Remembrance Day 2017

SamB

Super Active Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Location
GTA
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Hey Everyone it's Remembrance day tomorrow and that is a day to remember why we have the freedoms and opportunities as we enjoy today
In my family's case, my Dad was with the RAF in England as a co-pilot in a Lancaster bomber
He told me that they would leave England every night at dusk and fly overnight to drop bombs on Germany and then head back. Their targets were factories, bridges, dams etc because their missions were to disrupt the country's infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities.
He was 22 years old at the time and lied about his age to enter the RAF (no computers back then)
At first light, he said that the German Messerschmitt fighters would come after them and try to blow out the gunners in the "bubbles" and shoot down their plane
My Dad said that the Germans often killed the gunners in the bubbles (it was a bad design) and the Lancaster often came back with one wheel or engine out of commission or with heavy damage but he always made it back somehow
Today I am 55 years old but when I was his age I was trying to borrow the car and impress girls and I can't imagine the guts that it took to fly into the darkness every night and try to get back before the first light
My Dad didn't want to talk about the war too much and after it ended he immigrated to Canada.
He passed on more than 10 years ago and I probably never told him how much I respected his courage but tomorrow I will be thinking about him
I can also tell stories of my family's participation in world war 1 too but that is for another day because those men didn't come back
Thank you to our veterans for all that the have done and continue to do for us
Lest we forget View attachment 15104
 
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Dr. Zoos

Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2014
Location
Woodstock, Ontario
Pride runs strong in those of us with family members who partook My grandfather also lied about his age and used his brothers Id so he could enlist. He was part of thefront line running around with a machine gun. My tales and stories came hidden and hushed as my nan who he met while there was a nurse and wanted nothing to do or hear about the war She would chastise him every time he would talk of it.
Lest we forget.
 

TORX

Administrator
Staff member
Website Admin
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Location
Blenheim, Ontario
Website
www.thefragtank.ca
Amazing stories. The local legion is a big part of my small community. I myself do not have any stories from my blood line, but my wifes family are army kids. They moved from one base to another more often then they like to recall. My wife's grandfathers medals are in the Blenheim Freedom Library & Military Museum and we have replicas here. Below is an exert from a write up in reference to him. I always held him and his friends in the highest regard. Please also remember the friends and family of our lost soldiers. Our lost soldiers left behind, spouses, parents and children.

Attending Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11th is a well known way to honour the men and women who served Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace. There are many other ways, throughout the year, to remember the sacrifices and achievements of the one and a half million brave Canadians who served, and continue to serve, our country at home and abroad, and the more than 118,000 men and women who died so that we may live in peace and freedom today. Taking an active role to remember these people is one way to say "thank you."

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Master Warrant Officer G. Edward Pace
Ed was born in 1932 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Ed enlisted in 1950 and served in Germany, Canada, Egypt, and the North Pole. He took basic training and a cooking course at Camp Borden. Ed received the Canadian Centennial Medal; Special Service Medal with ALERT clasp and NATO+OTAN clasp; Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, Canadian Forces Decoration and clasp; Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal; United Nations Emergency Force 1 Medal.
Ed served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, 3rd Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, CFB Westwind Air Command, and CFS ALERT. In 1962 he cooked for Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson and in 1970 he cooked for the British Royal family. Queen Elizabeth II honoured him with a wallet for his services.
Ed was discharged in 1978. His medals are part of the museum's collection

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yveterinarian

Super Active Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Location
Innerkip, Ontario
My daughter Heather went to Vimy earlier this year for the Vimy 100 celebration. She enjoyed the trip very much and took many photos. She told me she was in a mall in London (Canada) two weeks ago and struck up a conversation with some veterans who were selling poppies at the door. She told them of her trip and everything that she had learned. One of the veterans she spoke with had been at Vimy and was very interested in her stories and wanted to see her photos. She went back the next day and took her pictures with her to show them. She will be marching in the Remembrance Day parade in Woodstock tomorrow wearing her Vimy jacket.

Both my Grandfather and Great Grandfather were in the wars 1st and 2nd and luckily both came home. My Great Grandfather was in the 1st World War and was in charge of the Officer's horses. My Grandfather was in the 2nd World War and worked on railways keeping them maintained and functional. He served part of his time in South Africa. Here is a picture of my Grandfather when he was about 21 years old.
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