11 Days of Remembrance: Generals Die in Bed

Back in the summer, when I first transferred to Mac, I took an English course called Longer Genres. We studied a variety of novels, including one called Generals Die in Bed, which was written by Canadian author and World War One veteran Charles Yale Harrison back in the 1920s.

My copy has this cover. I only just noticed the four stars under the title. Subtle.

Generals Die in Bed is a fictional WWI account being told in the first person by an unknown narrator, chronicling his experiences in France. It starts with the narrator preparing to ship out to Europe- the celebrations, the heroic cheers, the ideas of glory and valour- and leads the reader through the gore, death, and fears of battle that are to come. Spoiler alert: you want every hero to survive, but just like a real war, not everyone makes it out alive.

The title of the book, which is also mentioned in the story, made for an interesting discussion starter in tutorial. Actually, for anyone who's interested in military history or military politics, it'd make for a decent conversation piece there too. The main idea behind the title is that the lower, menial ranks are the ones who are destined to die on the battle field- dirty, starving, fighting for every second of their lives- while the higher officer ranks, such as the generals, get to have a warm bed to sleep in at night and are well fed... The idea that the officers make the plans, but will never act them through themselves. When I was in my tutorial, and we were discussing the significance of the title, I took the Devil's Advocate route, and suggested that the reason why generals get to die in bed instead of a trench is that they had already done their service. You don't just say, "hey, I want a glorious rank," and get it handed over to you freely. You have to earn it. Sure, there was the argument that nothing like the First World War had ever occurred before, which may be true, but from where I was sitting, I was thinking that those generals would have experienced the Boer War, or other battles like it, and that's not exactly something to take lightly.

As for how the book itself was accepted, those who were of the lower ranks praised it as an accurate account of events and experiences. I'm presuming it's like the book equivalent of Saving Private Ryan with regards to war-zone authenticity for those who have never experienced it. However, those who were the higher ranked officers- the ones who were perceived as never having to do the dirty work- saw it as blasphemous and false.  An inaccurate account forged out of anger and spite.

I personally enjoyed this book. It described more than what we could only dare to imagine. Only people who have been in a war zone, thought, would be able to yay or nay this idea for sure. However, anyone who's looking to read a piece of military fiction that's based on reality, I definitely recommend it.     

11 Days of Remembrance: The McMaster Archive

In the basement of McMaster's Mills Library is a really cool archive (it's design is similar to that of my dream personal library). Just outside the main part of the archive is a fascinating display that's dedicated to the First World War. There are medals, letters, photographs, books. All kinds of pieces of World War One history.

I haven't had to chance to appreciate it fully for a longer than a few minutes, so I definitely need to go back to admire it again. With better attention, of course. But what I saw looks pretty fantastic. I have a copy of one of MacCrae's poetry anthologies from the early 1920s, I couldn't help but think about how well it would blend in with the exhibit.

So if anyone's around Mac, and wants to spend a few minutes taking in some Canadian First World War history, go to the basement of Mills, and visit the archive. Unfortunately, I don't know how long that particular display will stay up, so I suggest going sooner than later!

11 Days of Remembrance: The Now-Known Soldier

A heard a fabulous story on the news last night. The unknown remains of a young soldier who had been killed in northern France have finally been identified. His name was Sydney Halliday, 22, and he was a private with the 78th Battalion Winnipeg Grenadiers. He and his brother came to Canada from England, and shortly thereafter, they enlisted and went off to war.

His remains had been found at the site of the Battle of Amiens, which is in northern France. He was one of eight bodies that had been found, and is the fourth or fifth to have been identified. Compliments of photos from the Department of National Defence, we also have a face to go with his name.

 Pte. Sydney Halliday

The Battle of Amiens commenced on August 10, 1918. It was the beginning of the end of the First World War. To think that he was so close to the end. A few months more, and it would have all been over. He could have gone home to his mother and said, "I made it. We survived."  His story would have certainly been a different one to tell.

We know that thousands upon thousands of Canadians served between 1914-1918, around 68 000, but rarely are we able to look upon the face of someone who had been sent to Europe to battle both enemies and fate. To have a name and photograph of even one makes it all seem more real. It's a means of connecting. We need that, especially since all of Canada's WWI veterans have since passed, and I doubt there are any surviving WWI vets left in the world.  

For more on Pte. Halliday's identification and story, follow the links to the CBC and CTV news sites below.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ww-i-canadian-soldier-s-remains-identified-1.2823869

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/first-world-war-soldier-s-remains-identified-as-young-private-from-manitoba-1.2087961

11 Days of Remembrance: Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War, the Tower of London in England is doing an art project that consists of over 888 thousand hand-made ceramic poppies. Each one represents a British soldier who died between the years of 1914 - 1918. 

The name of this art piece is called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. The handmade poppies are creating a moat around the fortress.  When you look at pictures, you truly do see a sea of red flowing around the Tower. The last poppy will be planted on November 11. As well,  they also have an Honour Roll for the public to add names of those who served and fell in their own family.

After November 11, the project will be disassembled.  That said, the poppies are available for purchase with proceeds going to various military charities. Poppy hoarder that I am, I bought two. Don't worry,  though.  Only one is for me. My mum is taking the other.

I'm disappointed that I won't be able to observe this project in person, but at least I'll have a piece of it. And the pictures of the Tower of London with hundreds of thousands of ceramic poppies is pretty incredible. Follow the link below to learn more,  check out the pictures, and perhaps buy a poppy for yourself.

http://poppies.hrp.org.uk

11 Days of Remembrance: Adding to the Hoard

For those who may not know,  I am a poppy hoarder.  I have more than I can count,  definitely more than I need, but still, I continue to add more to the bunch. A few days ago was no different.

