6

What it means to me ...

Our most sacred of national holidays, it is a time not only to remember those that fought in our wars, but what it was that they were fighting for. It is also a time to remember what a horrible and tragic thing war is. That it should never be undertaken lightly, but once taken up must been seen through to it's completion.

We have a responsibility to build a future that those who have sacrificed everything would be proud of. A responsibility which I fear we are failing at.

I will observe it by ...

By wearing a poppy from the 1st of November until the 11th, as I do every year.

By attending the services of remembrance at the local war memorial. While there may be fewer and fewer veterans on parade each year, I feel it's important to show those that remain that their sacrifice is not forgotten.

I will also reflect upon the days I spent as a member of the military standing on parade and talking to the veterans at the local mess or legion afterwards. This was long enough ago that there were still a good number of WW I veterans in attendance and I spent most of that time with them. Hearing the stories of Ypres, The Somme, Vimy, Mons and so many other battles from that war from the men that were there is something I will always treasure. But what I will remember most about all those men is the silence, the distant look in their eyes, and that many of them were brought to tears at the mention of the name Passchendaele.

For those men and all the veterans of our wars, I try to live by the words of the poet Laurence Binyon.

AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN,
AND IN THE MORNING:
WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM.

While there will always be ceremonies of remembrance on 11 November. I think of their sacrifice often in the morning or while watching a sun set, and offer them my humble thanks for the freedoms my family and I enjoy today.

Answer 7

Remembrance day used to not mean much to me. I am still young and my grandfather was still a child so I don't have any relation that I am aware of about a family member who has served in any war. But, this year, i have a teacher who has allowe me to look at war and understand why we celebrate remembrance day.

Remembrance Day to me, is not only a day to remember soldiers from WWI and WWII but all soldiers from all wars. None of them should be forgotten, if they survived or not. Also, remembrance day is a day to remember the families of these soldiers and girlfriends waiting for them. Then there are the innocent civillians who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. We should remember how many innocent people died.

As for how i am going to observe it, I am not quiet sure yet. I may go to a service but I'll probably be at church.

Answer 8

I personally am opposed to needless killing and war. BUT: I totally support the people who have been in the wars of the past as well as our Canadian Troops now.
How can this be?
Our troops are people just like you and I that are doing a job for the benefit of their country as well as the entire world! They do this job so I don't have to. So I can live my comfortable life back here in Canada.
I attend Remembrance Day ceremonies every year, to show my acknowledgement for those brave people of the past, present and the future who have taken or are taking the risk of leaving their spouse and children without a husband and father to keep our country and the world safe.
A lot of people don't know what it is like to live in a country where the basic rights and freedoms are not allowed or even recognized for the general citizens.
It is not a place I wish to be - so Thank You to anyone involved in keeping tyrants and fanatics from taking over peoples' lives! Thank You!

Answer 9

Even though I was born at the beginning of w.w.2 I did serve in the Canadian Navy in peace time and I believe that it is shameful that we only remember the war vets one day per year WOW. What a sacrifice we are making for those who sacrificed lives, limbs and minds for our freedom. We, as a country, should be ashamed of ourselves. But of course how many Canadians really show support for there country to-day? The Dollar goes up and we head across the border thus filling American tax coffers while at the same time we are not only taking from our country's tax system but taking from the small businesses a living. We take too much for granted and show very little appreciation for our great country. We have become a society driven by greed and power but never stop to think that that could be taken away from us at any time. I believe it is time for us to wake up and smell the roses. Our Governments of yesteryears sent troops to war because the whole world was threatened. Our more recent Governments have people fighting overseas because United States wants oil and power. These conflicts are doing us no good but our military is over there paying for WHAT with lives and injuries.

On Rememberance Day I will attend church as I do every Sunday and I will also be praying for all who have fought for their country in the past and there survivors, those who for a reason which I cannot understand are in conflicts today and there families and those who are sitting in the comfort of their plush offices and homes in Ottawa that sent sent these people to war at the beckoning of the war-hungry Bush administration.
Murray B.

Answer 10

I just finished a role in the movie "Passchendaele" in Calgary, directed by Paul Gross from Due South. Passchendaele is a little-known WW1 battle which was a very crucial Canadian victory in the Great War. After a week in the freezing rain and mud up to our knees surrounded by pyrotechnic explosions and gunfire, we walked away with but a taste of the four years of Hell our Canadian soldiers went through to give us the freedoms we have today. I cannot even imagine what kind of men could survive such an ordeal, but I can tell you I have a new-found respect for them. Pretty much every day I wake up in a warm bed and the first words in my head are "thank you." So I believe I'll spend that day being more thankful than I've been for anything in my cushy little life.

Answer 11

Remembrance Day is just what it is called, Remembering. Most of us have no concept of what war is about. We have had the honour of living in a war free country. Remembrance Day is about honouring those who did fight in wars and thanking them for the sacrifices that they made for our future. It is unfortunate that we have to go to war. Unfortunately that is sometimes the only way to stop an injustice. As in the school yard bully. Sometimes the only way to stop him or her is one good punch!
I feel fortunate that I have known seniors who talk about their experiences. So many will not talk about what they saw because of how horrific it was. Having heard some of these stories first hand definitely gives a closer understanding of courage. What these men and women did despite their fears.
Remembrance Day is about remembering how the world united in a common cause to stop an evil that was spreading. We have battles every day to be fought, violence against women and children, gang wars, violence in schools etc. The list goes on. We can choose to join the battles or sit back and let it be someone elses problem. No one knows what Europe and the rest of the world would have become if the countries of the world sat back and said 'not my problem'.
I cannot solve problems in other countries, however, I can use my gifts and intelligence to make my home and my community a good place to be. I can spread love and smiles to all those that I meet. Happy people don't fight, they help each other.

Remember that the next time you see someone with a sad face.

I will be attending the service at our local Cenotaph as I have done for many years now. I believe school children should be taken to these services and workers should be allowed time off to attend these services.