The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn - Remembering Remembrance Day

Episode Date: November 6, 2025

It's our annual Remembrance Day program where you share your memories with us. And again this year, you didn't disappoint with letters and emails from coast to coast to coast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. It's our annual Remembrance Day show. And once again, you have delivered. That's coming right up. And hello there. Welcome to Thursday. And welcome to what has, uh,

It's become a bit of a tradition on this program The last few years Remember and stay memories And once again this year You have written your memories And sent them in We've had a Well we've been swamped by letters

We'll never get to all them But we will get to as many as we can And the one Really nice part of today's letter parade is the number of first-time writers. The overwhelming majority of writers this week are first-time writers. And that's great to see and really appreciated by me. And I think by you when you hear the thoughts from our listeners,

some of our regulars are here, as always. But the, as I said, the vast majority of letter writers. this week, we're first-timers. Which is really interesting because it means they listen all the time, but not motivated to write, but they love to listen. Well, they joined the parade this week with some great letters. The question was pretty well wide open. It was, you know, tell us what you think of on Remembrance Day,

what your memory is of Remembrance Day. So let's get at it, because there's lots here. Reverend Diana Rollert in Montreal, or Roller. Remembrance Day was very foreign to me when I immigrated from the U.S. to serve a church in Canada. Over the course of 18 years, I came to deeply appreciate the congregation's beloved remembrance ceremony. I cried each year, as the ranks of our World War II veterans dwindle until the There was no one left. Who would carry the wreath now?

When the grieving daughter of our last veteran, a wave, stepped forward. The entire congregation wept. We've lost an exceptional generation. Well, there are still a few left. But the numbers have dwindled. Wave, by the way, stood for women accepted for volunteer emergency service. It was the women's branch of the United States Naval Reserve during World War II.

Canada had a women's naval service during the Second World War, known as the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service, whose members were commonly referred to as Wrens. Matthew Scalarzik in Vernon, BC. I was so moved by Lieutenant General Romeo DeLare's book, Shake Hands with the Devil, about the war in Rwanda. I wrote him a letter to thank him. Overshadowed by conflicts in the Balkans and Somalia,

I felt it important. He knew what he did mattered. His executive producer read it to him over Christmas, and he said it brought his spirits up. We don't have to wait for Remembrance Day to thank our heroes. Dave Cole in Wallisburg, Ontario. That's just east of Windsor. I remember the service of my friend Jim

Henderson during World War II. In 1939, Jim enlisted in the Air Force at 19. He became a squadron leader and flew Lancaster bombers. The usual requirement for a bomber pilot was 30 combat missions. Jim flew 64. He was shot down five times, spent three days in a raft in the North Atlantic. Jim was awarded the DFC, the Distinguished Flying Cross, for his service in North Africa, Italy and Europe. Of every 100 airmen who joined bomber command, this is a little addition to this letter just from us. Of every hundred airmen who joined bomber command,

45 were killed, six were seriously wounded, eight became prisoners of war, only 41 escaped unscathed, at least physically. Of the 125,000 who served, 58,000 were killed, including over 10,400 Canadians of those who were flying at the beginning of the war only 10% survived. My dad was in Bomber Command.

He also was a DFC, a winner, Wing Commander Stanley Mansbridge. And yes, he flew on Lancaster's as well. Did two tours, two operational tours. So 50 missions. I think he actually did 51. Pamela McDermott in Burlington, Ontario. I'll be thinking of my uncle captain Archie Hodge.

He fought in the Royal Navy before coming to Canada to captain the research and survey vessel, the Port Dauphin for the Canadian Coast Guard. It was his ship carrying the researchers that found the two warships of 1812, the Hamilton and the Scourge in 1973 in Lake Ontario. One fond memory of dinners at his home

were the Navy rules of the table that meant you couldn't put your elbows on the table unless you had sailed around the horn, Cape Horn, that is. That pretty much disqualified as all. All right, little additional note. The Hamilton and the Scourge were merchant schooners converted into American warships in 1812. They capsize and sank with a loss of more than 50 lives

during a sudden squall on Lake Ontario in August of 1813. The Hamilton-unscourged National Historic Site of Canada is located at the bottom of Lake Ontario near St. Catharines. That's the bottom on the map. The ships are in a remarkably good condition, despite their initial sinking and despite some decay brought about, decay brought about by the passage of years at Lake Bottom. Danny La Dessure in Gatno, Quebec.

