4 Friday, November 4, 2016brooklintowncrier.com "Proud to be a Brooklinite" Founded in 2000 and published 24 times per year. Editor, Richard Bercuson 613-769-8629 • editorofbtc@gmail.com The Brooklin Town Crier is locally owned and operated and is a publication of Appletree Graphic Design Inc. We accept advertising in good faith but do not endorse advertisers nor advertisements. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. For advertising information, contact: Crystal at 416-839-0248 crystal@maudeinteriors.ca Next Issue: Friday, November 18, 2016 Deadline: Friday, November 11, 2016 Less than Half the Picture By Richard Bercuson ...from the darkness... Doncaster, England - circa 1940 - Bernie had been flying Ferry Command. This was the special squadron of pilots and radio operators who flew aircraft from Canada to Great Britain to use in the war effort. Planes were either trucked or flown from the U.S. to Canadian installations. For Bernie, a Montrealer, it meant waiting at Montreal's Dorval airfield for planes to be flown in from Maine by American pilots since the U.S. had not yet entered the war. He and the small crew of two other men would fly the bombers to Gander, Newfoundland, refuel, rest, and then hazard the flight to Scotland and Ireland. It was dangerous work and hundreds of men died. Referred to as flying gas tanks, planes were often jammed with extra tanks to survive the 12-13 hour flights. On one trip over the frigid North Atlantic, Bernie had to crawl back to the fuselage to turn the crank so fuel could be transferred from the extra tank to an empty one. Except, while whacking at it to loosen the frozen mechanism, he turned the crank the wrong way. The Hudson's engines sputtered and the pilots cursed at him to crank in the opposite direction. On another trip, the plane was also laden with Coca-Cola bottles and sandwiches, all of which froze during the flight. When they landed in Scotland and were taxiing in, they could see dozens of airmen cheering and waving and running to the plane. Bernie and his crew were joyous to get such a welcome. But when the plane rolled to a stop, the ground crews made straight for the Cokes and food, tossing dirty looks at the exhausted airmen for letting their food freeze. While stationed at RAF Doncaster, Bernie developed a close friend- ship with one particular local chap, Philip. As young men are wont to do, especially in stressful war situations, they spent much time together, joking and drinking. A lot of both, it seems. During one particular binge, they made a promise to each other. Whichever one was killed, the other would stand over his grave when no one was around, swig a beer, and then urinate on the grave. They howled over it. Shortly after, Philip was killed. From a staunch Roman Catholic family, his burial was as per his religion required. Bernie attended. When the priest began sprinkling the holy water over the grave, Bernie could only hold himself back for a few seconds before he began snickering. The family and the priest were aghast at the young Canadian's boorish behaviour. Later, at the family's home, Bernie approached the priest, apologized, and told him of the promise he and Philip had made to each other. The priest put his arms around Bernie and also laughed heartily before going to Philip's family to share the drunken promise with them. They, too, had a good laugh and wel- comed Bernie into their circle. Decades later, Bernie - Dad - would still chuckle at the memory. Our Brooklin Kids By Leanne Brown Helping children appreciate the concept of peace During our October vacation in Florida, we hit the fringe of Hurricane Matthew. As the storm approached, the National Guard was a solid presence ensuring people were safe. Curious about the soldiers, my daughter asked why they were there. She eyed them suspiciously and asked, "Are they going to shoot people?" "Wow," I thought as I reassured her they were there only to help. Suddenly it occurred to me that seeing people in military garb around Brooklin is a rare occurrence. Fortunately for most Brooklin kids, the main reference of militia is what they see in the media and entertainment. Being the parents of young children, we try to keep them from seeing violence and war. Sure, we quietly recognize our veterans once a year on Remembrance Day. Many Canadian kids, don't really have an understanding of what Remembrance Day is all about. They see the poppies, go to the school assemblies and make the poppy wreaths. But unless they have members of the armed forces in their families, most of its meaning is lost on them. The commemoration we call Remembrance Day affords us parents a wonderful opportunity to talk to our kids about the significance of the day: war, death, freedom and peace. Start with the basics. Keep it simple and let their curious minds lead the conversation. Remembrance Day is an annual occasion when our country remembers and honours the men and women who have fought in wars for Canada to keep us safe. It's always on November 11th as it marks the day in 1918 when World War I ended and there was peace again. We observe two minutes of silence at 11:00 am on November 11th to be thankful for all the brave soldiers who gave us a safe country in which to live. It was at 11 am on Nov. 11, 1918, that the peace treaty took effect. Explain that we are very lucky to live in a country where there is peace. Explain what a poppy is and the reason poppies are used. (They are flowers which grew on the battlefields in Belgium during World War I). One thing to point out is that no matter when wars took place, these individuals were fighting for the same purpose as our military does today. This can also help them understand Canada's role in significant world events. It helps them appreciate the contributions of Canada's military and the roles and responsibilities of citizens in times of conflict. Encourage children to think of those who served in the past and also those serving today both at home and abroad. Remind them of how Canada continues to serve an important role, providing security, building nations and protecting our freedom. As for my daughter, I explain that when she wears a poppy, I hope it gives her pride for the sacrifices made by our military forces to preserve the freedoms that we all enjoy. I like to tell her that the poppy she wears today, is not only to remember the past, but also a promise to work towards a more peaceful world.