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Section Two The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, November 5, 1986 7 NOVEMBER 1986 Whit Did You Do Today, My Friend? What did you do today, my friend From morn until night? How many times did you complain That rationing is too tight? When are you going to start to do All of the things you say? A soldier would likç to know, my friend What did you do today? We met the enemy today And took the town by storm. Happy reading it will make For you tomorrow morn. You'll read with satisfaction The brief communique. We fought, but are you fighting? What did you do today? My gunner died in my arms today; I feel his warm blood yet. Your neighbor's dying boy gave out A scream I don't forget. On my right a tank was hit, A flash and then a fire; The stench of burning flesh Still rises from the pyre. What did you do today, my friend, To help us with the task? Did you work harder and longer for less, Or is that too much to ask? What right have I to ask you this? You probably will say. Maybe now you'll understand; You see, I died today. Lieut. Dean Shatbain, tank commander, wrote this poem on the battlefield of Africa. He amputated his own foot with a pocket knife and thought he was dying when he wrote this poem. He was rescued by the Americans after about two hours of hiding and transported transported to a hospital in England. The Silver Cross Mother The Silver Cross Mother With gleaming eyes bright Recalls how she tucked him In bed, every night. She'd read him a story About the three bears Then patiently guide him, As he said his prayers. She witnessed it all, The school days and fun, And watched them go fishing, Both father and son. To manhood he grew, So straight and so tall, The next thing we knew He answered the call. To fight for his country You've heard it before... He and his friends Would all join the war. Time passes by and how Memories crowd Of letters and cards We all were so proud. Then came the day when The telegram came "We regret to inform you"... They all read the same. For these we had dreams And they all did too, Their sacrifice made For both me and you. "0 HEAVENLY FATHER, We pray for the peace... In every land Please make wars to cease," Dear Silver Cross Mother,. The pin that you wear, Was given with love, To show that we care. by Joan Lugg May 1983 Mannville Inside My Poppy Look deep inside my poppy, Where the flares, they glow and glow. At bodies being killed by the second, Where the men stand row on row. At the weeping women and children, Wanting friendship with the foe. Look deep inside my poppy, Where the men stand row on row. Listen deep inside my poppy, To the pounding of the hearts, To the blasting of the cannons Killing men right from the start. To the cries of wounded soldiers, Just waiting for the dart. Listen deep inside my poppy, To the pounding of the hearts. Now come outside my poppy To the world where you live, See everything you have, That they once fought to give. See the rows and rows of crosses Hiding men that wished to live. Now come outside my poppy To the world they fought to give. Patricia Lagace The Royal Canadian Legion's National Literary Contest A message from the Minister of Veterans Affairs: On November 11th we ./ Canadians will stand in silent tribute to the men and women who forfeited their lives for our sake. Three times this century Canadians have gone to fight on distant continents. They did not go in search of territorial conquest. Our country has never sought a single inch of another country's land, nor have we retained any ground once victory was Instead, these men and women risked their futures so that those at home could enjoy peace and freedom. Remembrance Day is our chance to count our blessings that Canada has such representatives, especially the 110,000 who did not return from the two World Wars and Korea. I hope all Canadians will once again take time from their normal schedules on November 11 and recall the many sacrifices that have been made on our behalf. Such observance is not a duty, but a very special privilege. Thank you. George Hees 110-17 IN FLANDERS FIELDS In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The Larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders Fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch, be yours to hold it high If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields. GOOD-YEAR CANADA INC. BOWMANVILLE What should we remember? (NC) -- Records tell of specific campaigns and battles and of many individual acts of courage which turned the tide of war. They note the skillful strategies and the brilliant brilliant leadership. All these must be remembered. But other aspects of war must also be included in our histories. With every battle over this century, extremes of temperature, mud, mutilation, mind-numbing fatigue, fatigue, fear and death