Yes, I have more than my fair share of poppies that come compliments of the donation boxes, but what you may not know I that I also collect the more elaborate pins. This past Friday,  I bought myself another, and yes, I think it's beautiful.

Sometimes, the beauty is in the simplicity.

Aside from one pin that I'm missing,  in think I just might own them all. And that's not even the end of my poppy hoarding. I have a specialty one coming in from England,  but that is part of a post for another day.

We all have something that we feel compelled to collect. Why should an abundance of poppies be any different? As for my collection just before my latest poppy-pin-purchase?

My interpretation of Flanders.

11 Days of Remembrance: What Defines a Hero?

Within the last week, a journalist for a Hamilton newspaper decided to write an article as to why Cpl. Cirillo, the Argyle killed at the war memorial in Ottawa, was an "undeserving hero" (he later changed the phrasing of his title to "accidental hero"). Despite being able to argue his reasons why, many argued back. The biggest issue, naturally, was poor taste due to equally poor timing. People are welcome to think and speak what they want here, but often, many forget to let some wounds heal before spouting off opinions, no matter how valid they may or may not be.

So that got me to thinking. Just what is a hero? According to the Gage Canadian Dictionary, a hero is:

1) A person who does great and brave deeds, and is admired for them.
2) A person admired for contributing to a particular field.

There are a few others, but these are the two that are of importance.

With these definitions in mind, who is heroic to me? Obviously, on a personal level, my great-gram tops the list. She wasn't your average female, and she certainly made her mark in women's organizations (notably the Willing Workers, which consisted of a group of women making various articles to send to Europe to the war effort). But aside from her, who else could be a hero to me? Child cancer survivors will always have my admiration. And of course, the men and women who wear a uniform and serve our country. In my experience, these veteran heroes are very humble. They didn't polish boots or go into war-torn zones for glory. They did what they did, and continue to do so, because for them, it has always been the right thing to do. Humility- a heroic trait that isn't appreciated enough.

Sure, there are always the heroes of myth, such as Hercules, those found in sports, and the ones from the comic books, but even they have heroes worth admiring. For instance, Marvel's finest are in awe of our very own Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers. Don't believe me?

A hero's hero for sure!

I also try to keep in mind that just because I class someone as heroic for me doesn't mean the same applies for everyone else. However, I think we can all agree that the Sergeant-at-Arms, and our veterans, along with the people currently serving qualify. As for the writer of a Hamilton newspaper article? Cirillo may have been an undeserving hero to the writer, but the corporal would have definitely been a hero to his own friends and family.

Your turn. Who are your heroes, and what makes a hero for you? 

A Few of My Favourite Things: Fall Frenzy Edition

The wonderful boys who rent and work our fields are currently out taking off their bounty of soybeans.

A sight to behold.

This started to make me think about some of my favourite things about fall. I suppose a bright red combine is an appropriate place to start. When I was little. we'd get to go for combine rides. If you've never been inside of one, I can understand if you think it sounds like the epitome of lame. But it's not. No really. That beast has some amazing technology. Ever wonder how much grain, in weight, comes off a field? The combine has the tech to give you just that kind of information. As for the people with their fancy luxury vehicles that can only be driven for a few months out of the year... Well, you with your fancy wheels are cute. A combine is only driven for a few weeks in a year, and they cost as much as a house. 

Aside from combine rides as a child being one of my favourite fall things, I also love ingesting the bounties of other crops. For instance, down the road from me is Fletcher Fruit Farm. Their claims to fame are apples and pears. I love their Bosc pears, which are the perfect blend of juice, sweet, and crunch. They have more varieties of apples than I could ever care to count (and they'll also tell you that there are better apples in the world than Honey Crisp, and with that, I agree- I've always been prone to Ida Reds and Royal Galas). And I don't think there are enough words in the world for me to describe just how glorious their farm-pressed apple cider is. It's thick, sweet, and I love it both hot and cold. I've never had bad fruit from them. 

This is also the second year that Fletcher's has had a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. I love going to the patch in the fall. I'd much rather support a local farmer than pay for a really crappy pumpkin from the store. $5, any pumpkin, and they're massive! They're also a glorious shade of orange, as opposed to a pathetic half-ripe yellow, with an abundance of seeds on the inside.

Which brings me to...

Munching on pumpkin seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds with some butter and salt is probably my favourite fall snack. And they taste so much better than anything that comes from the store. But then, there is something about carving a pumpkin, separating the seeds, and enjoying them as a treat when all has been said and done. A little reward for a carve-job well done.

I've always enjoyed the changing leaves come this time of year. I've gone back to university full time, and where I park my car is near Coote's Paradise in downtown Hamilton. The colours down around Coote's are so vibrant and stunning. If I was walking to or from the parking lot, as opposed to taking the McMaster shuttle, I would take the time to appreciate the colour and beauty. 

Like every year, I celebrated my birthday with my Annual Film Fest, where a group of friends come over, and we watch the absolute worst in horror, sci-fi, thriller and fantasy. Anyone can celebrate the best, but a particular attitude is needed to appreciate the worst. The Fest is hands-down the best part about October. 

Other fabulous things about fall, for me, include starting to use the wood stove (the crackle and smell are rather relaxing), volunteering at the Binbrook Fair, taking in a derby or two, and enjoying lazy, cozy clothing. Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year (of course, being born near Halloween helps), so I always feel an extra tinge of excitement when it draws near.

And now I ask you this: What is/are your favourite part about the fall? Sure, the prospect of cold is usually a downer for most people, but everyone takes joy in something.