Canada's Last Great War Veteran - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

jolinar of malkshor · 11-06-2006, 02:56 PM

I encourage all people that think the last Canadian World War I veteran should be given a state funneral sign the petition at the following link.

http://www.dominion.ca/petition/

Iowa_Flames_Fan · 11-06-2006, 06:24 PM

Hmm. I guess I'm surprised they wouldn't get one anyway. Seems like the right thing to do.

jolinar of malkshor · 11-06-2006, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Hmm. I guess I'm surprised they wouldn't get one anyway. Seems like the right thing to do.

That's what I would think....espcially the last one.

BlackArcher101 · 11-06-2006, 07:01 PM

I don't know... I suppose with my way of thinking, that if we give one to this guy then we should have for the others as well. I know I'm going to be flamed for this and I fully support our vets... but what makes this guy so deserving over the others?

edit: Nearly an hour later and no reply, a new CP record? I'm still cringing thinking about the backlash though.

octothorp · 11-06-2006, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I don't know... I suppose with my way of thinking, that if we give one to this guy then we should have for the others as well. I know I'm going to be flamed for this and I fully support our vets... but what makes this guy so deserving over the others?

That's sort of my thinking, too. They are all deserving of honour, whether they lived for 70 years after the war or five years or never made it home. I understand that the point is to honour all those who fought in the war by honouring the last one, but is it really fair to honour one man for the accomplishment of an entire generation, based on the fact that he lived longer than any others? I'd rather that some other special commemorative ceremony was performed on the remembrance day following the death of the last veteran.

kermitology · 11-06-2006, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I don't know... I suppose with my way of thinking, that if we give one to this guy then we should have for the others as well. I know I'm going to be flamed for this and I fully support our vets... but what makes this guy so deserving over the others?

edit: Nearly an hour later and no reply, a new CP record? I'm still cringing thinking about the backlash though.

I actually agree with you BA.. I think a lot of vets would think the same way. My Great Grandfather was a British soldier (was actually shot by Canadians when he forgot the password after getting shelled while on patrol in no-mans-land) so I have a great deal of respect for veterans. But I just can't see one man thinking that he is deserving of a state funeral when all the rest of his friends and fellows didn't have one.

Some of us may think that it's deserving, but I think what's more important is making sure that the memory of the men who served, lived, and died during the worlds great battles survives beyond their lifetimes.

jolinar of malkshor · 11-07-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by octothorp

That's sort of my thinking, too. They are all deserving of honour, whether they lived for 70 years after the war or five years or never made it home. I understand that the point is to honour all those who fought in the war by honouring the last one, but is it really fair to honour one man for the accomplishment of an entire generation, based on the fact that he lived longer than any others? I'd rather that some other special commemorative ceremony was performed on the remembrance day following the death of the last veteran.

I can see your point.....but I think this is more of a lets honor ALL the WWI vets but honoring the last one in Canada.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 11-07-2006, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I don't know... I suppose with my way of thinking, that if we give one to this guy then we should have for the others as well. I know I'm going to be flamed for this and I fully support our vets... but what makes this guy so deserving over the others?

edit: Nearly an hour later and no reply, a new CP record? I'm still cringing thinking about the backlash though.

I tend to agree with you, and I'd be willing to bet that the three vets left probably do as well. I would think that the vets that came home alive probalby feel that the ones that deserve the state funerals are the ones that died over there. They all made great contributions, and should all be honoured, but I doubt that any of the three remaining think they should be given an honour that thousands more were not given, simply because they lived longer.

Should there be a day of mourning? Probably, but should this vet be treated any differently than the thousands more who died before him overseas, or after returning home? I doubt he'd think so.

Flashpoint · 11-07-2006, 08:41 AM

What happens if another WWI vet moves to Canada after the funeral? Does he get one too?

It seems to be pretty silly symbolism. All those unfortunate enough to be sent into that war should be honored for their sacrifice. Not just 1 random guy because he has a healthy lifestyle or good genes.

Bobblehead · 11-07-2006, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kermitology

My Great Grandfather was a British soldier (was actually shot by Canadians when he forgot the password after getting shelled while on patrol in no-mans-land) so I have a great deal of respect for veterans.

My grandfather was in WW1 and took an friendly fire bullet in the rear. I never knew him (there is a picture of him holding me as a baby, but I have no memory of him). I'm told he never talked about the war.

