To be standing for a few moments' silence with the sound of the Lancaster Bomber flying overhead sends chills through my body to the bone. Warplane Heritage is lucky enough to be the home to one of two Lancs in the world that is still capable of flight. The other is somewhere in England.
I don't always remember what happens during the ceremonies, other than I shed a few tears, and I shake a few hands. There are two ceremonies, however, that I attended at Warplane Heritage that have left their marks upon me.
A few years ago, maybe a couple more, my mother and I were seated in amongst the warplanes listening to a wonderful guest speaker. I couldn't tell you his name, but I can tell you that he grew up in England and was a child during the war. He recalled being told to bring to school with him a jar or a can as the class would be needing it the next day. The following day at school, all of the kids in his class recieved the gift of a shiney red apple, and drinking chocolate. They had been gifts from Canadian soldiers. Ever since, he had wanted to see a Canadian soldier. When he was old enough, he had joined the military himself, but still, a military man from Canada, he had yet to meet. When he was almost to the end of his speech, he had said, "now I know what a Canadian soldier looks like," and he promptly snapped a salute. He was finally able to do what he had longed to do for so long. Yes, we all cried.
The other ceremony was last year's. I had gone by myself, but ran into one of my former officers, who I had always been quite close with. I sat with him and a couple of his friends during the service. I don't remember much that the guest speaker was saying, but I do remember him singing, "The White Cliffs of Dover."
It was heartbreaking and beautiful. The speaker started, and then more and more voices joined in. Hundreds of voices in song, and every single person with tears running down their faces. Like the above video, those of us inside the hangar were also hearing the sounds of WWII aircraft flying overhead.
Though I love the ceremonies at Warplane Heritage, there are two that I would one day like to attend. I would like to go to Ottawa for the service at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier, and also go to the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France. One day...
Maybe this year will be just as memorable. One thing is certain, though. I highly doubt there will be a single dry eye in Warplane Heritage.
For more, please refer to my original 11 Days of Remembrance miniseries from November 2011.
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