My first military cemetary experience was one in Hamm just outside of Luxemburg City. It was the site where George Patton is buried although he died in the USA.

My remembrance is one of a feeling of futility and helplessness as my tear-filled gaze roamed upon the vast expanse of white headstones. I vividly remember my underlying emotion of sadness as I walked the endless rows upon rows of graves and reflecting: "a whole generation mowed down in the beginning of their lives.'

As I later visited the graves of WWI and WWII, those same feeling were only reinforced. What a waste...

And that's the beauty of real history. To hear it from real people who lived the real thing. Books are great, but they can't carry the emotions to the same level as a humain being telling you the same story!

Interestingly enough, yesterday's weather in Brugge was dark, gloomy, and cold... I'm sure the same (if not worse) conditions the soliders must have experienced in the trenches. Pathetic fallacy at its very best...

Indeed what a waste -- that's the first thing I said when I saw all the tombs at one of the German cemeteries (the first one of many graveyards I saw a few weeks ago around the Ypres area). Of course, when I saw the largest one (cannot remember what it is called now), I was really saddened.

[This message has been edited by YOWkid (edited Nov 12, 2003).]

I visited Sai Wan Bay Commonwealth cemetary in HKG about 3 weeks prior to the handover to PRC in June 1997. I had a very hard time finding the place on maps/guidebooks, so I called the British Garrison, figuring someone would point me in the right direction. I was saddened that nobody seemed to know what I was talking about.

Several members of the Royal Rifles of Canada were YQB anglos and were the older brothers of guys my father knew. He never made it to HKG but I always remembered his stories of the men who were killed or who were POWs and felt that a visit was in order.

A very tragic story indeed.

Thanks for starting a great thread mpc1 .

We visited Ypres in May and it was one of the most moving experiences of my life.

Ah, the Royal Rifles. My old regiment perpetuated them (via the 7/11 Hussars, who later amalgamated with the Sherbrooke Hussars). I met many of the members of the Hong Kong Veterans Association while I was in Sherbrooke and always held them in high esteem. I have a copy of the Royal Rifles WWII history which makes for an interesting read. Tragic story indeed.

I was in HMCS Restigouche in 1991 and we lost a crew member in a fatal accident in Norway and in 1992 when we had a crew member paralysed in an accident in Panama while enroute to the Red Sea for Peacekeeping duties. I was personally involved in the repatriation efforts in both cases.

mpc1

Super Larry and NordsFan

I too have visited Vimy Ridge and Dieppe and am still awed at the magnitude of the sacrifice of our Canadian servicemen. Walking amongst the endless gravestones of 18 and 19 year old Canadian young men gives a lesson in our history that no textbook can do justice to.

mpc1

I know everybody here will not forget about these young mens that were killed on duty. November 11th is a date where people remember, but what about the rest of the year? Let's just make our little part in making sure that people around us have a better appreciation and understanding of these sacrifices.

It sickens me that in Ontario, Remberance Day is not a statutory holiday. We have a holiday for Turkey day (I am refusing to call it Thanksgiving any more) but not for November 11th! What's wrong with this picture!!!!!!

There's a school of thought that has it that with the day off people, especially school children, were treating it too much like a holiday and not at all like the solemn reflection it should be and the kids are better served by commemerations in the schools than getting a day off.

I'm not sure I fully agree with this but it is true that the idea was to assure that kids mostly got a respectful reminder of the great sacrifices that have been made and it was done for that reason not as a sign of disrespect.

When I was young I didn't understand the significance of Rememberance Day. But now, it means alot to me. If it weren't for the sacrifices made by all who defended the Canada and the free world, I wouldn't be here. I know it sounds a little dramatic, but it's true.

Here in Alberta where I am right now the 11th is a provincial holiday and everyone is off..........good stuff!!!

Anyone who visits France should without fail go to Vimy and see what that war was all about and you will really respect what our soldiers went through.

For me, living in Europe for the past two years and seeing the fields, the cemetaries, other war monuments, and concentration camps, has helped me understand the sacrifices the Canadians made, and I thank them for that.

Je me souviens.