Tributes and Thank-you's
A Grateful Family
Here is a wonderful email, which reflects typical feelings of the audience at the Memorial Wall Ceremony:
Mr. Phil Doddridge all others concerned,
I wish to express sincere appreciation on behalf of my family to the Memorial Wall Committee Members.
My family and I attended the unveiling of the wall ceremony held in Ottawa on August 15th 2009. We were all particularly impressed with the organization of the ceremony and wish to command those of you who participated in the planning and orchestrating of the event. Moreover, I wish to congratulate you Mr. Doddridge on your moving speech, as I was amazed by your eloquence.
My grandfather was Reginald "Reggie" Law who left
us on December 31, 2006. A huge part of his identity, what defined who he was,
what he believed in, lied in the fact that he was a Hong Kong veteran. My mother
and her siblings
were raised to be so proud of their freedom, to be proud to have faith and
furthermore to be proud to be Canadian. Fortunately, those values were
transferred to my generation.
I came to Ottawa as a young University student to
be a Parliamentary Tour guide, in part because of this strong sense of
patriotism enlisted in me by my grandfather, or "Pop" as we called him. I was so
proud to be an Ambassador of my home and native land to visitors from abroad
visiting
Canada. People around the world recognize Canadians as being amongst the
friendliest in the world. While showing friends around the world our majestic
Parliament buildings, I always mentioned that Canada has always fought for peace
in every war. Something for which we should ever be so proud.
As a current resident of the city of Ottawa, I am
grateful to have this monument as an emblem of remembrance. Future generations
in Canada will hopefully comprehend war as a foreign concept but those of us who
had the opportunity to learn stories from out
veterans will always remember. I am thrilled that some of our Hong Kong veterans
had the chance to see their own names on this grandiose monument; a symbol of
our families' past and a
symbol of our futures, and our freedom. Once again, thank you.
With warmest regards,
Melissa-Marie Cormier
Thank you Uncle Dick
To RICHARD WILSON - June 22, 2009 (Richard C. Wilson, H6614, WG died June 28,2009)
I wanted to make sure I had a chance to thank you for all you have contributed to my life and the Wilson family. Thank you for:
· Being born and raised during the Depression years, so you learned the value of a dollar and what it represents and the value of helping others in need.
· Riding the “rails” to find work, and send money home to support your mother, your sisters, and my dad in Virden, Manitoba.
· Defending Canada’s freedom during WWII when you gave unselfishly of your time and talents to defend Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the war turned against you and you persevered as a prisoner of war in some very intense and difficult years. You emerged battered but proud of your contribution – thank you for that!
· Keeping Manitoba/western Ontario “on the move” with Greyhound, in your postwar job as a bus driver – safe, courteous, and proud of your record of accident free driving and excellent service to your customers!
· As a young boy, sharing with me the beauty of rural Manitoba and the fur trade and Metis historical buildings you helped me explore.
· Becoming a “snowbird” with your lovely wife Beatrice, as you took an active interest in heading South to Arizona each winter. You became enchanted with the American Aboriginal Indian stories, and made great efforts to communicate and photograph their lifestyle to share with others.
· Sharing with me your interest in photography, travel and gardening. I caught the first two – 2 out of 3 ain’t bad!
· Giving unselfishly to others less fortunate, and supporting your local community efforts, the War Amps, Veterans Association and other projects needing financial support (eg. Stonewall Community Hockey Rink/Arena complex)
· Living long enough to be able to see many of your nieces and nephews achieve in their careers, and raise new Wilson family members, under various last names. You enjoyed meeting and spending time with my wife Carol and myself and always made us feel “at home” with you and Aunt Bea when visiting Manitoba.
· Coming to see your brother (and my Dad) Bob prior to his passing. Sharing childhood memories (the only ones he could remember) meant the world to us, and showed us what brotherly love was all about.
· Staying alive and persevering through your latest health issues with cancer to be able to visit with me and your Dryden, Ontario nephews – we saw the ravages cancer has had on your body. Hugs and kisses don’t always convey how much “we love you”!
So, Happy Birthday coming soon Uncle Dick – 91 years proud, an amazing life story worth sharing!
In the words of the song that Celine Dion made famous:
“there is no easy way out,
When you are ready to go,
and your heart is in doubt,
Don’t give up on your faith,
Love comes to those who believe,
And that’s the way it is!
Your loving nephew,
Bruce Wilson, Calgary, Alberta