Remembrance Day

Over the past 24 years I’ve had the privilege of writing the Remembrance Day edition for the Cowichan Valley Citizen. At a calculated guess that would mean close to 150 articles—a lot of words.

All of them honouring what I believe is the most important day of the year: Remembrance Day.

I am the first generation of three of my family who didn’t have to serve my country in war. Both my grandfathers were disabled in the First World War, my great uncle Jim killed; my father and my uncles served in the Second World War and, happily, returned safely.

On the short street in Saanich where I spent my childhood every single man of age but one served in the military, the exception having what was termed an essential occupation in a shipyard.

But I’ve had a free ride, my five years in cadets and three in the reserves don’t count.

So, every year, I willingly take up my ‘pen,’ dig into the files I’ve compiled through the years, and do my best to pay adequate tribute to all the men and women who’ve ever served Canada in uniform, in peacetime, in wartime and in peacekeeping missions.

Bless them one and all!

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