Can you hear the lonely echo of the solitary bugle?Can you hear the shivering anguish
in the silence between the notes?
stark
suppressed
sorrow
Today we stand together in silent tears
Listening to the heart pain of past and present wars.
The spirit echo
More than remembering
More than remembering
More than remembering
Today is the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France. As most Canadians know this battle is considered a turning point in the historical development of the identity of this country on an international level. Thousands of our men died there. It's effects have reverberated since. The monument which towers over the fields of Vimy is stunning in it's force.
5 or 6 years ago, after several scathing articles were written about the fact that it was falling apart, the government arranged to have it restored. Today was it's unveiling.
Thousands attended the very moving ceremony.........veterans, families, 5000 Canadian school children, politicians. The Queen was there re-dedicating the monument. Our Prime Minister spoke eloquently capturing our collective feelings. Solemn, sombre, respectful. Pride and sadness felt by many Canadians and many French whose lives were impacted even more so by the Great World War 1.
The National media have provided wonderful coverage of the memorial services as well as the more personal stories that still continue to evolve that were based in a place where thousands of Canadian soldiers were killed.....their remains left under the soil. It has been a weekend of re-learning and re-acquainting collectively of a time in history that is etched into our identity.
More than remembering.
Yesterday during our Easter celebrations, during our remembrance of Vimy, we learned that 6 Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan and several were injured. 5 0ut of 6 soldiers were based out of CFB Gagetown, located in the town of Oromocto New Brunswick.
The news struck hard in this community of 9000 people........a community which is part of my community. Upon hearing the news, not knowing the names of the fallen, all I could think of were the thousands of families and friends who would be sitting in shock waiting and hoping they wouldn't receive the news that their own had perished.
Time stopped yesterday at CFB Gagetown while everyone held their breath. Time became an enemy. 2500 troops from this small community are in Afghanistan.........many are "from away........" grew up in other parts of this country. But, Oromocto and the surrounding area is where they call home now.
The Canadian memorial weekend in France, honouring a battle 90 years old was thrust into the present......
Today we learn their names. Today, we pray as we embrace the families and friends of these young men......members of our community.5 or 6 years ago, after several scathing articles were written about the fact that it was falling apart, the government arranged to have it restored. Today was it's unveiling.
Thousands attended the very moving ceremony.........veterans, families, 5000 Canadian school children, politicians. The Queen was there re-dedicating the monument. Our Prime Minister spoke eloquently capturing our collective feelings. Solemn, sombre, respectful. Pride and sadness felt by many Canadians and many French whose lives were impacted even more so by the Great World War 1.
The National media have provided wonderful coverage of the memorial services as well as the more personal stories that still continue to evolve that were based in a place where thousands of Canadian soldiers were killed.....their remains left under the soil. It has been a weekend of re-learning and re-acquainting collectively of a time in history that is etched into our identity.
More than remembering.
Yesterday during our Easter celebrations, during our remembrance of Vimy, we learned that 6 Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan and several were injured. 5 0ut of 6 soldiers were based out of CFB Gagetown, located in the town of Oromocto New Brunswick.
The news struck hard in this community of 9000 people........a community which is part of my community. Upon hearing the news, not knowing the names of the fallen, all I could think of were the thousands of families and friends who would be sitting in shock waiting and hoping they wouldn't receive the news that their own had perished.
Time stopped yesterday at CFB Gagetown while everyone held their breath. Time became an enemy. 2500 troops from this small community are in Afghanistan.........many are "from away........" grew up in other parts of this country. But, Oromocto and the surrounding area is where they call home now.
The Canadian memorial weekend in France, honouring a battle 90 years old was thrust into the present......
weeping woman, Vimy RidgeSgt. Donald Lucas, 31, of Burton, N.B.
Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, 23, of Lincoln, N.B.
Pte. Kevin Vincent Kennedy, 20, of St. Lawrence, N.L.
Pte. David Robert Greenslade, 20, of Saint John, N.B.
Cpl. Christopher Paul Stannix, 24, of Dartmouth, N.S.
Cpl. Brent Poland, 37, of Camlachie, Ont.
Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, 23, of Lincoln, N.B.
Pte. Kevin Vincent Kennedy, 20, of St. Lawrence, N.L.
Pte. David Robert Greenslade, 20, of Saint John, N.B.
Cpl. Christopher Paul Stannix, 24, of Dartmouth, N.S.
Cpl. Brent Poland, 37, of Camlachie, Ont.
The monument which towers over Vimy Ridge is called Canada Bereft.
Bereft is exactly how my community is feeling today.
More than remembering...........
Bereft.
Bereft.
8 comments:
My prayers are over there with you holding out a freindly peaceful hand.
My hand is held out as well, along with hope that the mess this war has manifested will someday find the peace it deserves. May God have mercy on us all.
Prayers for all those bereft in this bloody mess. Words are so inadequate...
bloody stunning!
remarkable post dana!!!!!
Your post captures our sense here, exiles as we are from our beloved NB. Thanks Dana.
Heard about this on the news the other day.. Sorry to hear it. Parts of Our national identity was formed in similar ways at gallipoli.
Everytime I passed a lowered Cdn.flag today I felt very sad for the community.....and for the families in mourning....
shaz and monk.....just read today that your PM announced more aussie troops to Afghanistan.
It's hard to fathom when and if it will be over. From conversations I have had with people within the military the expectations of more casualties, especially this spring when the poppies start to grow, is real.
I received really nice email last night from a person whom I have recently met who is an officer from CFB Gagetown and who served alongside one of the soldiers who died on Sunday on a tour of Bosnia....... his perspective and insights truly helped me see Vimy in a different light....as a place of Canadian pride and integrity more so than a place of mourning.
We are all in this together. My support for the men and women in Afghanistan is wholehearted.
Powerful post, Dana. I was telling some Belgian friends Tuesday about this very memorial - it's the most magnificent war memorial I've ever seen. Truly breathtaking. I could not stop staring at it when we went there in 2004. I'm sure we'll be back. I was also struck by the story of its creator. Thanks for sharing the story of the memorial and for mentioning all victims of war.
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