My thoughts are shared between France and Canada. My maternal grandfather, Henri Goetier, arrived in Canada from Tour France in 1909. In 1914, he left school to join the French colonial infantry and fought the Ottoman Empire. In 1940, his son, my uncle Pierre Gaultier, joined the RCAF with bomber command, became a navigator, but the only French-Canadian squadron, 425 squadron, Les Alouette. They taught me love of country and are always with me. Scott Vidler in Aereo, Ontario, south of Chatham on the shore of Lake Erie.

Ario holds the distinction of having the highest per capita enlistment rate in Canada during the Second World War. 100% of the eligible male population enlisted. 64 men and four women from a population of only 225 people volunteered for service overseas. Three didn't return. I remember them at the service I've always attended in our village where wreaths are laid for my grandfather, World War I, Royal Canadian Regiment, my father, Royal Canadian Regiment, Italian Campaign, Netherlands, Liberation, and two uncles in the Navy. Maryland Johnstone on vacation in San Jose del Cabo, Baja, California,

Sear, Mexico, hometown Castlegar, B.C. I have two memories. One is kissing my father's photo each night before going to bed. The second is seeing him in person for the first time in 1945 as he got out of a car in his uniform. Looking back, I understand that he lived until he was only 50. suffering with PTSD and the fact he gave his life to his family and to his country. Lorraine Reimer in Boisovane, Manitoba, that's south of Brandon. It's not far, actually, from the North Dakota border. The man I'm remembering is someone whom I didn't even know existed until last year.

My grandpa served as a merchant seaman during World War I, crossing the the Atlantic Ocean under the constant threat of German U-boats. At my uncle Regge's funeral, I learned that he had been named in honor of my grandpa's friend, Reginald, who took Grandpa's place on board during the ship's last crossing when it was torpedoed and all were lost at sea. Sandy Esposito in Aurora, Ontario My father served in World War II, before enlisted. he worked on farms around Brampton to help feed Canadians during the war.

Just after his 18th birthday, he came downstairs in full uniform, boots and all, to tell his mother he had enlisted, a moment she never forgot. She shared that story with me when I was a teenager, still with tears in her eyes. I remember him, and all who served, with deep gratitude and pride. Jamie Robinson in Lindsay, Ontario. My thoughts on Remembrance Day, focus on my great-grandfather. Gordon Boyd was one of the longest surviving Canadian World War I veterans. He was an artillery man who was wounded by shrapnel just prior to Vimy Ridge.

When he was around 100 years of age, he received one of the highest honors a Canadian can receive. Well, I think he received higher honors than this, but the claim is that he was interviewed by Peter Mansperger of the CBC. I'd sure like to find a copy of that interview. Yeah. I remember talking to so many different vets at Vimy, and many of them were very, very old. Nancy Taylor in Calgary.

My dad served with the RCAF in World War II. too, was a machinist for a reconnaissance squadron. Remembrance day was private for him. Before the 11 o'clock service, he'd donned his medals from their glass case. One year he shared a port, as he carefully put them away, his smile, tight, his eyes reflective. I sensed it might be his last Remembrance Day, and it was. He passed the following June at 89. I miss him.

William Dawson in Halifax. At 30 years old, Remembrance Day makes me remember when I was seven. I was in Cub Scouts. We always had events for Remembrance Day. I met a veteran from World War I. I don't remember what he said, but I remember his face and his neat, well-capped uniform.

Seven-year-olds cannot now meet who fought in that war. I barely did. Time slowly steals our connections to the past. Tim Stott in Kenesota, Manitoba. This spring I walked, Juno Beach. I stood at Vimy, the Merent Gate, or excuse me, the Menin Gate, Vancouver Corner, perhaps better known as the brooding soldier monument. Beaumont de Mel, and visited many of the silent cities,

as Richard Kittlpeng referred to the countless cemeteries that docked the old Western Front. I left the military in October of 2000. I remember those I serve with, the Dillardt. didn't make it home from Afghanistan, and the ones who came home and are forever changed. A note, by the way, on the men and gate, it's in Ipe in Belgium. There's a memorial arch which bears the names of nearly 55,000 dead of the armies of the British Commonwealth who fell in Belgium, but to have no known grave. 6,940 are Canadians.

