2009 Wear a Poppy Thread.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Seriously, the fact that those stories are being transcribed is awesome, you should contact the war museum, I'm sure that they would be interested in copies for their archieves. too bad you can't post the photos.

I have very few photo's of my relatives, especially the war time ones due to family fall outs.

As it stands I only have a few pictures of myself in uniform because at the time I just wasn't sentimental about that stuff, it would be nice to have those now to pass on to the next generation of Crunch's

when I get home, I'll see how decent a photo I can take of it with my digital camera. I'm getting a new scanner in the next week or so, can't wait to get some older stuff on my PC.

[JiriHrdina]

WW2 pretty much destroyed my mother's father. I never met the man as he died before I was born. He went to the war as a stable, happy person and came back a shattered, bitter man incapable of supporting his family, holding a job, or pretty much living a normal live. As many did - he turned to the bottle for comfort and drank himself to death.

I don't think many of us really have any clue of the sacrifice that generation made, both in terms of the number of deaths, and the number of other lives that were broken beyond repair.

[CaptainCrunch]

St Crispin's day speech

This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Charge of the light brigade


Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
2.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
3.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
4.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
5.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
6.When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.

[Flash Walken]

I, personally, do not like to see the poppy co-opted for the contemporary politics of a nation.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

WW2 pretty much destroyed my mother's father. I never met the man as he died before I was born. He went to the war as a stable, happy person and came back a shattered, bitter man incapable of supporting his family, holding a job, or pretty much living a normal live. As many did - he turned to the bottle for comfort and drank himself to death.

I don't think many of us really have any clue of the sacrifice that generation made, both in terms of the number of deaths, and the number of other lives that were broken beyond repair.

I think my wife's grandfather pretty much did the same. We know little about him as he died in the early 50's when her Dad was only 9. He did time in both World Wars, I can't imagine what he saw. My grandfather was always thankful he was in the air. At least you don't see the carnage up close.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

WW2 pretty much destroyed my mother's father. I never met the man as he died before I was born. He went to the war as a stable, happy person and came back a shattered, bitter man incapable of supporting his family, holding a job, or pretty much living a normal live. As many did - he turned to the bottle for comfort and drank himself to death.

I don't think many of us really have any clue of the sacrifice that generation made, both in terms of the number of deaths, and the number of other lives that were broken beyond repair.

One of the biggest casualties of war happens after it ends and these kids come home after experiencing the greatest horrors possible.

Up until after Vietnam Post Traumatic Stress Disorder wasn't even recognized.

during the Second World War it was called Battle Fatigue, but it wasn't enough to get you removed from the field, it was enough to get you 24 hours of enforced bed rest then back out to the field. At worst it got you accussed of cowardice and slapped in the face by someone like Patton.

After WWII we took a bunch of 20 years old that had seen every horror, were exhausted, angry, mournfull etc and threw them out on the streets with little to no post war assistance. We did the same after Korea and Vietnam and because of that the casualty counts didn't end when the treaties were signed.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Sliver

All holidays are like this though. I mean seriously, it's not like any of us are actually celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday on May Long. I'm an atheist and I don't celebrate Jesus's birth on December 25. Easter means ham and chocolate to me. Thanksgiving means turkey. Family day I make a point of doing family things - but I actually treat every stat holiday like family day so in fact it is the only one that is appropriately named IMO.

Right now in my life I'm way too busy to dedicate one full day to thinking about WWI and WWII vets. I will certainly be thinking about them from time to time on the 11th, but that's the extent of it and I think it's presumptuous of them to expect any more than a thank you and some gratitude when I can give it. For example, I spent Father's Day at the Museum of the Regiments with my kids because I believe it's important to pass down that history, but mandating a day for me to do that again on November 11 is unnecessary when that time could be better used doing other things.

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

I think that's a horrible attitued. A huge number of people, who's time was no less important than yours gave up much more of it to fight for a cause, that you now reap the benefits of.

As to the second highlighted point, I think it's presumptuous that you think any of those vets expecdt you to give them thanks. I'd be willing to bet that most of them are of the attitude that they were simply doing what needed to be done.It isn't up to them to expect a thanks, I'd say it's your obligation to offer it.

It's nice that you do things like take your kids to the museum of the regiments, but I think it is very important to have just one day a year, where we're reminded and given the opportunity to say thanks to those who've made bigger sacrafices than we ever will.

Finally, I'd be interesed to know what you classify as "better things to do", it's not like it takes a whole day to attend a service, go see a parade, or visit the museum.

This is where you lose me. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but it doesn't take me a whole day to do this. I'll think about the sacrifice of our vets more on November 11 than probably any other day in the year, but I don't need a day off to do it and I don't need a ceremony, either. To me that's a depressing way to spend a day.

Better things to do: I have two small kids. Caring for them, providing for them, entertaining them are more important to me right now than anything else and it is more than a full-time job. It is an all day, all night job 365 days/year with no breaks. I think this is what the vets were fighting for in a lot of ways and my using the gifts they sacrificed for in such a way is a fair and honourable way to spend the 11th.

