On November 11th, in particular, and on occasion throughout the year, we have the opportunity to remember the efforts of
those special Canadians. In remembering, we pay homage to those who responded to their country's need. On November 11th, we
wear poppies. We pause for two minutes of silent tribute, and we attend commemorative ceremonies in memory of our war-time
dead.
Poppies are worn as the flower of remembrance, a reminder of the blood-red flower which still grows on the site of battles
fought in France and Belgium. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, during the terrible bloodshed of the second battle of Ypres,
in the spring of 1915, wrote of these flowers which lived on among the graves of dead soldiers.
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the
sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below. (John McCrae, In Flanders Fields
and Other Poems. Edited by Sir Andrew Macphail, Toronto, Briggs, 1919.)
The flowers and the larks serve as reminders of nature's ability to withstand the destructive elements of war by men, a
symbol of hope in a period of human despair. The poppy was adopted for symbolic purposes after the First World War. A French
woman, Madame E. Guérin, suggested to Field-Marshall Earl Haig of the British forces that women and children in devastated
ares of France could produce poppies for sale. The first British Poppy Day Appeal was in November 1921 and has been continued
since in Britain and in other countries. In Canada, the poppies which we wear are made by disabled veterans. We wear them
as reminders of those who died while fighting for peace. We wear them as reminders of the horrors of conflict and the beauties
of peace.
The two minutes of silence provides another significant way of remembering wartime while thinking of peace. Two minutes
is scarcely enough time for thought and reflection. As we pause and bow our heads, we remember those brave men and women who
courageously volunteered for the cause of freedom and peace.
For those who were part of the wartime period, remembering means thinking of comrades, it evokes memories of young men
and young women who never returned home. Those born after the wars may picture youthful soldiers who eagerly joined up from
high schools across the country only to meet death while rushing to combat the enemy. The may imagine the anguish of a man
leaving a new wife, a young family, an elderly mother. The important thing for all of us to remember is that they fought to
preserve a way of life, the traditions of being Canadian, the freedom we currently enjoy. Remember that the silence is for
peace.
Both in Canada and overseas, there are memorials to commemorate the service of Canadian troops. The National War Memorial
in Ottawa was originally designed to recognize those who served in the First World War. It has been rededicated to symbolize
the sacrifice made by Canadians in the Second World War and in Korea. The National War Memorial symbolizes the unstinting
and courageous way in which Canadians gave their service when values which they believed in seemed threatened. Advancing together
through a large archway are figures representing the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who answered the call to serve. At
the top of the arch are two figures which stand as emblems of peace and freedom.
The Books of Remembrance which lie in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower are another record of the wars. In addition,
most cities and towns across the country have dedicated a monument, a building, a room to their native sons and daughters
who gave their lives. These are an enduring record of the losses suffered by communities everywhere as Canadians went forward
to fight for what they believed was right.
One day every year, we pay special homage to those who died in service to their country. We remember brave men and women
for their courage and for their devotion to ideals. We wear poppies, attend ceremonies, and visit memorials. For one brief
moment of our life, we remember why we must work for peace every day of the year.
^This aritcle was found at http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history/other/remember/how