Of the arch, there's a ceremony every night, every night at 8 p.m. where two buglers sound the last post. There is a volunteer operation. It's a volunteer operation with no financial support from any government. It has happened every night since 1928, except for the time in World War II when the Germans occupied Eap. Owen Torgerson, who's the mayor of the village of Vailmont in B.C. Alice Olson enlisted in the Army in 1943 and served in Red Deer in Calgary before moving to Vailmont with her husband in 1956. We celebrated our last surviving World War II Veterans 1002 birthday on April 8, 2025. Until recently, she faithfully laid her.

a wreath for all veterans at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 266 in full uniform, regardless of the weather. Thank you for your service, Alice. We will remember them. Alice passed away in June. Per Unheim in Ottawa. During World War II, my maternal grandfather, Greg O'Boyle, served as a communications officer and technician with the RCAF on Canada's west coast.

On December 7th, 1941, he arrived in Coal Harbor, Vancouver Island to set up the RCAF's new cipher machine. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor that day. He and a signals officer then spent the following months encoding and decoding messages and relaying them to Ottawa with urgency where officials feared a subsequent attack on BC. Laura Plant in Chilliwack, BC As my child approaches 18, I think often of the families

who watch their children head to war to preserve our freedoms and to protect the lives of people in other countries. I also remember meeting an elderly woman who told me how she said yes to several outgoing frightened soldiers who proposed marriage as they left for the front lines of World War I. None of them came home. Joanne Bamford in Wainfleet, Ontario This year I made arrangements to attend the 80th anniversary

of the liberation of Appledorn in the Netherlands. I've been there many times. It was important to me because my mother was born in the Netherlands and I grew up in Toronto. My heart swelled with pride as World War II vets came over to sit near us to view the parade. I will attend the Remembrance Day ceremony thinking of my time in Appledorn this year. James Fraser in Spruce Grove, Alberta,

that's just outside Edmonton. As a retired teacher and principal, one of my most moving memories came 18 years ago, leading a group of high school students on the Canadian battlefields tour through northern France and Belgium. There we were, standing in a Canadian cemetery above the beaches of Dieppe,

among the names of so many young Canadian, many not much older than these students themselves. All Canadian high school students should make this trip as they journey into adulthood. Here, here to that. Another letter from Spruce Grove, Cindy Kilpatrick in Spruce Grove, Alberta. On Remembrance Day and on many random days throughout the year,

I think about my late beloved Uncle Harold. He served overseas from 1935, to 1945, including the entire Italian campaign with its hardships and horrors. And yet Uncle Harold was an exceedingly kind, warm-hearted man with a wonderful sense of humor. I've always marveled at that how he could have lived through what he must have done and still maintain such an open heart. David Turnbull in Hamilton, Ontario. At this time of year, I think of my great uncle.

He was in the Navy during World War II. I only met him once in my adult life. He had a picture of up in his house of a ship sinking. A photo he took while he was on a convoy. He was one of the lucky ones. Unfortunately, I know nothing of his war life. There was never talked about a definite regret in my life. Mark Nicholson and St. John New Brunswick.

Both of my grandfathers were world. World War II veterans. My personal thought, increasingly so, is the importance of bringing my kids to Remembrance Day ceremonies. Mine are 11 and 13, and we take them every year. I look forward to taking them to Ottawa at some point. It's the national ceremony. Malcolm Bromley in Toronto. I am the first person in my family in over 100 years not to have fought in a war. That's a rather remarkable thought. My dad, uncles, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers all served for England. It's only because of their bravery that this was possible. Please recognize that our freedom and privilege in Canada was provided by these brave men and women.

Brett Christensen in Gannon-Akway, Ontario. I'm a Royal Canadian Navy veteran. Remembrance Day is very important to me. I reflect on those that made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today. Top of mind is Corporal Randy Payne, a soldier from our town that lost his life in Afghanistan. His mum is the Silver Cross mother this year. That's Nancy Payne. She'll lay a wreath during the ceremony at the National War Memorial on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a child at war.

