Remember

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day and like many Canadians, our household will pause a quiet minute to remember the many Canadian Soldiers who didn't make it home.

Back in a different life, when we traveled around the world, we had the honour of visiting many war cemeteries in Europe. It is a sobering and educational experience to stand in front of hundreds of plain white tombstones, trying to comprehend that each one represents a death. Some young, saucy, handsome and homesick 18 or 19 year old man (boy!) who died in brutal bloody battle. When I think about the teenagers I know, it seems hard to imagine any of them being willing or capable to make such a sacrifice. When I think of my own children, I can't imagine watching them march off to war.

One of the most beautiful places we saw on our many journeys was the Canadian War Cemetery in Agira, Sicily. From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website:  

On 10 July 1943, following the successful conclusion of the north African campaign in mid May, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops invaded Sicily as a prelude to the assault on mainland Italy. The Italians, who would shortly make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn. 

The campaign in Sicily came to an end on 17 August when the two allied forces came together at Messina, but failed to cut off the retreating Axis lines. Agira was taken by the 1st Canadian Division of 28 July and the site for the war cemetery was chosen in September for the burial of all Canadians who had been killed in the Sicily campaign. 

Agira Canadian War Cemetery contains 490 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.

Agira is an ancient hilltop village and the views from the cemetery were spectacular. It was a magical, heartbreaking spot - so beautiful and peaceful.  It was impossible to imagine it was once a battlefield.  The graves were so well tended, with hundreds of flowers between the tombstones. 
 

Agira Canadian War Cemetery, Sicily

Looking up the hill to the cemetery monument

Beautiful setting

The graves were lovingly tended by locals, who apparently love Canadian visitors

Other than Agira, we visited many Canadian (or Commonwealth) Cemeteries, including ones in England, and many in France.  It was amazing to be driving along and then suddenly see a Canadian flag and realize we were on 'Canadian soil'.  We saw many signs like this one:

This land is the free gift in perpetuity of the French Nation to the people of Canada. 

We went on a quick trip to Lille and Vimy in September 2006.  Nothing had prepared me for the visual shock of actually seeing this many graves in one place. 

The French Cemetery in Vimy

Vimy was heartbreaking, fascinating, and sobering.  The experience of visiting Vimy is really amazing because you can see where the Commonwealth and German front lines were and they've recreated the trenches for you to walk through.  You can see the massive craters in the ground from mines, and the visitors center includes information on what living conditions were like for soldiers. 

Canadian Cemetery, Vimy

Canadian Cemetery, Vimy

Craters from mines, Vimy

Trenches, Vimy

It doesn't matter if you support war or not.  It doesn't matter what side your ancestors fought on.  It doesn't matter if you're a pacifist, a communist, or young or old.  The only thing that matters is that people remember.  Remember what happened, remember why, and do everything they can to make sure that the men represented by these stones are not forgotten. 

Tombstones for unknown soldiers, Vimy