Vimy
It is the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. This is the battle that Canadians consider to be a turning point in our history, the time when we stopped being colonials and truly became a nation. It was the first time Canadian units fought together, rather than as part of another group, and under Canadian leadership. 3,600 Canadian men died and over 7,000 were wounded in the three days of the battle. It was an important victory militarily, as the ridge gave a commanding view of the surrounding Allied lines and had been heavily fortified and defended by the Germans against previous French attacks that had resulted in over 100,000 casualties. There is a huge ceremony there today, and smaller ceremonies here in Ottawa at the National War Memorial, Parliament Hill, and at the War Museum. Here are two of my pictures from a visit to Vimy in February 2014. One shows the grounds, which are still pockmarked from the shelling. The other is the Vimy memorial, which has the names of over 11,000 Canadians lost during the war and whose remains were never found. The area is still not fully demined, and every once in a while local farmers turn up human remains while ploughing.
At church this morning, I met a woman whose father had fought there (she is older, and he was 50 when she was born). Our church has a special relationship with the war, as it is the official church of the Governor General. The GG of the day commissioned our East Window in memory of his personal staff who lost their lives in the war. The window was actually commissioned in 1916, and unveiled by King Edward VIII in 1919. There is also a large bronze plaque with the names of all the men from the parish who died during the war. I think there are about 100 names, and many are familiar as their family names show up on streets in the area.
Finally, I need to share this haunting version of In Flanders Fields. It's the one sung by the Ottawa Children's Choir every year for Remembrance Day. sadly, I couldn't find a decent copy, sonI'm sharing this one. The children's choir is in Vimy today and I just heard them sing it. The daughter of one of my friends sings with the choir. I must find out if Maggie went to France with sing with the choir. https://www.facebook.com/109474895799747/videos/383689111713793/
At church this morning, I met a woman whose father had fought there (she is older, and he was 50 when she was born). Our church has a special relationship with the war, as it is the official church of the Governor General. The GG of the day commissioned our East Window in memory of his personal staff who lost their lives in the war. The window was actually commissioned in 1916, and unveiled by King Edward VIII in 1919. There is also a large bronze plaque with the names of all the men from the parish who died during the war. I think there are about 100 names, and many are familiar as their family names show up on streets in the area.
Finally, I need to share this haunting version of In Flanders Fields. It's the one sung by the Ottawa Children's Choir every year for Remembrance Day. sadly, I couldn't find a decent copy, sonI'm sharing this one. The children's choir is in Vimy today and I just heard them sing it. The daughter of one of my friends sings with the choir. I must find out if Maggie went to France with sing with the choir. https://www.facebook.com/109474895799747/videos/383689111713793/