Remembrance Day

[Kathryn41 3,205]

THE VETERAN ON OUR TEN DOLLAR BILL

If you look at the back right-hand side of a Canadian $10 bill, you will see an old veteran standing at attention near the Ottawa war memorial.

His name is Robert Metcalfe, and he died last month at the age of 90.

That he managed to live to that age is rather remarkable, given what happened to him in the Second World War. Born in England , he was one of the 400,000 members of the British Expeditionary Force sent to the mainland where they found themselves facing the new German warfare technique - the Blitzkrieg.

He was treating a wounded comrade when he was hit in the legs by shrapnel.

En route to hospital, his ambulance came under fire from a German tank, which miraculously ceased fire before he was further injured. Evacuated from Dunkirk on HMS Grenade, two of the sister ships in his convoy were sunk.

Recovered, he was sent to allied campaigns in North Africa and Italy. En route his ship was chased by the German battleship Bismarck .

In North Africa he served under General Montgomery against the Desert Fox, Rommel.

Sent into the Italian campaign, he met his future wife, a lieutenant and physiotherapist in a Canadian hospital. They were married in the morning by the mayor of the Italian town, and again in the afternoon by a British padre.

After the war they settled in Chatham, Ontario where he went into politics and became the warden (chairman) of the county. On his retirement he and his wife moved to Ottawa. At the age of 80 he wrote a book about his experiences.

One day out of the blue he received a call from a government official asking him to go downtown for a photo op. He wasn't told what the photo was for or why they had chosen him. 'He had no idea he would be on the bill,' his daughter said.

Such is the story of the old veteran on the $10 bill.

[BH45 0]

Thanks Kathryn. History is important, but to read a historical story like this on this day is heart warming. I will tell my daughter, who can share it with her classmates.

[warlord 73]

So how many people have to work on Veterns Day? I'm part of a semi-government non-profit organization and we're stuck working. I have other friends that work for the city that have the day off booooo.

Actually I forgot it was Veterns Day today. I have a family history of them fighting in the wars (WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam) and here I am complaining about not having the day off. Booo to me...

[MrsCat 6]

thanks for sharing Kathryn.

[JillA 2]

That's nice to read Kathryn. This morning I went to the rememberance day ceremony in downtown Oakville with a friend of mine, it was lovely. Very special indeed.

[thetreble 19]

I miss the Ottawa ceremonies that I could watch from my window. I also miss Flanders Fields and One Tin Soldier. I also miss poppies. I got my mum to send me some through the mail but they didn't arrive on time

Remembrance Day is very important to me. My husband actually asked me why I get so hung up over it a few days ago. I said because I grew up with a sense of great appreciation for our veterans. In Canada we hold a lot of school ceremonies. It doesn't seem like my husband had the same thing growing up.

Any ways, Je Me Souviens every one.

[xtinab 0]

I'm noticing the same thing about my boyfriend...they didn't do as much in school as I did growing up. We had assemblies and everything that we had to attend, every year, with a moment of silence at 11:11am, he said they had no such thing. We even had some of the kids grandfathers who were war vets come to talk to us about some of their experiences. He and some friends of mine also didn't know about the whole Poppy aspect and what it meant. (They did however catch on quickly to the child-like habit of using the poppies as fake lips, go figure!)

[Reba 2]

Here in the US it just seems another opportunity for retailers to have a big sale. Its disgraceful really. I miss Remembrance Day from back home too. I keep forgetting to get my Mum to send me poppies, so I always end up making myself one from paper and a straight pin. This year James gave me one of his ribbons from a medal he was awarded (he was USMC) in 1983. Sorta made the day more special for me. He doesn't talk about stuff much.

Thanks Kath, for the bit of trivia, that's cool.

Did you know there is only one surviving Canadian veteran who was around for WWI? He's 108 years old. Britain has 3 left, the oldest being 112. The US has one left, he's 107 I think.

For those who have children, please don't let them forget. There will not be many Remembrance Days left with veterans alive to tell us about it.