I also reflect on the many shipmates that have crossed the bar before me. The number increases every year. Getting old sucks. Marine Manning in Nanaimo, BC. I will remember that my father was still a boy when he sailed under the rank of Abel Seaman with the Royal Canadian Navy out of Halifax Harbor on HMCS New Liskard,

an Algerian-class minesweeper in 1944. I visited that harbor last month and stood adjacent to the Naval Memorial feeling profound gratitude and hoping that everyone pauses this year to remember what was lost, what was fought for, and what we must continue to protect. I'm not sure which memorial Maureen is citing here. She used the words naval memorial.

Officially, that's HMCS Sackville, a national historic site on the Halifax Waterfront, dedicated to those who served during the Battle of the Atlantic and made the ultimate sacrifice. But also on the waterfront there is the Halifax Memorial built by the Commonwealth War Grands. Wraves Commission and the Government of Canada. It commemorates 3,267 Canadian and Newfoundland sailors and soldiers who lost their lives

in the First and Second World War. Remember that Newfoundland didn't join Canada until 49. Richard Favril in Puerto Vallata, Mexico. On August 16, 1945, VJ Day, Dad was stationed in Chatham when he was stationed in Chatham when he learned mom had gone into labor in St. Catharines. Waring his uniform, he started hitchhiking. A chauffeur-driven limousine stopped carrying an anxious woman from Detroit rushing to Buffalo.

Keep in mind that that's still today, the fastest way to get from Detroit to Buffalo is to go through Canada. Anyway, this chauffeur-driven limousine stopped. To see her son, also a soldier, that's where the woman was. going. She insisted they detour to mom's hospital. Thanks to one worried mother's kindness, dad arrived in time to welcome his healthy newborn. Yvonne Clifford in Cambridge, Ontario. This past spring, I learned from what sacrifice truly means as my husband took me on a World War I and two journey through France and Belgium.

At one stop, we visited a memorial to Canadian airman Andrew Menarski, a Lancaster. a Lancaster mid-gunner who gave his life trying to save a crewmate and their plane was crashing. I'd learned about him from my husband who volunteers of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, home to a Lancaster dedicated to Minarski. Standing in the quiet field where his plane went down, we were filled with a deep respect for his sacrifice.

Pilot officer Minarski was the first member of the RCAF to be decorated with the Victoria Cross doesn't get higher than that, in terms of medals in the Second World War. His medal is on display at the Air Command headquarters in Winnipeg. He was trying to get to Pat Brofey, who was trapped in the tailgunner's position on that crashing Lancaster. He couldn't get to him.

He couldn't get through the mess on the plane as it was crashing. He saluted Brophy. and tried to get out of the plane but he died when the plane crashed and he hit the ground ironically Pat Brophy lived I can remember talking to Pat Brophy

and I think it was in Thunder Bay many many years ago when I used to travel northwestern Ontario as my assignment covering stories in the early 1970s John Sutherland in Calgary You know, the thing about Pat Brophy Is nobody would have ever known the story of Andrew Minarski

If Pat Brofey hadn't lived It's remarkable, eh? John Sutherland and Calgary I'll be thinking of my dad and his last remembrance day in 2010 He just learned that he had throat cancer and started to receive radiation treatment in Colonna. I flew to Panticton to drive him to treatment. He and I went to the Legion after the Cenotaph ceremony.

He was a Navy man from 39 to 45 and 49 to 52. He rose from ordinary seamen to lieutenant commander, two and a half bars. Georgina McFarlane in Tantramar, New Brunswick. I remember that in my young adulthood, I dutifully attended remembrance. day ceremonies, trying to feel the required empathy and respect for fallen soldiers. I never quite succeeded

and stopped going to them. Now in my 70s I wear a white poppy for the fallen non-combatants and feel genuine sorrel. Why is it such a controversial thing to wear a white poppy? Surely red poppies tell only half the story.

The white poppy, by the way, according to advocates, is meant to encourage Canadian to broaden their Remembrance Day focus, to include civilians who make up 90% of conflict victims, to challenge the beliefs, values, and institutions that make war seem inevitable, and to urge our governments to promote and fund effective non-military means of dispute resolution.

The Canadian Legion says the Red Poppy is a tribute in specific memory of those in the military who were killed in war. It is called the White Poppy and an insult to veterans. and to some the white poppy seems to brand veterans as warmongers. Derek Dillow in Ottawa. Our thoughts on November 11th are with my father-in-law, William Randall. Bill was a Lancaster bomber pilot who bravely completed 30 missions in World War II, piloting the plane called the Solid Sender.

