Housing, health, computer and other matters have kept me away from this space for far too long.
Many matters belonging in these blogs have been piling up. One of these being the very belated Happy Remembrance Day, both here and in the US.
As regular readers know, I choose to honour monuments, graves etc for some heroes that are not on the regular list of those visited annually, by most veterans' organizations.
While not on the above lists, the relatively new Afghanistan Memorial is also one of these I try to visit often during the year. Mentioned in recent blogs, the memorial is dedicated to honour those who "gave their all" for Canada and the world.
At line 4 below, we see the name of Canadian Nichola Goddard, said to be Canada's first female service member to be killed in battle. (Though several came before her in the the Great Wars and even previously.) Her tragic story has appeared in this space in the past.
Many matters belonging in these blogs have been piling up. One of these being the very belated Happy Remembrance Day, both here and in the US.
As regular readers know, I choose to honour monuments, graves etc for some heroes that are not on the regular list of those visited annually, by most veterans' organizations.
While not on the above lists, the relatively new Afghanistan Memorial is also one of these I try to visit often during the year. Mentioned in recent blogs, the memorial is dedicated to honour those who "gave their all" for Canada and the world.
At line 4 below, we see the name of Canadian Nichola Goddard, said to be Canada's first female service member to be killed in battle. (Though several came before her in the the Great Wars and even previously.) Her tragic story has appeared in this space in the past.
Below we see the name of Michelle Lang. Her story has also appeared in the space in the past. Whilst paying my respects for these women a young fellow saw this and I told him briefly about the monument and pointed out these two and other names. He probably saw me saluting them and so he in turn saluted me.
(The day after my visit was November 11th. That is why you do not see any poppies of wreaths in place yet.)
(The day after my visit was November 11th. That is why you do not see any poppies of wreaths in place yet.)
A few weeks before this I and a friend visited the Memorial Park for Canada's Veterans in the Victoria greater metro area, at Langford.
This sculpture is of a veteran talking to a youth at the park. Perhaps he was explaining the significance of the numerous plaques at the memorial park.
Hopefully the youth was reminded about the horrible story of the German Sub sinking the unarmed passenger ship SS Athenia. And worse yet, the Nazi's refusing to help with rescuing over a thousand thrown into the water that night and over 100 losing their lives, as noted in another blog in this space.
Hopefully the youth heard about the Merchant Navy's sinking, and the bringing of Canada into the war the next day.
On that plaque, at the fourth line, you will see the name of stewardess Hannah Baird, who died in that horrible event.
The very plaque may well be the first of its kind anywhere in the world dedicated to the Merchant Navy and their women who died in service to Canada.
Hopefully the youth was reminded about the horrible story of the German Sub sinking the unarmed passenger ship SS Athenia. And worse yet, the Nazi's refusing to help with rescuing over a thousand thrown into the water that night and over 100 losing their lives, as noted in another blog in this space.
Hopefully the youth heard about the Merchant Navy's sinking, and the bringing of Canada into the war the next day.
On that plaque, at the fourth line, you will see the name of stewardess Hannah Baird, who died in that horrible event.
The very plaque may well be the first of its kind anywhere in the world dedicated to the Merchant Navy and their women who died in service to Canada.
Here we see the veteran pointing to the poppy in his hand and what it symbolizes. The vet's chest proudly displays his war medals, yet more cause for remembrance.
On Sunday I hope to return with more on this story.
Cheers till then,
Bart
On Sunday I hope to return with more on this story.
Cheers till then,
Bart
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