were daily realities. While most of us have not experienced these hardships we can try to understand what the combattants combattants experienced and learn from the survivors. The First World War 1914-1918 In the First World War, the Canadians' first major battle was later seen as one of the most crucial battles in history. At Ypres, April 22, 1915, the Germans used poison gas for the first time in war. As 145 tonnes of chlorine gas drifted over the trenches, the Canadian troops held and stopped the German advance. advance. The casualties here and at • the later battle near St. Julien were enormous. In 48 hours, one of every three Canadians was killed. Some of those who survived left records of the aftermath of these fearful days. "The room was filled with dying and badly wounded men; trampled • straw and dirty dressings lay about in pools of blood. The air, rank with the fumes of gas, was thick with the dust of flying plaster and broken brick, and stifling with the smoke from the burning thatch. " As the commanders of the period persistently applied more men, more guns and more ammunition, thé conflict developed imp'd.war of, attrition with opposing, sides struggling struggling to hold out longest against destruction." destruction." In April 1917, the Canadians helped turn the tide of battle when (NC) -- Pte. M.D. White, of Grassland, Alta., occupies a vantage point from which to observe any enemy movements while men of his unit move into a new position. Near Colie D'Anchise, Italy, 26 Oct. 43. they won a major victory at Vimy Ridge. This triumph too had its cost: more than ten thousand casualties casualties in six days. The war continued continued for more than a year but finally finally on November 11, 1918, the Armistice was signed aijd the Canadians Canadians took part in the triumphant entry into Mons, in Belgium. Throughout this conflict, Canadians Canadians proved that they could pull their weight, and by their effort earned for Canada a new place among the nations of the world. The Second World War 1939-1945 For almost six years, Canadians fought valiantly on battlefronts around the world. More than one million men and women enlisted in the army, the navy and the airforce. They were prepared to face any ordeal ordeal for the sake of freedom. When . the war was over, more than 45,000 jiad given their lives. On the home front as well, Canadians were active as"MjinRionS;.workers, as civil de-, fericérvfrorkers, as members ojffyol- ' untary service organizations and as ordinary citizens doing their bit for the war effort. In December 1941, Canadian soldiers were participants in the unsuccessful unsuccessful defence of Hong Kong against the Japanese; 290 Canadians Canadians were killed and 493 wounded. Those who survived the fighting were imprisoned and many did not survive the brutality they experienced experienced while in captivity. For the majority, the daily diet was rice -- a handful for each prisoner. Occasionally, Occasionally, a concoction of scavenged potato peelings, carrot tops, buttercups buttercups was brewed. The effect was obvious: "Sidney Skelton watched the 900-calorie-a-month diet shrink his body from 145 to 89 pounds. And whenever a group of prisoners could bribe a guard into giving them a piece of bread, they used a ruler to ensure everyone everyone got an equal share. " In August 1942, the attack upon Dieppe was launched. Canadians made up almost ninety per cent of the assault force. The raid was a disaster. disaster. Of à force of 4,963 Canadians 3,367 were casualties, only 2,210 returned returned to England -- the remainder were dead or were prisoners of war. Lucien Dumais gives the following description of the beach after the landing: The beach was a shambles, and a lot of our men from the second wave were lying there either wounded or dead. Some of the wounded were swimming out to meet our flotilla and the sea was red with blood. Some sank and disappeared. We stood by as they died, powerless to help; we were there to fight, not to pick up the drowning and the wounded. But the whole operation was beginning to look like a disaster. " Canadians continued to play a part as the war continued. They participated participated in the conquest of Sicily in 1943 and in the advance up the Italian Italian peninsula. On June 6, 1944, Canadians were in the front lines of the Allied forces who landed on the coast of Normandy. Here, all three Canadian services shared in the assault. assault. In Normandy, the fighting was fierce, and the losses were heavy. Of the approximately 14,000 Canadians who landed, there were 1,074 casualties of which 359 were fatal. As the Allied forces pushed their way across Europe, it was evident evident that the war would continue into 1945. In May 1945, victory in Europe a reality and V-E Day was celebrated by millions. Still ahead lay the final encounter with Japan. Then on