During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2nd May, 1915 in the gun positions near Ypres. An exploding German artillery shell landed near him. He was serving in the same Canadian artillery unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae.
As the brigade doctor, John McCrae was asked to conduct the burial service for Alexis because the chaplain had been called away somewhere else on duty that evening. It is believed that later that evening, after the burial, John began the draft for his now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.
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.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
At 11:11 am on 11.11 please take a moment of silence for those who died for our freedom. Even though we have almost no Veterans left from WWI we will never forget. For those who died for us in WWII, We will never forget. For those who have died since, protecting our freedom and liberating others, we will never forget.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Happy Remembrance Day and Happy Veterans' Day. A day for all to come together and remember, with thanks, the men and women who served our countries so that we may enjoy the freedoms of today.
-- Edited by FNW on Friday 11th of November 2016 07:35:21 AM
to canadian veterans of all conflicts, thank you--my father flew in europe during the war and spoke often of the brits and canadians in the RAF(many of whom had volunteered before the battle of britain and had been fighting the germans in the air for years already)--their courage and pluck inspired and humbled many of their american allies--my dad for one--and he always remembered their character and courage
em/salute
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" the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. "--edmund burke
Happy Remembrance Day to all our Canadian members and visitors. We should all hold in great esteem those that have paid the ultimate price to guarantee our freedom.