He turned only 21 years of age somewhere over Germany in the dark of night. If you ever wonder why this cohort demographic is referred to as the greatest generation, Bill Randall is a shining example. Deb Greening in the District of Lakeland, Saskatchewan, On this special day signifying the ultimate sacrifice, I think about those who lived and returned. I remember the family members who could only find comfort from their terrible memories by being with their comrades at the Legion or the Army and Navy Club,

and who struggled to be fathers and husbands. There were no mental health supports provided, and the self-medicating option for some was catastrophic to their health and to their family life. Yes. I think we're going to take our mid-show break here. There's no random ranter today, the ranter. you know, felt, and I agreed with him that maybe this was the week to not have a rant.

So he'll be back next week. But there are lots more letters to come, lots more. And we'll get to them right after this. And welcome back. our special Remembrance Day program here on the bridge. We're just a few days away from Remembrance Day. And the Thursday, your turn today is all your letters. Many of them.

As I said, we'll never get to all of them. Probably won't even get to half of them. But we'll get to as many as we can. You're listening on Sirius XM, Channel 167, Canada Talks, are on your favorite podcast platform. Mary Hughes Ginge in North Shore of Lake Erie near Rondo Park in Chatham, Kent. I think of the brave parents who watched as their children headed to war. My mother was one of eight children, five enlisted in World War II.

One son, James Hughes, an RAF pilot, was decorated by King George, the six. Another son, Raymond Hughes, did not come home. docked down in Holland. My mother, Kate Hughes, joined the Canadian Women's Army Corps and was stationed in Prince Rupert, watching your children go off to fight and defend. That is true courage. Colleen Williams in Barney's River Station. Nova Scotia. I look after a rural museum in a former one-room school. These days, I'm immersed in reading handwritten letters from soldiers in both world wars to their family members. Families generously donated these letters to the museum.

The letters bring the soldiers alive to me. What were formerly names on a plaque are now real youngsters with feelings and fears who were drawn into terrible global conflicts. Melanie Geelan in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland. One thing I think about in relation to Remembrance Day is the generational trauma from World War that still exists today. My Oma and Opa, grandmother and grandfather, were immigrants to Canada from Holland after World War II. My grandfather was a military mechanic overseas in World War II. They didn't speak about it very much.

I see the effects of emotional trauma in my parents. generation. It lingers in my generation. Remembrance Day is part of the healing every generation requires. Cindy Zampa in Erdry, Alberta wrote a poem. I'm nine feeling small alone among rows of marble stone, standing in

salute, breathless, as rifles echo through my chest. Flag off coffin folded then into a triangle by white-gloved men. Youngest Colonel ever, they said, but to me he was as tall as forever, my dad. I tucked away the sound 21 bullets make, sealed in my heart next to the ache. Service, sacrifice, remembering. This is what love of country means.

Cindy also sent a picture of her dad, John Joseph McHugh, buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in 1969. he was 46. Scott MacArthur in Bedford, Nova Scotia. I think of my great-great-uncle, private Aubrey Nichols, killed in France, age 20, in 1918. My grandfather, born five years later, was named in honor of his uncle,

and we're not sure he ever knew this. Our family learned of Aubrey two years ago, and this summer I visited his grave in a tiny Canadian military cemetery outside. of um K K.

K. K. C-A-I-X K. Becoming the first relative to do so. I love you, Uncle Obre. Lauren Finlinson and Cumberland, B.C. That's on the east coast

of central Vancouver Island. On November 11th, 1961, I stood with my father and my brother-in-law in our community hole in Shell Lake, Saskatchewan. To my left was my father, who had gone into the trenches in France in July 1916. He was badly wounded in 1917, recovered, and was awarded the military medal. To my right was my brother-in-law, who went ashore shortly after D-Day as a tank driver. that day was the last day I was able to stand with those two gentlemen that I revered I was just out of high school soon both of them were gone

but through those long long years since that is my remembrance on November 11th Nancy Fenora in Picton Ontario west of Kingston my grandfather and his two brothers fought in World War only my grandfather returned. A great uncle returned destroyed by mustard gas. My dad fought from 42 to 45. He returned, joined Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment Reserves. He was the command Sergeant Major into his 80s. Another great uncle of P.O.W returned from Hong Kong weighing 85 pounds. My uncle was a life soldier with the first Canadian guards. I will never

forget them and their service. L. Christopher in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. I often reflect on the silences around wartime experience. My father was an officer who served on corvettes in World War II, small ships that escorted troop carriers across the North Atlantic. He never shared what he went through, nor did other relatives involved in wars. They kept whatever they endured to themselves, to their graves.

