Day Five: Vimy & A Picnic
Yesterday, all of us, mom, dad, 2 children & new uncle, brother, brother-in-law rode off to the French countryside to visit a place where you will find Parks Canada employees. In World War I, Canadians distinguished themselves by gaining victories alongside their allies in the fields of Europe. Passchendaele, Ypres, the Somme, Beaumont-Hamel and most famously Vimy. At Beaumont-Hamel, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was virtually eaten up. July 1st in Newfoundland is observed as THE day of Remembrance. Canadians in these other conflicts managed to eke out victories with great cost. Virtually every small town across the country has memorials for the young men lost in these battles. Some 60,000 Canadians lost their lives. Vimy has been the most cherished of victories as Canadians managed to do it where others had failed. The Canadian blood there was victorious.
In his very short reign, King Edward VIII did appear at this ridge in 1936 to inaugurate this most impressive monument that captures with such respect, the profundity of these awful events. I think of it as so Canadian that our greatest monument is not even in our own country. It is the gift of ourselves to others that we have cherished.
We spent this time together. And we ate sandwiches and the adults shared in a little potable wine. The children learned something about silence and the costs of life and in return they gave life to the outing.
Some time and space to reflect. . . .
In his very short reign, King Edward VIII did appear at this ridge in 1936 to inaugurate this most impressive monument that captures with such respect, the profundity of these awful events. I think of it as so Canadian that our greatest monument is not even in our own country. It is the gift of ourselves to others that we have cherished.
We spent this time together. And we ate sandwiches and the adults shared in a little potable wine. The children learned something about silence and the costs of life and in return they gave life to the outing.
Some time and space to reflect. . . .