Edited November 12, 2008 by Reba

[Emancipation 2]

We were talking about the difference between "Veterans Day" and "Remembrance Day" yesterday.

I dunno.. it feels totally different here..

Back home the emphasis seems to be on remembering what war does, what war tears apart and what sacrifices war requires. It's remembering those who have died to make our freedom possible, and it all was so somber and sobering.

Hubby said that it might be a luxury that Canada has to try to distance itself from war and to live in peace with all nations.. but US is a superpower and things are more "complicated" here.. I dunno.. it FEELS different .. did anyone else note that?

I missed the solemn, reverential aspect of it. Perhaps it's because I had no idea where to go for a ceremony yesterday, and had to work... Tell me if I'm out to lunch

[Ban Hammer 13,344]

Here in the US it just seems another opportunity for retailers to have a big sale. Its disgraceful really. I miss Remembrance Day from back home too. I keep forgetting to get my Mum to send me poppies, so I always end up making myself one from paper and a straight pin. This year James gave me one of his ribbons from a medal he was awarded (he was USMC) in 1983. Sorta made the day more special for me. He doesn't talk about stuff much.

Thanks Kath, for the bit of trivia, that's cool.

Did you know there is only one surviving Canadian veteran who was around for WWI? He's 108 years old. Britain has 3 left, the oldest being 112. The US has one left, he's 107 I think.

For those who have children, please don't let them forget. There will not be many Remembrance Days left with veterans alive to tell us about it.

ita

[thetreble 19]

We were talking about the difference between "Veterans Day" and "Remembrance Day" yesterday.

I dunno.. it feels totally different here..

Back home the emphasis seems to be on remembering what war does, what war tears apart and what sacrifices war requires. It's remembering those who have died to make our freedom possible, and it all was so somber and sobering.

Hubby said that it might be a luxury that Canada has to try to distance itself from war and to live in peace with all nations.. but US is a superpower and things are more "complicated" here.. I dunno.. it FEELS different .. did anyone else note that?

I missed the solemn, reverential aspect of it. Perhaps it's because I had no idea where to go for a ceremony yesterday, and had to work... Tell me if I'm out to lunch

word. I get that totally. I do think it is more complex here.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Yes it is a bit different down here which I find weird!! Americans tend to support their active military people a lot better than Canadians do. So one would think they would be more supportive of their veterans, which I dont find thats the case. Canada isn't a super power when it comes to the military, but we have an awesome military tradition,especially considering how small of a military we have, but along the way,it has racked up some amazing accomplishments.

Yesterday at the hospital, I was working in an area that had a TV on, and for awhile it had the ceremony on, but the channel was soon changed as people did not want to watch it!

[Ban Hammer 13,344]

did some looking around and found this, which concurs with the op:

link

pics of the guy on this site too!

link safe for work btw

[thetreble 19]

That's a really sweet story, dudes. What a life Robert had!!!

[Reba 2]

Yes it is a bit different down here which I find weird!! Americans tend to support their active military people a lot better than Canadians do. So one would think they would be more supportive of their veterans, which I dont find thats the case. Canada isn't a super power when it comes to the military, but we have an awesome military tradition,especially considering how small of a military we have, but along the way,it has racked up some amazing accomplishments.

Yesterday at the hospital, I was working in an area that had a TV on, and for awhile it had the ceremony on, but the channel was soon changed as people did not want to watch it!

Yeah, I just don't get it. Yesterday at work, all day long, not a single soul said anything about Veteran's Day or honouring vets or anything. And only one person bothered to ask me about the poppy and ribbon. I honestly wonder how many of them even knew it was Veteran's Day at all if I hadn't mentioned it!

I'm used to at least a moment of silence at 11am, my last job back home our entire buildings complex (2 highrises, one lowrise) the security manager would go over the building PA system at 11am and everyone would stop what we were doing. Here...nothing. But there's a sale at Macy's!

Thanks btw Scotty, for your many years of service to all branches of the Canadian forces. We're all grateful, even if we don't always show it May you be one of those guys at 112 years old at the cenotaph ceremonies.