August 6, 1945, the Americans dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, a sec- onb bomb destroyed Nagasaki. On August 14, 1945, the Japanese accepted accepted the Allied terms of unconditional unconditional surrender and the Second World War was over. The Korean War 1950-1953 With scarcely a rest from war, Canadian soldiers were again organized organized in 1950 to uphold the ideals of the United Nations Organization , against aggression by North Korean forces. By 1951, they were also at war with the People's Republic of China. In Korea, the Canadians were participants at Kapyong, "at Cahil-li, jn the advance across the Imjin River, and in the patrolling of the Chorwon Plain. When the hostilities hostilities ended in 1953 Canadians stayed as part of the peacekeeping force. The' conditions in Korea were often difficult. Variable weather, rough terrain, an elusive and skillful skillful enemy -- combined with casualties, casualties, illness and limited medical facilities -- were the common elements. elements. The winter of 1951 brought the realities into focus for the Canadians. Canadians. At this time they were living twenty-four hours a day in trenches which provided some protection but little comfort. As one soldier recalled, recalled, the weather aggravated what was already a demoralizing experience: experience: "Rain was running down my neck, my hands were numb, and / never seemed to be dry. Kneeling in the snow, or advancing advancing in the rain, my knees and the front of my legs became became wet. Then the dampness dampness soaked right through and the skin underneath became became tender and raw. " Altogether, 26,791 Canadians served in the Korean Conflict and another 7,000 served between the ceasefire and the end of 1955. Casualties Casualties numbered 1,558 of which 516 were fatal. While Canada's contribution contribution formed only a small part of the total United Nations effort, it was larger in proportion to her population than most of the nations which provided troops for the international international force. It also marked a new stage in Canada's development as a nation. Canadian action in Korea was followed by other peacekeeping peacekeeping operations which have seen Canadian troops deployed around the world in new efforts to promote international freedom and maintain world peace. From all of these records of wars, the observations of the individuals who took part stand out as reminders reminders of the true nature of conflict. War has many faces but few of them are pleasant. Through knowledge knowledge of the realities, we may work more diligently to prevent them from happening again. 110 . 19 .. at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them. " at I PRESTON MOVING & STORAGE LTD *120 Baseline Ad. W.. Box 160. Bowmanville. Ontario L1C3K9 BR. 178 ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BOWMANVILLE POPPY FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENT OCT. 1,1985- SEPT. 30,1986 BANK ACCOUNT No. C/A 1001-848 CASH ON HAND IN BANK (OCT. 1,1985) $ 531.36 RECEIPTS TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM NON-CHEQUING ACCOUNT 14,000.00 TOTAL CREDITS $14,531.36 $14,531.36 EXPENDITURES SERVICE BUREAU EXPENSES AND TRANSPORTATION $ 283.35 VETERAN TRANSIENTS ASSISTANCE 60.00 SICK AND VISITING EXPENSES 769.39 PURCHASE OF 3 WHEEL-CHAIRS FOR BR. 178 USE 1,271.72 AWARDS (LITERARY CONTESTS IN SCHOOLS) 470.05 POPPY CAMPAIGN EXPENSES AND ADVERTISING 359.73 CLERICAL SUPPLIES, POSTAGE AND CARDS 171.53 CHRISTMAS EXPENSES AND DONATIONS 1,925.40 DONATIONS SALVATION ARMY 200.00 COMMUNITY CARE (MEALS ON WHEELS) 734.00 SUNNYBROOK HOSPITAL "K" WING VETERANS RECREATION 316.37 COURTICE HANDICAPPED SCHOOL (CHRISTMAS PARTY) 175.00 HALL RENTAL - ORONO CENOTAPH SERVICE 75.00 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH EX-SERVICES LEAGUE 500.00 COST OF WREATHS, POPPIES, ETC. FROM VET-CRAFT 6,139.66 MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES 216.92 NEW CHEQUE ORDER AND BANK SERVICES CHARGES 116.82 TOTAL EXPENDITURES $13,784.94 $13,784.94 CASH ON HAND SEPT. 30,1986 $ 746.42 POPPY TRUST FUND ACCOUNT TSA 5072-272 ' CASH ON HAND IN BANK 1 OCT. 1985 $ 7,978.53 RECEIPTS SALE OF POPPIES AND WREATHS AND DONATIONS $13,282.38 REFUND CHEQUE ON OVER PAYMENT OF SUPPLIES 894.28 BANK INTEREST (APR. AND OCT.) 498.28 TOTAL CREDITS $22,653.47 $22,653.47 EXPENDITURES TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO CHEQUING ACCOUNT 14,000.00 CASH ON HAND IN BANK SEPT. 30,1986 $ 8,653.47 Nyhl Sheehan, Chairman StanL. Dunn, Auditor Tho Br. 170 Royal Canadian Legion, Bowmnnvlllo Poppy Trust Fund is Registered with the Department of National Revenue for Taxation as a Charitable Organization, so receipts can be obtained for Income Tax Purposes. The Poppy & Wreath Campaign will bo conducted this year by Members of Branch 170, Bowmanville and Ladles Auxiliary Members,