As a Canadian, Remembrance Day has a special significance. We wear a poppy to honour the veterans who made sacrifices for us during both world wars.
Every year, as October ends, we start to see the poppies. Veterans sell poppies at the local malls. When my kids were little, I’d explain why we wore a poppy. We would buy our poppies and thank the veterans for their sacrifices. Remembrance Day was always a time to reflect on our blessings and the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who fought in the various wars.
Normandy
This year, I had the opportunity to visit Normandy. And suddenly, the poppies took on a whole new meaning. As I drove through Normandy, the memories of both world wars were everywhere. Cemeteries, memorials, and museums dotted the landscape. Normans are grateful for the sacrifices made by the Allies during the Wars. Although they suffered many casualties, they appreciated the Allies’ help.
The cities in northern France still bear the scars of both wars. Some, like Caen, were nearly obliterated by the Allied bombing. It’s hard to fathom what it must have been like to be under enemy occupation and to have bombs dropped on your city. Yet, that’s what it was like during both wars. It was a humbling experience to visit these cities.
Juno Beach Centre
Earlier in the year, my daughter, Tatiana, started working at Juno Beach Centre (JBC) as a tour guide. She would tell me about meeting veterans, hearing families’ stories about their fathers, grandfathers and others who had fought during the wars. These meetings affected her greatly. Although she had learned about the wars in history classes, being there and seeing the landing beaches, hearing the stories, and seeing the remnants of the wars, really brought history to life.
My visit to Normandy started with a race, la Canadienne. This race retraces the route that Canadian soldiers took to liberate 3 Norman towns: St Germain la blanche herbe, Authie and St. Contest. Tatiana had asked if I wanted to do the race. Of course! We signed up for the 6.4 km race. There were six Canadians participating. The organizers were thrilled to have the Canadians present. We were all introduced to great applause. My eyes teared up. I certainly didn’t expect that reaction. But, this was only the start. The race started and we ran towards this beautiful Abbey. The scenery was spectacular. We ran through farmers’ fields and quaint Norman towns. As I ran, I kept trying to imagine this beautiful countryside in war time. It wasn’t easy to imagine. I took in my surroundings. There were beautiful farmers’ fields. On the side of the path there were some wildflowers. Then I saw it, some poppies. I stopped and took a picture. I didn’t want to forget this.
An unforgettable visit
After the race we decided to visit the Abbey, but it was closed. We saw a plaque indicating that this was the spot where 27 Canadian soldiers were executed by the Germans. Wow. We visited the side garden where the caretaker’s family discovered the bodies in the years following the end of the war. It was a somber reminder of the atrocities of war.
Visiting JBC was a highlight of the trip. The visit started with the group standing in a simulated landing craft to watch a film clip. This powerful film serves to put visitors into the mindset of the soldiers as they prepared to disembark on the beach. From there, we visited the German bunkers and heard about the evolution of the war. We ended the visit on the beach. There was a storm on June 6 as the Allies landed at Juno. Because of the storm, the landing was delayed and instead of landing at low tide, they arrived at high tides and had navigate chest deep water. Not only were the tides high, the infantry landed before the amphibious tanks (which were meant to to destroy bunkers) and the modified Sherman tanks (which were designed to destroy the beach obstacles). Standing on this peaceful beach on a beautiful late fall afternoon, it was hard to imagine the conditions as these young men disembarked and faced German gunfire.
Vimy Memorial
I also visited the Vimy Memorial. This memorial is simply stunning in its simplicity and message. The Vimy Memorial commemorates the Canadian soldiers who captured Vimy Ridge in 1917 and is the largest Canadian memorial in France and Belgium.The monument itself looms large. Its white, smooth surface stands in stark contrast to the battles it represents. The expressions on the statues’ faces are haunting. On the base of the monument are engraved the names of the 11,285 soldiers who lost their lives in France during WWI. A large part of the site is inaccessible because there are still unexploded mines in the fields.
The sacrifices continue
Sadly, there have been many other world conflicts since World War II. We must never forget the young people who sacrificed their lives during both world wars and the countless other conflicts. Today, many veterans struggle with PTSD. A few years ago, the Globe and Mail ran an investigative story which spanned several weeks. It highlighted the struggles facing veterans when they return from a war zone. Reading these articles was an eye opener. It was also heartbreaking to see how little awareness there was of the challenges facing veterans and their families. I can’t imagine the horrors they have witnessed and experienced. When we forget the past, we risk repeating the mistakes we made.
Concrete support
Every year, I wear a poppy in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day. Wearing it reminds me to never take my freedom for granted. A freedom that was earned by the sacrifices of all those soldiers. In addition to wearing my poppy, this year I also joined the Canadian legion. I thought that you had to be a member of the forces or a veteran to join, but that’s not the case. They have different levels of membership, some of which are for civilians. According to their website “The Royal Canadian Legion cares for all those who have served our nation. As members, we show our thanks by supporting and advocating for Veterans, by remembering their sacrifices, and by continuing the tradition of service in helping our communities.” Proceeds from the sale of poppies go directly towards supporting veterans. What better way to help veterans and their families? This year, I will once again wear my poppy with gratitude and pride.
A big “thank you!” to my wonderful daughter Tatiana who answered questions about the technical aspects of the D-Day landings.
Useful links:
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy
http://normandy.memorial-caen.com/
