Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Nov 9th 2018, 11:40 pm
#1
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Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Greetings from a Brit expat in New Jersey!
My son is a huge NHL ice hockey fan (New Jersey Devils season ticket holder). Tonight the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing a home game vs the NJ Devils.
We are at home watching it on TV and there was a short ceremony honouring the war dead and Canadian guests who served in WW2 with a brief history of where and when they served. Many of the people attending the game were wearing poppies and there was a moment of silence with the stadium lights going dark, with the ice field lit up with red poppies and a contingent from the (Canadian) Legion in attendance when the national anthems were being sung.
It was impressive seeing the Canadian flag (huge, the size normally flown from car dealerships) being passed from spectator to their neighbouring spectator, over their heads.
I don’t know how widespread the wearing of poppies is amongst the Canadian public, although their forebears served admirably during the War, but here in the US I’ve haven’t seen any at all, although I did see one or two on some Vets more than a decade ago.
My husband is flying back from London right now where he’s been working this week; he wanted to go to see the torch lights at the Tower of London but was told by colleagues that the crowds were so large that he probably wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere near. I did ask him to make a donation to the Royal British Legion and bring a poppy back for me....hope he managed to.
I understand that HM The Queen has asked Prince Charles to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph on her behalf again whilst she watches from a balcony. With it being the 100th Anniversary of the cessation of WW1 this year, I wonder if the Duke of Edinburgh will be beside her? I do hope so....I’m sure she misses him being by her side now that he has retired (although there were photos of him out driving a carriage earlier this week and the Queen was out horse riding! What an incredible pair they are!).
My son is a huge NHL ice hockey fan (New Jersey Devils season ticket holder). Tonight the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing a home game vs the NJ Devils.
We are at home watching it on TV and there was a short ceremony honouring the war dead and Canadian guests who served in WW2 with a brief history of where and when they served. Many of the people attending the game were wearing poppies and there was a moment of silence with the stadium lights going dark, with the ice field lit up with red poppies and a contingent from the (Canadian) Legion in attendance when the national anthems were being sung.
It was impressive seeing the Canadian flag (huge, the size normally flown from car dealerships) being passed from spectator to their neighbouring spectator, over their heads.
I don’t know how widespread the wearing of poppies is amongst the Canadian public, although their forebears served admirably during the War, but here in the US I’ve haven’t seen any at all, although I did see one or two on some Vets more than a decade ago.
My husband is flying back from London right now where he’s been working this week; he wanted to go to see the torch lights at the Tower of London but was told by colleagues that the crowds were so large that he probably wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere near. I did ask him to make a donation to the Royal British Legion and bring a poppy back for me....hope he managed to.
I understand that HM The Queen has asked Prince Charles to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph on her behalf again whilst she watches from a balcony. With it being the 100th Anniversary of the cessation of WW1 this year, I wonder if the Duke of Edinburgh will be beside her? I do hope so....I’m sure she misses him being by her side now that he has retired (although there were photos of him out driving a carriage earlier this week and the Queen was out horse riding! What an incredible pair they are!).
Last edited by Englishmum; Nov 9th 2018 at 11:42 pm. Reason: spelling correction
Nov 9th 2018, 11:58 pm
#2
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Poppies are worn widely in Canada in the two weeks leading up to November 11th of each year. The poem In Flanders Fields was written by John McCrae, a serving Canadian Officer in WWl.
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Nov 10th 2018, 12:14 am
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Poppies are widely worn in BC this time of year.
For the US Veterans Day is to honor all US Veterans who served honorably during both war and peacetime and more specifically to honor those who are still living.
US Memorial Day is when you may see poppies.
Why are red poppies worn on Veterans Day, and where can I obtain them?
A. The wearing of poppies in honor of America's war dead is traditionally done on Memorial Day, not Veterans Day
https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetday_faq.asp
For the US Veterans Day is to honor all US Veterans who served honorably during both war and peacetime and more specifically to honor those who are still living.
US Memorial Day is when you may see poppies.
Why are red poppies worn on Veterans Day, and where can I obtain them?
A. The wearing of poppies in honor of America's war dead is traditionally done on Memorial Day, not Veterans Day
https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetday_faq.asp
Nov 10th 2018, 1:37 am
#4
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Personally speaking I’ve been severely annoyed at the lack of poppies being worn this week in London. It’s been surprising how many ‘foreigners’ have been wearing them compared to your average ‘Brit’. I’ll be at the Cenotaph on Sunday. If the Queen lays a wreath then I’m sure the Duke of Edinburgh will accompany her.
Nov 10th 2018, 1:41 am
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
All the children in my 4 year old granddaughter’s class at school have been wearing poppies this week. In fact they had a lesson about what the poppy stood for and a school Remembrance Day assembly.
Edit: Outside the Canadian Legion in Toronto there is a huge...around 10 ft tall...red poppy attached at the front of the building. It is there all year round. I will try to get a pic next time we drive past.
Edit: Outside the Canadian Legion in Toronto there is a huge...around 10 ft tall...red poppy attached at the front of the building. It is there all year round. I will try to get a pic next time we drive past.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Nov 10th 2018 at 1:50 am.
Nov 10th 2018, 4:29 am
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Englishmum ............not sure where you are, but what you saw is NOT at all unusual in Canada.
There may be a shade more going on this year because it is the 100th anniversary of the ending of the war, but wearing poppies is VERY common. Services here are still held at Cenotaphs all across the country at on November 11 ..... and the day is a National Holiday.
