"Dave Smith" wrote in message ...

On 2014-11-11 10:41 AM, Yeff wrote:
>
> The Canadians get it...
>
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo>
>


We like to think that we take Remembrance Day seriously. My wife and I
do. Both us us come from military families. Her grandfather fought in
the Boer War and at Vimy Ridge, and her father was in the American Army
and saw action in France in WWI. My father was in the air force for
almost 5 years during the war, was shot down and escaped. One uncle was
in the navy and two in the army. Then there was the uncle I never met,
me aunt's first husband who was killed on his first operational flight.


We go to the Sunday ceremony in town and to the one at the Legion on
Remembrance Day. I am always disappointed at the turnout. For the Sunday
ceremony there are the some local veterans, the local cadet corps, the
local politicians and their spouses, and maybe a dozen others like me
and my wife. The Remembrance Day ceremony gets only about 150 people.
I have been to Liberation Day ceremonies twice at the war graves
cemetery in Denmark where my father was buried with his crew mates and
and each time there were 300-400 people in attendance.

~~~~~~~~
The original message is not on my computer, but I think the intent is
obvious from your message.

My father always came home with little red poppies for each of us, and I
remember him talking about Flanders Field. When I was 6 years old, my
parents took me to the parade. They gave me a little American flag, and I
marched with a group of school children.

MaryL

On 2014-11-14 4:57 PM, wrote:
> On Fri, 14 Nov 2014 14:51:03 -0600, "MaryL"

>> My father always came home with little red poppies for each of us, and I
>> remember him talking about Flanders Field. When I was 6 years old, my
>> parents took me to the parade. They gave me a little American flag, and I
>> marched with a group of school children.
>>
>> MaryL
>
> I didn't see Dave's post but have to say it is entirely different in
> NS. The maritime provinces did supply most of the soldiers, so I
> suppose that makes a difference.

???? Maybe Maritimers are proud of their contribution, but in WWI,
Ontario and Manitoba had the highest percentage of eligible male
participation and and much higher numbers of recruits. Ontario provided
about 7 times more men that all three Maritime provinces combined. Even
Quebec, with the lowest recruitment level, provided more than those
three. The Maritime provinces combined provided less than 10% of the forces.

In WWII, The three Maritime provinces provided about 11% of the total
manpower. Once again, even Quebec, with the lowest per capita
participation, provided close to twice as many men as the east coast
provinces. As for the navy, all but landlocked Manitoba had almost as
many people in the navy as the left coasters. Ontario provided almost
50% of the men for that effort.












http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.c...entFigures.asp

http://www.canadaatwar.ca/content-7/...d-information/




The only time (since 1967) that I
> found difficult was in the 70s when idiots got this idea in their
> stupid heads we were 'glorifying war' and I recall being badly heckled
> en route to the Sailors Memorial. Twice in all the years I have lived
> here, I have not gone to the same, once because of 'flu and this year
> because people were making such a thing about it for right/wrong
> reasons in my opinion.
>
> Our schools regularly organise trips to France etc for high school
> students, veterans have long been going to schools and recounting
> things for the kids, so even they 'get it' - have to say down at the
> Sailors Memorial which involved a longish walk, the sea cadets do
> their thing and it is a lovely service and I have always felt if many
> of those who never came back look in, they would be well pleased.
> Probably more so because the political types all go to the main
> cenotaph in City Hall square
>

On 14/11/2014 3:34 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2014-11-14 4:57 PM, wrote:
>> On Fri, 14 Nov 2014 14:51:03 -0600, "MaryL"
>
>>> My father always came home with little red poppies for each of us, and I
>>> remember him talking about Flanders Field. When I was 6 years old, my
>>> parents took me to the parade. They gave me a little American flag,
>>> and I
>>> marched with a group of school children.
>>>
>>> MaryL
>>
>> I didn't see Dave's post but have to say it is entirely different in
>> NS. The maritime provinces did supply most of the soldiers, so I
>> suppose that makes a difference.
>
> ???? Maybe Maritimers are proud of their contribution, but in WWI,
> Ontario and Manitoba had the highest percentage of eligible male
> participation and and much higher numbers of recruits. Ontario provided
> about 7 times more men that all three Maritime provinces combined. Even
> Quebec, with the lowest recruitment level, provided more than those
> three. The Maritime provinces combined provided less than 10% of the
> forces.
>
> In WWII, The three Maritime provinces provided about 11% of the total
> manpower. Once again, even Quebec, with the lowest per capita
> participation, provided close to twice as many men as the east coast
> provinces. As for the navy, all but landlocked Manitoba had almost as
> many people in the navy as the left coasters. Ontario provided almost
> 50% of the men for that effort.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.c...entFigures.asp
>
> http://www.canadaatwar.ca/content-7/...d-information/
>
>
>
>
> The only time (since 1967) that I
>> found difficult was in the 70s when idiots got this idea in their
>> stupid heads we were 'glorifying war' and I recall being badly heckled
>> en route to the Sailors Memorial. Twice in all the years I have lived
>> here, I have not gone to the same, once because of 'flu and this year
>> because people were making such a thing about it for right/wrong
>> reasons in my opinion.
>>
>> Our schools regularly organise trips to France etc for high school
>> students, veterans have long been going to schools and recounting
>> things for the kids, so even they 'get it' - have to say down at the
>> Sailors Memorial which involved a longish walk, the sea cadets do
>> their thing and it is a lovely service and I have always felt if many
>> of those who never came back look in, they would be well pleased.
>> Probably more so because the political types all go to the main
>> cenotaph in City Hall square
>>
>
It annoys me that the Merchant Navy wasn't included in the Remembrance
Day ceremony until recently.
Graham

On Friday, November 14, 2014 4:34:40 PM UTC-6, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2014-11-14 4:57 PM, wrote:
> > On Fri, 14 Nov 2014 14:51:03 -0600, "MaryL"
>
> >> My father always came home with little red poppies for each of us, and I
> >> remember him talking about Flanders Field. When I was 6 years old, my
> >> parents took me to the parade. They gave me a little American flag, and I
> >> marched with a group of school children.
> >>
> >> MaryL
> >
> > I didn't see Dave's post but have to say it is entirely different in
> > NS. The maritime provinces did supply most of the soldiers, so I
> > suppose that makes a difference.
>
> ???? Maybe Maritimers are proud of their contribution, but in WWI,
> Ontario and Manitoba had the highest percentage of eligible male
> participation and and much higher numbers of recruits. Ontario provided
> about 7 times more men that all three Maritime provinces combined. Even
> Quebec, with the lowest recruitment level, provided more than those
> three. The Maritime provinces combined provided less than 10% of the forces.
>
> In WWII, The three Maritime provinces provided about 11% of the total
> manpower. Once again, even Quebec, with the lowest per capita
> participation, provided close to twice as many men as the east coast
> provinces. As for the navy, all but landlocked Manitoba had almost as
> many people in the navy as the left coasters. Ontario provided almost
> 50% of the men for that effort.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.c...entFigures.asp
>
> http://www.canadaatwar.ca/content-7/...d-information/
>
>
The central provinces, especially Ontario, were culturally tied to the USA,
like Belarus is to Russia, and I'm offended that I'd need a passport to
cross the border into Canada because of USA stupidity, as I have far more
in common with those who live in Toronto, than with the average resident of Mississippi or Alabama. The border is political, and that is fine, but it
was drawn artificially.

--Bryan