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 throwThe 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.Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
Note that the number of WW I vets has dwindled down to a tiny few (my paternal grandfather was one, who died in the early sixties). Barring some miracle medical breakthroughs, in another decade they will all lie (at least metaphorically) in Flanders fields. Honor today the few who are still with us, and their compatriots who no longer are. And thank, silently or otherwise, those in harm’s way today overseas.
[Note: this is a repost from two years ago. You can now count the number of remaining on a single hand. I may update later if I have any further thoughts in context. I’ll be keeping this post at the top of the blog all day.]
[Update a few minutes later]
Here’s a worthy donation cause, if you have money to spare.
[Update a while later]
Every day is a bonus:
Very tastefully done, Rand. My maternal grandfather was also a WWI vet.
If I may be excused a shameless plug, my own post on the doughboys (and remembrance thereof) is here.
Happy Veteran’s Day. Thank you (including you too, Gerrib) for your services to our country. I sincerely appreciate all that you have done and continue to do.
A humble thanks to all who have served (including my father, WWII).
Flanders Field has been immortalized in as dramatic a fashion as any prose at the WWI Memorial in Kansas City. I spent the better part of a day there a few weekends ago. I could easily spend another and still not see all of the exhibits. A must see if you are in town.
http://www.theworldwar.org/s/110/new/index_community.aspx
Perhaps it isn’t quite as important – but let us also honour those who served, who were never called upon to fight because there wasn’t a war for them to fight in.
I mention this because my father was one of them. Too young for WWII, out of the service before Korea – and in any event I doubt RAF Bomber Command was in that particular war.