Remembrance Day.....The Unknown Soldier
Canada’s Unknown Soldier
Canada repatriated the remains of an Unknown Soldier from France in May 2000 and laid them to rest at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The idea originated as a millennium project of the Royal Canadian Legion and was coordinated through the government by Veterans Affairs Canada.At the suggestion of the Royal Canadian Legion and other groups. A single set of remains was selected from among Canada’s 6,846 unknown soldiers of the First World War for return to Canada and re-interment at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The Unknown Soldier ultimately came from a cemetery near Vimy Ridge and was flown home to lie in state in the Hall of Honour in the Centre Block of Parliament from 25 May to 28 May 2000, where tens of thousands filed past to pay their respects.
The Unknown Soldier was buried on the afternoon of 28 May 2000 in a nationally televised ceremony. The site has become an important focus of commemoration, especially in the national Remembrance Day service held at the National War Memorial on 11 November.
The Unknown Soldier was buried on the afternoon of 28 May 2000 in a nationally televised ceremony. The site has become an important focus of commemoration, especially in the national Remembrance Day service held at the National War Memorial on 11 November.
I met a few of these veterans and became friends ...
Gordon Skinner ...flew bombers over Germany
"Indian Joe "...a native that fought in the trenches with his Native regiment in France. Canadian Government took him from his reserve, he had no record of his family.
"Barefoot, James".Native... landed on Bernières, Nan sector, Juno Beach, on D-Day, June 6, 1944
21,00 troops landed, 14,000 were Canadians.
"Indian Joe" looked like Chief Sitting Bull, his greatest disappointment ,he was never recognized as a native and given a status card. I took him to Six Nations Reserve where he met the Chief , this is my land he told me and "I am not recognized" as his tears flowed. The Chief told him , "Joe do you feel like an Native , then you are one"....as we drove away.
"Indian Joe" always played this song on every 11th November until his death in March 2000. I place a wreath on his grave today and played the song on my phone for him.
RIP...
“Down by the Riverside”..Louis Amstrong