Here in Vancouver, and many other cities, veterans can use transit for free all day, no passes to be shown, just wearing medals is sufficient
I believe Charles laid the wreath for his mother last year, though she did attend the ceremony if I remember correctly. The reason last year was that she was a little afraid of bending to put the wreath on the stand.
What happened in WW1 was the end of Canada being a dependent of the UK and becoming a country in its own right .......... the soldiers had shown they had courage and had succeeded where the other allies had failed. That gave the whole country a feeling of pride, which is still felt.
There may be a shade more going on this year because it is the 100th anniversary of the ending of the war, but wearing poppies is VERY common. Services here are still held at Cenotaphs all across the country at on November 11 ..... and the day is a National Holiday.
Here in Vancouver, and many other cities, veterans can use transit for free all day, no passes to be shown, just wearing medals is sufficient
I believe Charles laid the wreath for his mother last year, though she did attend the ceremony if I remember correctly. The reason last year was that she was a little afraid of bending to put the wreath on the stand.
What happened in WW1 was the end of Canada being a dependent of the UK and becoming a country in its own right .......... the soldiers had shown they had courage and had succeeded where the other allies had failed. That gave the whole country a feeling of pride, which is still felt.
Nov 10th 2018, 6:15 am
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Lest we forget
Nov 10th 2018, 12:01 pm
#8
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Indeed.
BY JOHN MCCRAE
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.
In Flanders Fields
BY JOHN MCCRAE
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.
Nov 10th 2018, 4:41 pm
#9
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
That is the most evocative poem I think I've ever heard read out loud.
I think every child in Canada learns that poem in junior school.
I'd never heard of it until we came here. We read books by English writers when I was at school there, notably Siegfried Sassoon. No mention of writers, poets or artists from other nations.
Several now very famous Canadian artists either began or were already known when they went to Europe as war artists in both WW1 and WW2. Their works now sell for millions.
I think every child in Canada learns that poem in junior school.
I'd never heard of it until we came here. We read books by English writers when I was at school there, notably Siegfried Sassoon. No mention of writers, poets or artists from other nations.
Several now very famous Canadian artists either began or were already known when they went to Europe as war artists in both WW1 and WW2. Their works now sell for millions.
Nov 10th 2018, 11:52 pm
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Nov 11th 2018, 12:06 am
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Poppies are widespread here too. I have been to several remembrance day services and am always very moved. I was surprised the 1st year we were here at how much emphasis was put on the day in schools. Very pleasantly surprised.
Nov 11th 2018, 4:45 pm
#12
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
They stopped the tills in Wholesale Club at 11 for staff and customers to observe a minute's silence. It wan't the 2 minutes we're accustomed to but it was a nice touch anyway.
Nov 11th 2018, 5:12 pm
#13
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
All the children in my 4 year old granddaughter’s class at school have been wearing poppies this week. In fact they had a lesson about what the poppy stood for and a school Remembrance Day assembly.
Edit: Outside the Canadian Legion in Toronto there is a huge...around 10 ft tall...red poppy attached at the front of the building. It is there all year round. I will try to get a pic next time we drive past.
Edit: Outside the Canadian Legion in Toronto there is a huge...around 10 ft tall...red poppy attached at the front of the building. It is there all year round. I will try to get a pic next time we drive past.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Jun 12th 2019 at 10:57 pm.
Nov 11th 2018, 7:17 pm
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
Interesting that there was a slight change this year, and an advance for the better.
The Silver Cross Mothers at the Ceremony at the National Cenotaph in Ottawa and at the Ceremony in Vancouver were both mothers of servicemen who committed suicide because of PTSD. This was the first time.
The son of the mother in Ottawa committed suicide some years after returning to Canada from Afghanistan, while the son of the Vancouver mother committed suicide while still in Afghanistan.
Finally, some recognition of the after-effects of war.
I don't know whether there any other Silver Cross mothers at services across Canada who also lost their child to suicide.
The Silver Cross Mothers at the Ceremony at the National Cenotaph in Ottawa and at the Ceremony in Vancouver were both mothers of servicemen who committed suicide because of PTSD. This was the first time.
The son of the mother in Ottawa committed suicide some years after returning to Canada from Afghanistan, while the son of the Vancouver mother committed suicide while still in Afghanistan.
Finally, some recognition of the after-effects of war.
I don't know whether there any other Silver Cross mothers at services across Canada who also lost their child to suicide.
Last edited by Siouxie; Nov 12th 2018 at 1:01 am. Reason: sp :)
Nov 12th 2018, 3:31 pm
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Re: Lovely to See NHL in Canada Honouring War Veterans (Poppies)
It is indeed a beautifully written poem, and when read well it is indeed evocative. Sadly, though, it is too often read aloud extremely badly, as though it's a piece of doggerel with the reader adhering strictly to rhyme and meter rather than to the sense of the words and McCrae's punctuation. As a call-to-arms for generations to come to be prepared to join the fight if necessary, to preserve the freedoms for which McCrae's colleagues were dying, it is powerfully emotive.
Certainly much more so than Laurence Binyon's "For the Fallen" of which the fourth stanza (They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. / Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. / At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, / We will remember them) is used in the British act of commemoration. The rest of that poem is awful.
Certainly much more so than Laurence Binyon's "For the Fallen" of which the fourth stanza (They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. / Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. / At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, / We will remember them) is used in the British act of commemoration. The rest of that poem is awful.