That is what I contemplate during the moment of silence that we observe in remembrance. day's ceremonies. Evo Kruppka in Ottawa. At 11 a.m. November 11th, 1949, I was playing with friends on the front yard of Allenby Public School in

Toronto. I was an eight-year-old Czech refugee, 19 months to Canada. In Canada. I asked my friends to stop and observe a minute's silence. I credit the hymns I had just learned. Oh, God, our help in ages past.

and especially, oh, valiant hearts. They bring me to tears every November 11th. Steve Loudon in Simco, Ontario. Almost 60 years ago, I rode the city bus regularly. We frequently saw an old man with a disfigured face and would snicker about his looks. One remembrance day, I saw this man in his legion attire. It was like a slap in the face.

We had been making fun of a man who had lost part of his face serving in World War I. My perspective changed forever. Never judge by appearances. Jeanette Linkletter in Ottawa. On Remembrance Day, I often think about my mom. She grew up in Brannock, Yugoslavia. In 1941, Yugoslavia was attacked and taken over by Axis forces. at this time she was only 14 years old

when her family of 10 was divided up and taken away to work on German farms work and living conditions were awful like a concentration camp in 1945 all of her family members returned home but were deeply scarred forever Julian Risto in St. Catharines, Ontario In 1942, my grandfather

father, a member of the Allied South African Hygiene Corps, was taken P.O.W. when to Brook fell, declared missing in action, a death certificate was sent to my grandmother. He returned to South Africa in 1945 and during severe Italian heat and malnutrition at a P.O.W. His pipe engraved with his unit's coat of arms and P.O.W. date remains a cherished possession. He seldom spoke of captivity, and I deeply miss his. calm, gentlemanly presence. Jen Shindy in London, Ontario. My grandparents lived very close to the German border in the Netherlands during World War II.

My sister and I had the opportunity to go with my granny to her family home and see where the bombs fell, where they hid people who needed shelter, where her brother was buried after he died of heart failure at 26 in a concentration camp. Well, now that you never forget. Bill Shearhard in Grand Bend, Ontario. While coaching Canada's teams at a world senior curling championship in Minneapolis, St. Paul, the athletes and I took the opportunity to travel to the Mall of America by light rail transit. That's a big shopping center in Minneapolis. On route, we passed an American military cemetery.

It only did it take a few minutes to pass the entire cemetery. The white crosses were visible as far as our eyes could see. The excitement of representing Canada this event was visibly subdued as we reflected on the terrible price, those who defend our freedoms pay. Lest we forget, never had more of a profound meaning than that day, and it has stayed with me forever. Jim and Judy Stewart in Cambridge, Ontario.

Our memories of Remembrance Day are, centered around remembrance and a monument, the Vimy Memorial. In the high school history I took, I don't recall much about this monument other than the word itself. Nothing about the battle in which Canada came of age. In 2008, we took a World War I battlefield tour of France and Belgium to visit Vimy Ridge and the grave of an uncle of mine who succumbed to wounds at Pashondale. We found Uncle Mackey's well-maintained grave and attended two Remembrance Day services. both of which brought tears to our eyes.

Vimy is a remarkable place. If you haven't been there and you have the opportunity, you really, really should go. It's a piece of Canadian history. My grandfather fought it Vimy. Barbara Shindelka in Saskatoon. I remember my grandparents and great uncles who served in the Second World War

among my cherished keepsakes as a photograph of Canadian servicemen on a tank after the liberation of Holland, my grandfather sitting behind a young Dutch boy. In that image, I see courage, resilience, and hope. Their sacrifices remind me that freedom is not inherited but must be defended and renewed. I hope their courage, resilience, and hope live on in me. Janet Roach in Charlottetown. I grew up on Canadian military bases as my father served 31 years with the

the Corps of Engineers. It did not matter your age. You attended the Remembrance Day service. We would march to the Cenotaph in groups. For me, it was as a Brownie, a Girl Guide, or the teen group. Growing up on military bases provided me the meaning of what to serve meant and their commitment to go when called with no questions asked. Jamie Rothenberger in Calgary.

