Remembrance Day November 6, 2022

St Columba Presbyterian Church

November 11 is Remembrance Day.  On this day the 11^th day of the 11^th month at the 11^th hour we pay tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace.

Remembrance Day is a day for all Canadians to remember the men and women who served and sacrificed for our country. It is a day we encourage every individual, young and old, to pause, to give thanks and to remember.

This year celebrates the 150 birthday of Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.  John was born November 30, 1872 in Guelph and Guelph is honouring his contributions as a doctor, soldier, teacher and poet.  He is best known as the author of “In Flanders Fields”.  He was first a member of the Queen’s Own Rifles.  On graduation from medical school he practiced in Montreal and was a lecturer in pathology at McGill University.    When WWI broke out he enlisted as a medical officer.  He penned In Flanders Fields during the ballet of Ypres, Belgium in the Spring of 1915.  The poem was published anonymously in December 1915 in England and quickly became popular.  John McCrae was later credited as the author.  He planned it as a recollection on death and a call to arms. The poem was used to sell war bonds, recruit soldiers and commemorate the fallen.  It enshrined the poppy as a symbol of grief and loss and today the poppy is part of the Canadian Tradition of Remembrance. Since 1921, the Poppy has stood as a national symbol of Remembrance. The Poppy is also the recognized symbol for the Legion’s Poppy Campaign, which raises funds to support Veterans and their dependents.  The Legion sells over 20 million poppies as part of this campaign and over $20 million is returned to help veterans.

John McCrae died of pneumonia on January28, 1918 at age 45.  He is buried in the Commonwealth Graves Cemetery in   Wimereux,France.

Honour Roll

St Columba Presbyterian Church

Note the names come from the booklets Marion MacMaster, a much loved teacher and historian from Laggan.  She was also a member of this congregation.

There are 54 names on the list.  What a commitment to service this congregation has made considering its size.

One of those on the list is my father.  There are fathers of members of this congregation, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, cousins, neighbors and friends.  Many veterans returned to this area to farm.  We thank them for their dedication and efforts in building up the wonderful agricultural community we live in.

In proud and grateful memory of the young men from this congregation who made the supreme sacrifice

In World War I (1914 – 1918)

Lance Corporal John Ellison

Private Alex Andrew MacLeod

In World War II (1939 – 1945)

Gunner Billie Dewar

Pilot Officer Campbell MacGillivray

Corporal Donald MacLeod

Sapper Lloyd MacRae

Trooper Patrick Williams

Those Who Served World War 1

Captain John Franklin

Private John Thomas MacDonald

Sapper Norman MacLeod

Private Norman Duncan MacLeod

Lance Corporal Alex Neil MacLeod

Private Alexander MacLeod

Lance Corporal Angus MacLeod

Sergeant Malcolm McCrimmon

Lieutenant Donald Malcolm Morrison

Private Charles Spence

Private Hugh Stewart

Those Who Served World War II

Private Donald Dewar

Private Ian Dewar

Nursing Sister Margaret Franklin

Corporal George Fulton

Sapper Harry Livesey

Aircraftsman 1 Norman MacCrimmon

Signalman John MacCrimmon

Corporal Malcolm MacCuaig

Flight Sergeant Dougal MacGillivray

Sergeant Fred MacLeod

Nursing Sister Hilda MacLeod

Sergeant Martha MacLeod

Private John D MacLennan

Corporal John MacLeod

Trooper Fred MacLennan

Trooper Angus MacMaster

Trooper Donald E MacMaster

Gunner Douglas MacMaster

Gunner Ewen MacMaster

Trooper Keith MacMaster

Trooper Roy MacMaster

Leading Aircraftsman Clark MacMillan

Leading Aircraftsman Douglas MacMillan

Private Hughie Peter MacMillan

Gunner D. A. MacPhee

Sergeant Eddy MacRae

Trooper Norman MacRae

Private Edna McMeekin

Trooper John Hugh Morrison

Private Dolphice Pichie

Private Lorne Pichie

Sapper Mayo Pichie

Private William Pichie

Captain Rev Norman Sharkey

Gunner Alec Williams

Private Cecil Vogan

We honour those who have served both past and present in times of war, conflict and peace by observing

From John 15:  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this:  to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

As Marion put it in the forward – St Columba owes great gratitude to those remarkable people who took on the task of defeating Canada’s enemies.

I want to close with a prayer that was scratched out on a prison cell in Cologne during the Second World War.

I believe in the sun,
even when it does not shine.
I believe in love,
even when I cannot feel it.
I believe in God,
even when he is silent.

 

The Act of Remembrance

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
We will remember them.

 

Phyllis MacMaster

22 11 05