A soldier's story
“It was about midmorning when we received the notification that the war was officially over,” the old man said to his captive audience, concluding his talk. The old soldier had been sharing his experiences as an infantryman in Belgium during World War I.
That afternoon in 1968, after his speech, another speaker was scheduled, a veteran of World War II.
The audience had gathered for the inauguration of the “War Museum” in the small hamlet of Otonabee North. The town had contributed more soldiers than any other in southern Ontario, and its residents were proud of their heritage and longstanding support for veterans.
The next speaker was a well-known and beloved member of the community, a quiet farmer who lived alone on a small dairy farm that had once belonged to his parents, in the very house where he was born.
His family's story was a solemn reminder of the harsh reality of war. He was the only survivor. His older brother, a pilot with the First American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, had died during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1941. His sister, a volunteer nurse, was killed during one of the London bombings in 1942. His youngest brother, a sailor with an amphibious battalion in the Pacific, died during the Battle of Manila in 1945.
As he was introduced to the public, the first thing he did was donate the remains of his parachute, the same one he had used when he jumped over France on D-Day. The gesture drew heartfelt applause from the audience.
But he quietly raised his hand and said: “Please, don’t celebrate war. This museum must be a reminder of what we, all need to avoid.”
Comments
Post a Comment