Between the Wars discussion

Every evening at sunset the people of Ypres (Ieper) Belgium commemorate the fallen of WW1. A parade leads to the Menin Gate where 55,000 names of those Allied troops who have no known grave are inscribed. This moving ceremony includes the playing of The Last Post. Aside from a few years during WW2, this has been taking place every night since 1928! We attended this a couple of years ago, and it is impossible not to be deeply touched.

Once a year, on Nov. 11 at 11:00 am, we stop for two minutes to remember those mostly very young men and women who innocently, patriotically went off to “do their duty” for King and country, 68,000 Canadians never to return, and all the other soldiers in other conflicts, some still ongoing. Those who haven’t seen Terry Kelly’s poignant music video about the real meaning of those two minutes of homage should have a look at “A Pittance of Time” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y...

I'm pleased that I've been able to make my own contribution to the remembrance of that cataclysmic war through my novels. As one of my fans recently commented: “I attended the War Museum in Ottawa and with your characters in mind, I could see Chas flying high in his plane! Attaching a soul to the stories and pictures we looked at brought a whole new human meaning to me. It was no longer something we learned about once in school - it had a face, a life, a love, and a tragedy.”

Gabriele, what a thoughtful, important message. I appreciate reading it so much. I have done some research on WWI recently and I believe there should more emphasis placed on teaching about the extreme sacrifice of this war. In school I was never made to understand that.

Both my grandfathers were the age to have fought in the war (both from the Southern U.S.), but were never drafted to go. I guess after I learned more about the war, I considered my family very fortunate.

Thanks, Sarah. For the few years I taught history, I found that I could only properly bring WW1 alive and make it meaningful to the students when I read them letters from individuals - front line soldiers and their families. So for me, writing historical fiction is an extension of that teaching process, my mandate being to enlighten and entertain.

I am lucky in that this year I am going to usher at a schools performance of JOYEAUX NOEL I am hoping that we do observe the 2 minute Silence.I think it is very important that future generations remember for many reasons I cluing hoping that remembering will art as a deterrent.
Like Sarah my Grandfather was alive during the second world war. But due to his age and the fact he was a farmer he did not get to fight but I lost several Uncles as they signed up before they reached age.One of my Uncles wound up in charge of THE QUEENS FLIGHT,but due to the fact of his illigitimaacy he could attain no further rank,he actually came back from a sortie one day to fi d that his ship had been sunk!I had another uncle in the Paratroopers and even my own Father served with the RAF!One of my Aunts went on to marry a man who had refused to fight and ithad caused great acronimity within the family,the reverberation of which could still be felt when I was a child!Some memories take a long time to die....
So I shall be observing the two minute silence tomorrow as an act of respect to all the men and boys who have lost their lives whilst in defense of their countries.

When we went to France for my research trip last year, we visited the grave of my husband's great-uncle, who was killed in the battle of Loos. Visiting any of the war cemeteries brought tears, but this was particularly sad. A cousin in England recently sent us a photo of great-uncle, and he looked heartbreakingly young in his officer's uniform. He was only 21 when he was killed.

My husband's grandfather survived the war, and left a fascinating memoir of that and other times.

Both my great-grandfathers survived. I don't know anything of their stories, though, or where they fought. I also have German ancestors who fought on the other side. We were meant to visit Ypres last year but somehow that never materialised.

I agree it is particularly sad to see the Graves and e en more so when you see the photographs and realise that the Men who we and the world were depending on were mere Children themselves!I am lucky In that I have my families photographs of this time but they will be meaningless after my deathand that I find a pity.

Lauren, my father's father fought with the Austro-Hungarian army and was wounded in Italy. Robert Graves' mother was German, and in his famous memoir, Goodbye to All That, he mentions that his German cousin was killed in an air battle by one of Graves' former schoolmates!

DJ, any military archive would probably be delighted to have relevant photos, which can help researchers.

My grandfather-in-law, who was an architect, did some drawings of military installations when he was out in Salonika. I understand, these are now on display in some War Museum in London.

Maybe this group should read Goodbye, Mr. Chips I remember from the 1939 movie that one of Mr. Chips friends, a teacher at the school, leaves England to fight for his country, Germany. He is killed and Mr. Chips has his name read out along with the others from the school who have fallen.

My husband is German and his grandfather fought in WWII for the German side; my father who served in the US army, but didn't see any combat. There was so much loss and heartache from these two wars on all sides. I keep hoping that some day humankind will learn this and we may see an end to war.

I agree, Jeannette. My Dad was 16 in the last year of the war, living in Hungary, and was "recruited" into the German army (Shanghaied, is more like it). He was soon wounded and captured by the Russians, where he endured appalling conditions as a POW. He doesn't like to talk about the war at all. But if people don't tell their stories, how can we keep atrocities from happening again?

Your book suggestion is a good one.

My husband's grandfather was sent to Russia. He had been a soldier before WWII, so he had some rank. Fortunately, his feet got frostbite and he was sent home to a desk job. He was very confused at ninety, when I met him, but he regaled me with his war stories. I couldn't really understand him, as I was just learning German, but he was happy to tell me his stories anyway.

