On this day, at the 11th hour on the 11th month, we pause to remember all those who died in war. We pause to acknowledge the sacrifice of the many for the many more, who died defending freedom and this thing we call civilization from fear, oppression, genocide, hopelessness, brutality, and the scourge of war itself. And, as we have done several times now, my wife and I chose to honor the veterans by going down to the Legislature in Victoria, BC. There, massive crowds come to watch the parade, see the wreaths being laid, hear the speeches, and listen to the 21 gun salute.

And let me tell you, it was cold and rainy this year! But still, thousands of people still came out to pay their respects and show their support for the current generation of veterans and military personnel who are here at home or deployed overseas. As I’m sure most people know, Remembrance Day began as a way of commemorating those who died in the Great War, a somber anniversary that was made to coincide with Armistice Day. After four years of horror and endless conflict, the combatants agreed that the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month would mark the end of hostilities.

Since that time, it has grown to commemorate those who have died in any war, as a tribute to the terrible lessons learned in World War I, but have since come to be repeated, either through necessity or the frailty of humanity, many times since. Known as Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, Veteran’s Day in the US, and Armistice Day in New Zealand, France and Serbia; for much of the world it is simply a day to reflect on the greatest sacrifices, worst mistakes, and terrible horrors to ever be witnessed by history.

To mark the occasion, I thought I would take the time to honor two veterans who are very near and dear to my heart. They are my grandfathers, both of whom I’m named after: Grandpa Matthew Vincent Williams and Grandpa Stewart Beverley Wilson. Both men were pilots with the Royal Canadian Air Force, flying out of bases on Canadian soil, patrolling our coasts, and training pilots and instructors how to fight.

Stewart Beverley Wilson: Born in 1922, my maternal grandfather became a pilot and flight instructor who then went on to be a instructor of flight instructors while serving at CFB (Canadian Forces Base) Trenton in Southern Ontario. He was in his 20’s for the course of his service, barely a man himself, and was responsible for teaching other young men to train other pilots how to fly. He was part of the Commonwealth Air Training Program, a vast air training program in Canada designed to ensure that Britain and the Commonwealth had enough pilots to defend the skies during the Battle of Britain, and then to take part in the Allied air offensive for the rest of the war. Afterwards, he and his family settled in Brantford, but he continued to serve as a flight instructor.

Matthew Vincent Williams: Born in 1912, my paternal grandfather enlisted in the RCAF with the hopes of becoming a pilot. However, due to his eyesight, he was instead trained as a gunner and navigator. Stationed in British Columbia, in part because he had recently become a father (one of my uncles). His tour took him to Jericho Beach in Vancouver, as part of the Western Air Command where he flew personnel in and out of the city and Vancouver Island. During the course of the war, his aircraft – a PBY Canso – sunk a Japanese submarine off the coast with depth charges while on patrol. Though he hoped of settling in the west, he returned to Ontario in Aug of 1945 to take care of his mother and settled into Hamilton. He remained in the Glider Program for many years before retiring.

Thank you all and wishing you a sober, reflective and peaceful Remembrance Day/Veteran’s Day/Armistice Day, wherever you may be. Let us hope that with every conflict and every act of sacrifice since the Great War ended, that we’ve learned something about the futility of war and the needless nature of aggression and conflict. And here’s to the day when we can settle our differences without bloodshed or violence.

Lest We Forget