I kind of agree with the others. There should be special mention of his passing this Remembrance day, but a state funeral is a bit too much.

jolinar of malkshor · 11-07-2006, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

My grandfather was in WW1 and took an friendly fire bullet in the rear. I never knew him (there is a picture of him holding me as a baby, but I have no memory of him). I'm told he never talked about the war.

I kind of agree with the others. There should be special mention of his passing this Remembrance day, but a state funeral is a bit too much.

Why is it a bit much for the LAST WWI vet? I can understand if they were giving a state funeral for everyone. I am not trying to argue with you guys....just trying to understand why it would be to much.

I think it would be a good thing to remind ALL of us what our grandfathers did for us and how long ago it was. yes....there is rememberance day....but that happens every year and people just kind of tune it out.

IMO it's not just a service for the one individual....it is a service to remember all those who fought in WWI and that he is the last of his generation.

Flashpoint · 11-07-2006, 08:49 AM

My grandfather was also in WWI, and accidentally shot a guy in the ass.

Sorry dude!

Flashpoint · 11-07-2006, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

yes....there is rememberance day....but that happens every year and people just kind of tune it out.

I have to say, on a personal note, I don't see this. There are huge parades in every Canadian city, personalities on TV wearing poppies, and even a nationwide moment of silence. All stemming from the first world war armistice day.

I live in Dallas and wear a poppy. So maybe it is just me because I was an army cadet as a child, but Nov 11th is a pretty big deal on its own.

MagicallyAdept · 11-07-2006, 09:01 AM

A state funeral would be a great idea, but not just in his honour - for everyone who took part in the war.

As he is the last man down, there will be no other veterans therefore a state funeral for all is a must.

jzA · 11-07-2006, 10:05 AM

I find it amazing that there is still 3 ww1 vet's alive... They must be almost 100 if not over 100 years of age...

Pretty god damn amazing, I always thought they were all dead. Does anyone has any info on these 3 remaining WW1 vets? Ive always been intrested to read up on these people who are still living, we owe a great deal to them.

I-Hate-Hulse · 11-07-2006, 10:26 AM

I was onboard with the state funeral but this comment irked me:

It is important to have a state funeral — as opposed to a military funeral or other commemoration — because state funerals include a religious church service, Griffiths said
Many of the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who served in the war fought for a tolerant, peaceful and open idea of Christianity, Griffiths said, and failing to include a religious element would not properly reflect our own history.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/...l-veteran.html

Shouldn't that be up to the wishes of the guy being buried? What if he's an athiest? Or just doesn't care for it?

Flashpoint · 11-07-2006, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Shouldn't that be up to the wishes of the guy being buried? What if he's an athiest? Or just doesn't care for it?

Double edged sword there. You want the guy's family to buy into it, but then again, it is a ceremony for all vets who died. And what if the guy was a hardcore muslim or something? I wonder how that would play. Anyway, neither here nor there as probably isn't the case.

Interesting that none of the remaining 3 guys saw any combat. Does that diminish the event for anyone? What if the last guy left was a cook or paper pusher?

Quote:

Last year's death of Clarence (Clare) Laking, the last Canadian veteran to have seen combat in the war, occurred with little more than written tributes in national newspapers, Griffiths said.

Agamemnon · 11-07-2006, 10:47 AM

Does anyone know in what way these 3 vet's participated in the war? Front line combat? Mailroom sorters? Does that make a difference when it comes to giving him/them state funerals?

jolinar of malkshor · 11-07-2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Does anyone know in what way these 3 vet's participated in the war? Front line combat? Mailroom sorters? Does that make a difference when it comes to giving him/them state funerals?

Here is one of them:

LLOYD CLEMETT

Age: 102
Toronto
Private, 109th Battalion

The army made Lloyd Clemett a bugle boy when he enlisted in January, 1916, but being more musician than munitions expert wouldn't have kept him out of the line of fire. When the Armistice was declared, he was destined for the front.
"After people were killed, they . . . sent us into the trenches to take their place," he says, sitting at the kitchen table of his neat, brick home in midtown Toronto. "You never knew where you were going when you went to France."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serie...s/clemett.html

jolinar of malkshor · 11-07-2006, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Does anyone know in what way these 3 vet's participated in the war? Front line combat? Mailroom sorters? Does that make a difference when it comes to giving him/them state funerals?

Here is another:

John Babcock

Mr. Babcock lied about his age to join the military and board a troop ship in Halifax bound for England.
"I enlisted when I was 15½ years old," he said. But the Ontario native’s papers caught up with him by the time the ship arrived in England and he spent the war near Brighton in a young soldiers brigade

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1713170/posts