My granny had three babies during the war years of the 1940s, sheltered on the Saskatchewan prairie she was away from the bombs but not fear when I cradled my own three newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic I often wondered if my worries compared to what she felt following the invasion and Nazi occupation

of her homeland in Poland her resilience during World War II continues to inspire me to face uncertainty with courage Doug Clark in Castelgar, B.C. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is an identical scenario to the 1939 German invasion of Poland that kicked off World War II. On November 11, 2025, we should remember those two world wars and be acting now to give Ukraine the support it needs to push Russia back.

Trump's appeasement of Putin won't stop Russia from taking Ukraine and continuing from there to the Baltic states. If NATO does not take a strong stand in support of Ukraine, the world will be at war again. Judy Menard in Halifax. In November of 2018, the Vigil 1914, 1918, organized by R.H. Thompson, took place in several Canadian cities, including Halifax. The names of Canada's dead from World War I

were projected on the front of St. Paul's Church each night from November 4th until, dawn on November 11th. I was able to see my father's cousin Roy Gates' name appear, which was very meaningful to me. He died in action in France in August of 1918

at 21. Nearly 10,000 names by the way were projected. Each just once, each night in Halifax, Fredericton, Ottawa, Toronto, Regina and Edmonton. Mike Jennings in Calgary.

My lasting Remembrance Day memory of seeing my son a corporal with the King's own Calgary Regiment standing at the Cenotaph year after year in his uniform. He served in the Arctic on Operation Anuk and returns there this February. This year he received the Corporal Nathan Hornberg Award as the regiment's top corporal. Watching him serve with humility and pride

reminds me every year what remembrance truly means. Operation Anuk is a series of activities designed to exercise the defense of Canada and to secure our northern regions that takes place each year across Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Labrador. The award Mike mentions was established as memory of Corporal Nathan Hornberg who was killed in Afghanistan in 2007. Brian Smith in Colonna, B.C. On Remembrance Day, I think of my two grandfathers who served in World War I.

Frank Heaney was one of the Canadian soldiers who fought bravely in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. For the rest of his life, he suffered from what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Whenever he heard the blasts of the nearby Beachville Lime Quarry, he would run for cover. My paternal grandfather, Fred Smith, was already in the British Army when hostilities erupted in 1914. He was involved in the first Battle of Moul in a battalion known as the Old Contemptibles. There's a plaque in Westminster Abbey, which recognizes their service. So where did the name Old Contemptibles come from, you may ask? Well, the British Expeditionary Force of 1914 was commanded by Field Marshal Sir John French.

Kaiser Wilhelm is said to have issued an order of the day that told us, his troops to exterminate the treacherous English and walk over General French's contemptible little army. Bob Manette in Jericho, Vermont On Remembrance Day, I think of my great-uncle Bliss MacDonald, who left Hardwick New Brunswick at 17 in 1941. He was killed at 20 while crossing the English Channel in July 44. In 2021, DNA results revealed he had an English son.

We met this 77-year-old and his family in Shettyak, New Brunswick, in 2022. What once seemed a tragic and final end to a young life became the start of unexpected and meaningful new relationships. Monica Gullet in Onanol, Manitoba, about an hour north of Brandon. As an elementary school student in Wauwanesa, Manitoba, I was given the, at the time, terrifying honor of reciting in Flanders Field at the Remembrance Day Assembly. Memorizing the poem was a daunting task, but I accomplished both, and some 50 years later I remained proud of myself.