I had a German professor who came from Transylvania. He said they weren't considered German-enough except when it came to being conscripted to fight in the war. He tells some harrowing stories of how he and his mother and siblings survived until they could get to the US.

Gabriele
My daughter just did a research paper on German POWs in the US. Did they have POW camps in Canada? My father was an MP who guarded these prisoners and he met my mother this way. The POWs worked at the factory where my mother worked as a secretary. She said he was quite handsome in his uniform!

Jeannette, we did have POW camps here in WW2. One was on the shores of a lake in Muskoka, where my latest books are set. It was said to have been the Rolls Royce of camps! It seems that over 30% of the 34,000 Germans who were interred in Canadian prison camps returned to settle in Canada after the war, so I guess they liked it here!

Both my parents were born in Hungary, but came of German background (300 years ago in my Dad's case). They were all evicted after the war - sent to Germany with only a suitcase each, which is where my parents met. I was born in the old army barracks where the "displaced persons" (DPs) lived, at least in that town, and we came to Canada when I was three.

Wow, which German town were you in? Funny way for your parents to meet!

Mosbach, Baden - it's close to Heidelberg. Each family in the barracks had a room. My parents were both teenagers still, and some of their siblings had and died of tuberculosis. My parents talked about selling the few prized family heirlooms that their families had managed to bring, for some flour or butter, and other survival hardships. Canada was the promised land for them, and so it turned out in the end.

There is something about men in uniforms, as you said, Jeannette. : )

So many stories like this from the war. I'm glad your family had Canada to go to.

We have a lady here in Ames, Iowa who was in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans during the war. She tells an interesting story, too.

Gabriele wrote: "There is something about men in uniforms, as you said, Jeannette. : )"

My dad was quite handsome in his uniform. He also served over-seas duty in Alaska, before it was a state.

Armistace day today. I was actually in the doctor's surgery when the 2 mins silence began, which was rather awkward - just the doctor and I.

There's a memorial to the victims of WWI that I passed on my way back, and many old people (sadly, not many young people) were gathered, I think to say a prayer, and to lay down the wreaths. I think it very commendable of them, to don their best clothes and stand around in the drizzle.

Yes, indeed, Lauren. And when the old people are gone.....

Enjoyed reading your posts on the sadness and futility of war. On the subject of history, one of the best teachers I had in high school taught history in what I think was a unique way. She brought out the personalities, topical gossip and music of the times we were studying. We learned and sang songs from the wars America was involved in and I will never forget singing "Keep the Homes Fires Burning," "Over There" and (my favorites) "Till We Meet Again" and "Roses of Picardy." I will always remember this teacher who really brought history and the people who made it alive for her students.

How wonderful, Jane! That is precisely what good teachers should do.

For me - and many others, I'm sure - the social history and individual stories are much more fascinating and memorable than some dry facts about battles and numbers of casualties. How can you even conceive of a number like 1.5 million dead just in the Battle of the Somme? But put a face to one of those who fought, read his letters home to loved ones, his memoirs if he survived and those of others if he didn't, and you begin to get a sense of the atrocity and hardship for all involved.

I reference the music of that era in my novels, the songs you indicated, Jane, among them, because it does help to bring that time to life. In fact, I have companion CDs created of that music to accompany the books as soundtracks.

I just watched a lovely and moving Remembrance Day ceremony on TV from Ottawa. The media mentioned that it was gratifying to see ever larger crowds attending every year for the past decade. It appears that there is renewed interest in our military past, perhaps because Canada has lost so many modern soldiers in Afghanistan over the past few years. And our WW2 vets are dying off at an alarming rate now that most are into their late 80s or 90s.

Prince Charles and Camilla attended this ceremony today, under a brilliant blue sky.

On a side note, I listened to an interview on Public Radio maybe 2 years ago of the last few surviving WWI vets in the US. They had all signed up at a young age. I'll look for the link today.

Canada still has one alive, I believe, but I saw on the news that Britain lost their last three this past year.

This aired 3 years ago, so I don't know if any of these men are still alive. I heard a different program on the radio. The stories are fascinating.

WWI vets

That's great! Thanks for posting this link, Jeannette. I've always enjoyed listening to or reading first-hand accounts.

No one in my direct line was old enough to serve (the U.S. never going as deep into its manpower reserves as the other powers), but one of my great-uncles was gassed (mustard gas, I think) but survived it.

Perhaps it's the historian in me (or the contrarian?) that I still call it Armistice Day.

I still remember my grandmother's telling me about how her father took her to hear President Wilson speak in favor of the Treaty of Versailles.

And please, let us remember not only the men who served their country, but the women, nurses, clerks, and now combat soldiers, who also served, and also have died in all the wars.

Of course Deb,sorry if it seemed we had forgotten them.

DJ wrote: "Of course Deb,sorry if it seemed we had forgotten them."

Yes, we all remember the great sacrifices of the men who died, but so many women served in harm's way, too.