Many people will enjoy Remembrance Day today as a short mid-week holiday, with little thought of those who sacrificed in foreign battlefields. Maybe they’ll do a little shopping or get together with friends. They may believe they are simply too busy with their own problems to set aside a little time to think about those who have served in the military. Or like many, they may think the ceremonies are only for veterans, politicians and school children.
Both are understandable reactions in our modern world where we may share electronic circuits with strangers halfway across the globe, yet remain disconnected with the folks down the street. Maybe understandable, but also unforgivable in the face of the sacrifices made by the young men and women and their families who paid – and continue to pay for – the ultimate price in helping to define the values and freedoms Canadians all say we prize so much.
The numbers of the war dead over the past century are staggering. Here’s a partial list dating back to 1900: the South African conflict – 300; First World War – 59,544; Spanish Civil War – 721; Second World War – about 45,000; Korean War – 516; the peacekeeping mission in Cypress – 11; Vietnam War – 110; 23 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (One died as a result of enemy action, while the rest were killed in accidents); and Afghanistan – 158.
And for each and every one of these dead, think of those left behind: The mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, spouses, children, friends and communities. Think of the sorrow and lost opportunity.
Today is also a day to remember the wounded, who despite their often stoic or cheerful demeanours, have often carried the results of their injuries for life. Their numbers are also staggering. Though they are no longer with us, almost 155,000 soldiers were counted as wounded in the First World War. The Second World War added another 55,000 to that list.
Remember also with compassion, those who have returned from conflicts with wounded souls. Those of us who have not been in battle, nor seen the atrocities, can only imagine what we were spared because these brave people took our places. Think about that.
In years past, these walking wounded were referred to as the shell shocked, or worse, as if there was something wrong with them for not being stronger. In recent years, we have gained some understanding as we’ve heard story upon story of the devastating toll of psychological damage and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In a recent brilliant and touching series of stories by the Globe and Mail, reporter Renata D’Aliesio uncovered through freedom of information searches that 54 soldiers who had served in Afghanistan returned only to die by their own hands. The federal government has since confirmed that number is actually 59, and promises to improve the supports to all returning soldiers who have served in combat. As citizens, we should hold Ottawa to account. We cannot forget these 59, just as we cannot forget the uncounted others who return to slowly kill themselves, sip by sip. And ask yourselves, how are their families coping?
Those who remain ambivalent about setting aside a few minutes on Remembrance Day should consider that it is not a happy day. Its gatherings are not festivities. Its ceremonies must be taken seriously. That should be the absolute least, any of us should do.