More importantly, the message of in Flanders' fields holds a place in my heart as we remember and give thanks to all those who served and are serving. Canada. Tim Belich in Westrose, Alberta. As Remembrance Day approaches, I think about my family's involvement in World War II. One uncle died

over the channel when his Hudson sub-tracker was shot down by a U-boat. Another uncle dropped behind enemy lines with the first Canadian paratroop battalion the night before D-Day. My great-uncle's Charles and Gilbert Labine founded El Dorado Mines, and it was their

uranium that was used in the A-bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Clark Solos in Victoria. Fifteen years ago, I spent a year of my life in Kandahar, Afghanistan, with the Canadian Armed Forces. On Remembrance Day, I think a lot about

the team I was there with, a group of outstanding Canadians from all walks of life, from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, reservists who left their day jobs to serve their country. Many fond memories with this team trying to do good things in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Carla Tomeyer in Toronto. My parents met in the RCAF 69 years ago.

My mother was a secretary and my father was a navigator who flew in an Argus. Many heroes keep us out of combat. My parents did just that. My mom managed critical administrative tasks. My dad flew missions with NATO allies, protecting Canadian borders by tracking Russian submarines during the Cold War. They now live together at the Sunny Brook Veteran Center, supported by a staff of heroes. Malcolm McKay in Calgary I remember visiting Bell Island near St. John's Newfoundland, where I learned that during World War,

War II, German U-Boats sank four iron-ore freighters in the harbor, killing 65. The ore was bound for steel production in the war effort. Even more shocking, a ferry off Portobasque was sunk, killing's 137, and between 42 and 44, over 340 died as U-boats attacked ships in the St. Lawrence, with bodies washing ashore in small communities. Wartime censorship kept those tragedies out of the spot. light, leaving them somewhat forgotten in Canadian history. On Remembrance Day, I reflect on these losses and how close the war came to our shores.

German U-boats actually repeatedly penetrated the waters of the St. Lawrence River, sinking 26 ships, killing hundreds. There was the first time since the war of 1812 that naval battles were waged in Canada's inland waters. Gordon Dawson and Calgary As a former member of the Canadian Iron Forces November 11th always brings back a motion-filled memories of the many visits to the young Canadian's forever engraves scattered across Europe

At each visit, I can't get past their ages 19, 20, 21, all too common in number As now an octogenarian, my heart aches that they never got the chance to grow old as we grow old Karen Boschie and Edmonton Schools that I taught at

held Remembrance Day assemblies solemn events where children laid poppy rees that they had made moments of silence educating youngsters about conflicts and sacrifices made by our soldiers in the name of peace and justice

we talked about the past which is something my dad did not do with me. After his death, we opened up his worn soldiers' trunk and learned more about his protected past memories. Colleen Lalonde in Ottawa, my strongest Remembrance Day memory,

as of the many November 11th parades, I marched into my hometown Santa Taff. As a member of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, I felt immense pride in representing youth on that important day. So if I'm being totally honest, it was also a great way to get out of school. You're being honest. May we always remember in honor the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of all who serve.

Elizabeth Prosser in Bracebridge, Ontario. I wish every Canadian could attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa. Veterans from all across the country both retired and currently serving, the Silver Cross mother, the sound of the guns, the bagpipers, and the children's choir all contributed to a day I will never forget. As I waited to place my poppy on the tomb of the unknown soldier, the silence and gratitude felt by all was palpable. Well, if you can't get to Ottawa, and you can't get to your own local service,

you can watch the Ottawa service on television all the networks cover it and obviously I'm partial to the CBC as I used to do that service myself but Adrian Arsenal will be there with her team covering Remembrance Day this year at the National War Memorial in Ottawa

Okay I said we had many many letters today and there was no way I could get to all of them. I think we've barely done half of them. I appreciate everybody who wrote. You put your heart and soul into the lines you said. And I appreciate that. So we'll close with this one from Calgary, Alberta, from Bill Miller.

I recall as a kid in the 70s Saturday shopping trips before Remembrance Day. My dad, a Second World War tank driver, would drop a 10 or 20 into a fellow veteran's poppy box. No words, just a nod. No small sum back then. I saw him do that many times. Years later, I asked why he never went to November 11th ceremonies. He just said, I remember every day

Thank you so much for all the letters you wrote this week I'm sorry I couldn't read them all in the 52 minutes and 30 seconds we have for this program but I think you get the understanding of what people are feeling

and remembering for Remembrance Day. I'll be in Hamilton at the Canadian War Plain Heritage Museum on Tuesday. Those are close by. Hope you can join us. Tomorrow it's a good talk with Chantelle and Bruce. Hope you join us for that.

I'm Peter Mansbridge. Take care. Thank you.