lest we forget

magnificent charles comes home today. how wonderful it will be to see him.

my sister (helpful pam) and father (showtunes/frugal blake) left today. dad heads right back up to yellowknife, but pam is spending a few days in vancouver with our grandparents.

my grandfather has been in a nursing home for almost one year. as a nurse specialising in geriatric care, pam can talk to the nurses in the home and be of real assistance to my gran. my gran visits him every day, and keeps her home spotless. keeps the home fires burning, you might say.

this isnt the first time my grandparents have been separated. in the 1940's my grandfather, a banker not a professional soldier, was stationed in saskatoon for basic training. his sweetheart was two provinces away. letters were irregular, calls, almost never. when my grandad learned deployment was imminent, he called my gran, and, accompanied only by two suitcases, she took the train to be with him, and to become his wife.

the leader of the squad, who she met the day before she was married, walked my gran up the aisle. another new friend was matron of honour. could this have been the wedding day she dreamed about? or the marriage?

they set up house, gran got pregnant, and grandad headed off to war. gran still has the letter he wrote her after jon was born. the greeting is firm and clearly written...and the handwriting discentegrates quickly afterwards. the celebrating must have been good, "somewhere in europe" that night.

imagine what it would have been like to be a war bride. no cnn, no emails, no direct dial calling or fax machines. just the news. that was never specific enough. where young boys on bicycles carrying telegrams were feared.

gran raised jon by herself. yes, everyone was doing it, but that didn't make it any easier. because she didn't know if it would be this way for the rest of her life. never knowing if jon would meet his father. never knowing if her husband would hold her again, if they would be able to enjoy the future he was fighting for. if he would be able to exchange the youth he was wasting in a battlefield for old age.

yes he survived. and received a hero's welcome when he came home. it wasn't HIS fight, but it was his country, and he fought for the ideals our country held high. what a hero! cried the country.

but then the years passed, and other tragedies occurred, and suddenly, those vibrant men who fought for our freedom are scorned. passed briskly on a sidewalk. alone at church.

the veteran's assistance groups are not swift in returning phone calls, they are understaffed and so many of the vets are now requiring medical assistance. times are tough, many bills which should be covered, are not, because resources are slim and the need is great.

what can i say, except thank you. to both gran and grandad. what courage you both displayed. how great your sacrifice.

my grandparents have seen quite a bit of the world, but i think the trip that meant most to them was in 1995, when they returned to holland to mark the 50th anniversary of the freeing of the netherlands.

the dutch people couldn’t do enough for the veterans. young children ran out just to touch the Canadian heroes, host families treated my grandparents like royalty. we owe you everything.

parades, speeches, acknowledgements.

gran was thanked for her sacrifices. held hands of people who have directly benefited from my grandfather's, and maybe your grandfather's also, courage, and beliefs. i wish i had been there to see everything.

i wish my children had been born and were there. i will always remember the sacrifice, but as the number of surviving veterans continues to decrease, will the next generation? will sebastian see november 11 as a bank holiday?

charles leaves for weeks at a time, my grandfather was gone for years.

i love you both, i thank you both.

after you read this, can you please contact a war veteran? a relative, a friend's grandfather, or a stranger you see at a ceremony, or a widow of a war veteran and tell them thank you. they don't need our thanks, they didn't give the best years of their life in order to get thanks, but freedom is worth at least a thank you.

thank you.

Comments

[Rhonda]

Tess, that was beautiful. Thanks so much for writing it.

My grandfather (gone ten years now, may he rest in peace) was in the (American) army. He landed at Normandy June 8, 1944. Never talked about it much, except that it was horrible out there in the trenches with the bombs exploding all around.

I know he would be glad that people such as yourself are remembering that Armistice Day/Veterans' Day means something and teaching our kids that it's not just a bank holiday.

[Bridgette]

That was beautiful. I will do my best to thank someone for all their sacrifices today.

[Lauren]

Beautiful. I love that it's a Canadian story. It's nice to remember the Heroes on the home front too.

[Carrie Jo]

That was such a wonderful story, beautifully written. Thank you for sharing it.

[Julie]

Tess,

What a wonderful tribute to your grandparents. Wish mine were still alive, so that I could go give them a hug.

I hope we all remember, and support the troops of every country, who fight for the freedom of others.

I'm glad your hubby is coming home, I'm very happy for you and your beautiful children!!!

Love in Christ,
Julie

[Tasmin]

I've read your blog since you started but finally wanted to write a comment. Today after reading I visited my grandfathers grave for the first time. He was a war veteran who died last year on 11 November. Thank you tess, thank you for sharing all your wonderful stories with us, Tasmin

[Mum aka Mo aka Maureen]

Sweetheart:

What a wonderful and moving tribute to Gran and Grandad. They will be so touched and thankful that you do remember and care. Bless you, darling.

I remember lying in bed as a little girl (born immediately post-war) and I would cry thinking that maybe, just maybe, my dad might have to return to war. Even though I was born in 1946 the impact of the war was in our home. I would help my dad shine his buckles, medals and boots before he attended Regiment get-togethers. He could stand so straight and still and he was my hero. Honor abounded. I would clutch the piece of his kit that still carried his dried blood on its surface. I was so immensely proud of him and the thought of losing him to war again was dreadful to a small girl. Not knowing any better I also thought my 11 year old brother, Jon, would have to go to war as well and that would bring on another flood of tears.

.... Tess, I am just off the phone with Gran. I read her your November 11 blog. We wept our way through it and she was so grateful for your words and was amazed that you, a different generation, would be so sensitive and caring.

Thank you again, honey.

May we never forget.

Love, M xox

[Gran]

Dear Tess,
Thank you for the letter you wrote about "Remembering"the war and us. In January 1946 after 4 years and 3 months, Vernon came home. He came home to me, Jon ( who was almost 4 years old and whom he had never seen), and his family including my Dad. It was the happiest day of my life.

Since then over 64 years of living have gone by. During which we have been blessed with wonderful children, grandchildren, and great granchildren. We and they are fortunate to have traditions and memories kept alive by you, our loved ones.

I must add that the Canadian Department of Veternas affairs have looked after their many veterans well.

Much love to you all and Thank-you,
Gran and Grandad