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The Huron Expositor, 1997-11-05, Page 1010-i't* 1M1110M II[A'OR. November S. 1S07 November 11, take a Moment to remember rc ¢ ;forget McLaughlin Chew - Olds Ltd. 13 MaIn St. 527-1140 MAIN STREET SEAFORTH 527-0278 May We Never Forget Their Courage /ft\ jIi1debrand Main St. Flowers 5Seforth 27-a0555 BY CLARE WESTCOTT What are we to remember? Has time dimmed and eroded the enormity of what hap- pened? We are now over 50 years past the end of the last war and almost 80 years since November 11, 1918. The summer of 1914 was the finest in living memory - until a Serbian jumped in front of the Austrian Archduke's car as it drove through Sarajevo. Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were killed and old and new grudges bubbled to the top in the Balkans, and spread across Europe. Peace negotiators bungled... the team sweaters came out and everybody marched off to the great undertaking. Waving crowds sang "God Save the King" or the "Marseillaise" or "Deutschland Uber Alles" cheering on young men at the depots as they boarded trains for the great adventure. Volunteers hurried to enlist so as not to miss the glory. Bands played and ladies threw flowers. In spite of that war - to end all wars...within 25 years it was all done again. There were different names and dif- ferent reasons...and some of the same names and the same reasons...but of a newer gen- eration - plodding through the battlefields of their fathers. Many Unmarked Graves Now there are 23,175 cemeteries around the world with crosses marking the dead from the Empire and the Commonwealth. Of the 1,700,000 crosses scattered in every corner of the world, 83,000 are Canadians who are buried in identified graves. Sadly 28,000 other Canadians are without names. They died in battle and are buried but not identi- fied: They 'are all.remem- bered by name'and rank attd unit Oft metttorials'in cenid- teries in every corner of the world. So scattered, like the old Empire, the sun will never set on them. There are Commonwealth war graves in 128 countries from Algeria to Zimbabwe. And although Canadians are not buried in all of them, the men who are there were on the same side and fought the same enemy...and deserve our thoughts and prayers and even our tears. So many hus- bands, sons and fathers and • brothers from the Empire and the Commonwealth have been in the ground in remote and godforsaken places for three-quarters of a century... and for what? For them everything is gone, but they are still owed something, for we are here, safe and alive, because they died. Flanders Poet There were so many...like NOVEMBER 11 A Day to remember a lifetime of sacrifice PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT LEGION TOUR - Members of the Cromarty Beavers had a tour of Branch 156 on Monday night from Legion member Frank Phillips, who designed many of the displays. Here Frank shows the youngsters a showcase honouring Legion members from Seaforth who have died since 1945. The total is around 340 names. our own John McCrea who was born 60 miles from Seaforth. He served for three years in the Boer War and he left as a medic with the first Canadian contingent in 1914. Before he died in 1918 he left a legacy of words that has stirred the soul of the world. He lies in Wimereaux, France, not knowing that he wrote the most famous war poem of all time... "In Flanders Fields." Tom and Claude Gronant were Brits, they were sol- diers...and they were twins. They were killed together in Holland on September 17, 1944 and are buried side by side in Arnhem. In Calais, France the Kennedy brothers from Guelph are buried together. They were killed two days apart in 1944. Both were majors in the Highland Light Infantry, one 26 and one 29. In Dieppe, the Ingram brothers from Toronto are buried side by side. They were the only sons of George and Mary Ingram. One a pri- vate in the Royal Regiment, was 20 and was killed in August 1942. His brother, a sergeant was killed in August 1944 at 23. In the Holten Canadian War Cemetery in Holland lies the only husband and wife buried in adjoining graves. Edward Brewster of the Royal Canadian Engineers and his wife Winnifred of the Canadian Women's Army Corps are buried side by side. They are listed as from Lakeview, Peel County, Ontario, Canada. Hero's come in all ages, all colours and all ranks. Some were rich and some were poor - and some were even titled. Ordinary seaman Peel was killed on April 5, 1942 when Japanese bombers struck his ship the HMS Tenedos in Ceylon. His marker in the Columbo Cemetery reads... "Ordinary seaman Sir Robert Peel, son of Lady Peel." She is perhaps better known as Beatrice Lillie, the actress born in Toronto. Pilot officer Arnold Wilson was an air gunner. He attend- ed Sandhurst and was a colonel in the army in India in the 1930s and later became a member of parliament. He was 56 in 1939 and the army offered him a desk, so he joined the RAF, who were desperate for air crew. He was killed in action on May 31, 1940...Air gunner Sir Arnold Talbot Wilson K.C., • C.M.G., D.S.O. is buried in Eringhen Cemetery, not far from Dunkirk. And some were family... George Lee was a sergeant. He was 46. His son Robert was a corporal. He was 19. They were both in "A" bat- tery, 156 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. They were killed in action on September 5, 1916 and are buried together in Dartmoor Cemetery in the Somme, France. Victoria Cross Twice Can you imagine winning the Victoria Cross twice? The only soldier to be awarded the VC and Bar is Captain Noel Chavasse who was killed in Belgium and is buried in the military ceme- tery at Brandhoek. Picture in your mind a gen- eral with a Victoria Cross and a Military Cross. He must be a seasoned old soldier. Brigadier General Roland Bradford VC MC, was com- manding the Durham Light Infantry in France when he was killed on November 30, 1917. He is buried in the British Cemetery in Hermies, France. Brigadier General Bradford VC MC...was a lad of 25. And there was Private John Condon of the Royal Irish Regiment who was killed in Belgium on the 24th of May in 1915 and is buried in Poelcapelle Cemetery... Private Condon was 14. And in the next war, galley boy Steed died when his ship, the Empire Morn was mined and sank off the coast of Africa. He is buried in Morocco...Robert V. Steed was 14. Lieutenant Webber of the South Lancachire Regiment was killed in action on July 21, 1916 and is buried in Dartmoor Cemetery in the Somme Region in France... Henry Webber was almost 70. Royalty Killed When the war was only weeks old a young lieutenant was killed in action at Zonnebeke. It was October 27, 1914 and he is buried in the town cemetery at Ypres in France. The young lieutenant was his Highness Prince Maurice of Battenberg, grandson of Queen Victoria... the Prince was 23. A soldier fought in a myste- rious way for his country after he died. He is buried in Heulva Catholic Cemetery on the south coast of Spain. The gravestone says Major William Martin of the Royal Marines, but that is not his real name. With the consent of his family his body was cast adrift from a Royal Navy Submarine by British Intelligence: The dead marine carried bogus documents to persuade enemy agents in • neutral Spain that Allied . landings would take place ih Greece rather than at the spots chosen in Sicily. It is. believed it did in fact lead to the enemy deploying its defense forces in the wron4 CONTINUED on page 11 Remembering those who fought for us Maplewood Manor 13 Church St., Seaforth 527-1440 They Gave Their All For Us. ETD'S ►c 19 MAIN ST. SOUTH, SEAFORTH 527.1881 SEARS OUTLET - 527.1220 si--,t-tr'•froik-'''4+-4444614114440444...* REMEMBERING THE VETERANS... ROSS RIBEY, DIRECTOR WHITNEYRIBEY FUNERAL HOME Goderich St. W, Seaforth 527-1390