11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

Phil Waterman · #1 11-11-07, 15:12

On this Veterans Day or Remembrance Day

As we approach the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month I was wondering how our CMP community took part in the Remembrance?

I had planed to attend the ceremonies at the State of New Hampshire Veterans Cemetery this morning and was out at the crack of dawn to drive north, only to discover that my HUP would crank over but would not start. With one truck awaiting a new engine, only the Pattern 12 without cab top would start and with temperatures in the Teens a 150 mile round trip was not in possible.

So instead I’ve returned to the house to ask how other members of the CMP community commemorated our Veterans?

Dirk Leegwater (RIP) · #2 11-11-07, 16:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil Waterman
On this Veterans Day or Remembrance Day
I’ve returned to the house to ask how other members
of the CMP community commemorated our Veterans?

Hi Phil,

Where can I found / buy some stickers about "supporting our troops", was my question to Barry
during my stay in Ontario a few weeks ago. Well he find out for me that they normaly where for
sale in one of the Legions over there. The nearest Legion was in Colborne. The day before my trip
back to Holland, up to Colborne, first to an excellent restaurant (Janet's idea) and after that to
the Legion for buying several stickers and drinking a Blue.

My first visiting to a Legion in Canada was impressive.

Mvg. Dirk

P.S. Our Remembrance Day in Holland is on the 4th of May.

sapper740 · #3 11-11-07, 17:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil Waterman
On this Veterans Day or Remembrance Day

As we approach the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month I was wondering how our CMP community took part in the Remembrance?

I had planed to attend the ceremonies at the State of New Hampshire Veterans Cemetery this morning and was out at the crack of dawn to drive north, only to discover that my HUP would crank over but would not start. With one truck awaiting a new engine, only the Pattern 12 without cab top would start and with temperatures in the Teens a 150 mile round trip was not in possible.

So instead I’ve returned to the house to ask how other members of the CMP community commemorated our Veterans?

Great idea for a thread Phil, and I'm sorry to hear that you weren't able to participate in any events. I took part in the City of Fort Worth's very large Remembrance Day parade. There were approximately 15 MVs from the Arrowhead Chapter of the MVPA present. We had several jeeps, various WCs, a CCKW, my C15, and a half track there. Capt. Ernie Philips impression of a LRDG jeep is not to be missed. Lt. Cmdr (rt'd) Denis Moody outfitted several GIs in ETO uniforms who preceded the vehicles on foot. I was especially moved as several members of the 5th GebirgsJagers, dressed up as Royal Canadian Engineers, joined me for the parade. Previously, it had been very lonely doing a Canadian impression in Texas! Many veterans rode in places of honour on our vehicles or in convertible cars. I talked at length to a B 26 pilot who survived 47 missions over Europe and was delighted to see three C 47s and a B 25 make several passes in the 83 degree skies over the parade.

mike mckinley · #4 11-11-07, 22:27

normally there would be a ceremony with a luncheon afterwords. at the luncheon we would set up a display of memrobelia for the veterans and to educate others......unfortunately today my pager went off with a report of a strucure fire, so i missed the ceremonies. we saved the house although it's seriously dammaged.....the kicker is that during the action, up the road comes walking an older gentleman wearing a legion uniform...the owner of the house, a veteran.

RHClarke · #5 12-11-07, 02:36

Today at the National War Monument there were as many wreath presenters as there were veterans on parade. A bit of good and bad news that...All in all it was a fine ceremony with pipe bands, marching troops, the gun salute, RCMP, RMC Cadets, Sea, Land and Army Cadets, and Navy League tykes. a two ship flypast and of course a host of political leaders.

A shot of the veteran's march past:

The highlight of the day- I got to shake the hand of MCpl Franklin. What an inspiring young man. Never again will I bitch about my lot in life...
http://www.wcnpa.ca/gallery/studentc...GXP01.jpg.html
http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/...a54304&k=64189

Rookie · #6 12-11-07, 07:34

Attended, yesterday (we are in a different time zone thats why we declare war on people a day early!!!) was honoured to see out new Victoria Cross holder Corporal Willie Apiata being awarded the Returned Services Gold Badge as were the retrospective ones awarded posthumously to the 21 other holders (including the only double VC to a combatant) Makes you feel very humble to be in their presence. P.S. Cpl Apiata has returned to active service with the New Zealand Special Air Service, no quick retirement or lecture rounds for him in fact he did not speak officially although invited, a very humble man.

Rookie

Brad Mills · #7 12-11-07, 12:14

Took the carrier to Charlottetown, PEI for Nov 11th. Our re-enactment group has been participating in the parade since 1999. A very windy (60km/h winds) rain and snow +2 degres C. The carrier performed flawlessly on Parade. Photos below...

It was raining so hard the water was starting to pool in the carrier, I was staring to think about installing bilge pumps :-)

Rookie · #8 13-11-07, 06:57

Man do I feel proud of what you Canadind (and US) are doing to remember why we are here

Wayne McGee · #9 15-11-07, 01:48

Sorry for posting so late, I just checked out of the BFC after my annual post Rememberance Day visit.
The Day was cold, rain/snow, windy, so the decision to hold the service indoors at the High School auditorium was a wise one. Unfortunately the attendance far outweighed the capacity.
In the past decade interest and support for the Canadian Forces has grown immensely to the point where even an outdoor service at the Cenotaph is an overcrowded event. Needless to say, that moving indoors left a couple of hundred spectators and at least two Cadet Corps (left behind in the confusion) unable to even get into the 'standing room only' hall. However, that's a problem I'd like to have a hand in curing for the future.
The highlight for myself was a road trip after the Service to the gravesite of Cpl Chris Reid 1PPCLI killed by an IED in Afghanistan on 03AUG06. The road trip was organized by several members of 1VP, some of whom are on course in Gagetown but others, who made the trip from Edmonton just to be with their mate. My invite came when they discovered that I was Chris' PL WO in the 90's when he was a Reservist here in Truro. It was an honour for me to be with these young warriors as they put a 40 pounder of Capt M down range, shared a joke and a tear, posed in a team photo with their teamates headstone, and after parade-square-quality salutues were paid, they left their poppies and empties neatly arranged, (plus an unopened Keith's), on the grave, and departed.
The remainder of the day is kind of hazy, with increasing fog as the day wore on. Armouries; World Famous Mess Chilli and beer, RCLegion; beer, Air Force Club; beer (does anybody else here sense a trend?)
RIP Chris
1 PPCLI
ex 1NSHighrs(N)

Wayne

(BFC=Betty Ford Clinic)

Jon Skagfeld · #10 15-11-07, 07:09

Brad:

Do those G-Wagens belong to the PEIR?

Brad Mills · #11 15-11-07, 13:41

John,

Yup. they had those and a couple of MILCOTS parked at the end as well.

The MLVW's were gun tractors for two C3 105mm Howitzer's parked inside the tent for the ceremony.