Re: the presumptuous comment. You're right - I don't think the vets would presume to think they know how I should spend my time. You seem to know what I should be doing on the 11th though, and that's a little presumptuous.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by redforever

Every year Stuart McLean of The Vinyl Café honors a past veteran. Last year, he relayed stories from various people, about war experiences. All the stories were interesting, but the one that really moved me was one written by Chris Irwin, who went with his parents and family to Vimy Ridge and surprised and honored them with a bagpipe tribute. He had some misfortune in that he forgot to pack in the reeds to his bagpipes. But miraculously, he found some with help from a teacher in the town they were staying. I listened to Stuart McLean reading this story on the radio. You can download it too, I think you would enjoy it. The experience of Chris Irwin is found at about the 23 minute mark of the download.

The following link gives you the gist of the story,

http://news.guelphmercury.com/printArticle/558291

and you can download and listen here.

Subscribe in iTunes Download the latest mp3

Hmmm, I went to Highschool with a Chris Irwin and he played backpipes. Wonder if it was him?


Edit: a bit more checking and yes, it was him. I've never met his father.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

This is where you lose me. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but it doesn't take me a whole day to do this. I'll think about the sacrifice of our vets more on November 11 than probably any other day in the year, but I don't need a day off to do it and I don't need a ceremony, either. To me that's a depressing way to spend a day.

Better things to do: I have two small kids. Caring for them, providing for them, entertaining them are more important to me right now than anything else and it is more than a full-time job. It is an all day, all night job 365 days/year with no breaks. I think this is what the vets were fighting for in a lot of ways and my using the gifts they sacrificed for in such a way is a fair and honourable way to spend the 11th.

Re: the presumptuous comment. You're right - I don't think the vets would presume to think they know how I should spend my time. You seem to know what I should be doing on the 11th though, and that's a little presumptuous.

Okay there is so much wrong with your first paragraph it isn't even funny.
I explicity said that it doesn't take a whole day to go to one of the events, so using the excuse that you're too busy, or have better things to do is completely moot. And to use being a father in your second paragraph is at worst silly, and I think a little bit shamefull. What makes you that much different than any of the parents who make it down to a ceremony with their children? Using the "I have kids and better things to do" argument just reeks of disrespect.
What better way to teach your kids an important lesson about showing respect for the sacrafice of others than to bring them to an event on Nov 11th? This day hasn't been designated as a day to "entertain" your kids, it's to show respect for those who fought to ensure you can do that the other 364 days of the year, and to ensure that the lessons learned get passed down to younger people, like your children, so they don't have to learn them the hard way.

As to not needing a ceremony, that's not the point. The ceremonies aren't for you, or me, or anyone else who hasn't served. They are a way for those of us who weren't asked to make huge sacrafices for the life we live now, to show en mass that we are greatfull to those who did. Yes, we can all do that on our own is simple ways every day, but is it too much to ask to spend a couple hours once a year showing some solidarity, even if you do find it "Depressing"?

As for being presumptuous, sure, I suppose if your definition of thinking that someone using the argument of "I've got better things to do", or "I'm too busy on a day I don't have to work" to take a few hours to show some respect for those who have made some very large sacrafices on my behalf, is a pretty disrespectful attitude, then yeah, I guess I am being pretty presumptuous.

In any event you're the one who explicitly said that it was the Vets who were being presumptuous in EXPECTING a thanks from you. That was my point, I'd bet dollars to donuts that none of them expect anything, and thinking that they do, while at the same time saying you have better things to do than OFFER/SHOW that thanks that they so very much deserve, is so incredibly disrespectful.

[Sliver]

Well I've thanked them every year of my life and attended numerous ceremonies. I will continue to thank them by wearing a poppy and sharing their history with my kids. Why you think it needs to go beyond that is something I don't understand.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by habernac

when I get home, I'll see how decent a photo I can take of it with my digital camera. I'm getting a new scanner in the next week or so, can't wait to get some older stuff on my PC.

Grandpa is 3rd from the right

[Puckinright]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I usually toss in the first bill that I see in my wallet. This year it was 10 bucks.

Captain Crunch, Giving is something you should do without bragging about it. Geez, are we supposed to think you are a hero for throwing in ten bucks?

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Puckinright

Captain Crunch, Giving is something you should do without bragging about it. Geez, are we supposed to think you are a hero for throwing in ten bucks?

Get lost.

[HPLovecraft]

Anyone know why they changed the center of the poppy from the old green color to the black one the past number of years?

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

Anyone know why they changed the center of the poppy from the old green color to the black one the past number of years?

To make them look more like authentic poppies, which are black in the centre.

[Otto-matic]

Just wondering if the government of Canada posts WWII service records, I would like to look up my grandfathers travels during his time in the war.

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

To make them look more like authentic poppies, which are black in the centre.

Anyone know why they were green in the first place?

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Just wondering if the government of Canada posts WWII service records, I would like to look up my grandfathers travels during his time in the war.

It depends if he died during the war or after.

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/g...909.007-e.html

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Puckinright

Captain Crunch, Giving is something you should do without bragging about it. Geez, are we supposed to think you are a hero for throwing in ten bucks?

You're an ass.

Where did the report a post button go?

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by 4X4

You're an ass.

Where did the report a post button go?

They took it away from you because you're a rat!

Yeah, we know it.

Snitch.