Rememberance Day

I went to Colare with Johnny P and Sista K last night and watched a movie about a POW camp in Tokushima, Japan called Camp Bando, where German POWs were kept during WWI. The movie, called "Baruto no Gakuen", was in Japanese (and German, with Japanese subtitles) and it had a lot of famous Japanese actors in it. It portrayed the lives of the German prisoners, the Japanese soldiers, and the local people who interacted in and around this camp. I haven't found a lot of information on the movie, so I don't know if the stories are actually true or just based on the events that happended there. At any rate, it was a good movie and opened my eyes to yet another piece of Japanese history.

It seemed fitting that we watched it last night on the eve of Rememberance Day. However, this timing only had significace to me, not my American friends. I hadn't realized that they didn't share the same date as we Canadians for remembering those who have served their country in times of war.

I recall Rememberance Day as always being a day to be regarded in my family. Both my parents have family members who were injured or lost during the second world war. My grandfather enlisted as a young man, but fortunately was not ever sent overseas -he is now a long standing member of the Royal Canadian Legion. And belonging to Girl Guides and Boy Scouts and Air Cadets meant that for years my family, in rain, sleet or snow, made the annual march to the cenotaph in Jubilee Park in GP to pay our respects to those who lost their lives for our country's freedom.

Our schools always held Rememberance Day poster contests -which I never won. We could also write poems and essays at this time of year, the best of which would be chosen to be published in the local newspaper. I think I have always respected this day- even as a child not fully understanding it's significance. Symbols such as the Poppy still conjure sentiment when I see people wearing them. I certainly feel a twinge of patriotism and longing for Canada on this day.

Click to read more about the Poppy



















My Grandfather is the handsome one on the right.