Emma Norton

Day 7: April 9, 2007
Where: Vimy Memorial, France
Main Events: The main event! (the rededication ceremony)
It’s 12:20 PM and we’ve all come here to the big lunch tent.  A veteran named Tom Eagle just came over to talk to us.  He’s really nice.  If I remember correctly, he came here with 45 other people from the Yukon.  He was really interested in why we are here, and who we are.  Mr. Eagle said that it was his sixth time here and that he still does not know enough about Vimy.  His first time to Vimy was in 1951.  He told us about how during the Second World War Hitler had said not to touch the memorial because it wasn’t a Canadian memorial- it was a memorial for all of the fallen soldiers. Hitler had said that if anyone destroyed or damaged the memorial they would have to deal with him.  I think that this is so true because we have to remember that it wasn’t just Canadians who fought, it was a world war.  Even Hitler knew that and respected it.  When Mr. Eagle left he told us that he has been invited to come to PEI.  He’s going to try to contact Bluefield school.  He was very interesting to listen to, and each veteran we talk to makes this trip even more worthwhile.

Day 8: April 10, 2007
Where: Belgium
Main Events: Touring the memorials.
Tonight we went to experience the Last Post in Ypres. It was amazing.  They have played the last post every night since the end of World War 1, except for when Ypres was occupied by the Germans during World War 2.  It is not like someone would just stand up, play on their bugle and then it would be all over -  it was a big ceremony.  Menin Gate was filled with people, young and old, who had turned out to watch and listen.  The World Wars were obviously a big part of Ypres’ culture. As we were sitting waiting for the ceremony to begin an aged lady sat down behind us.  She was 92, and was once a schoolteacher.  She spoke English fluently.  She told us that she came to the Last Post every day unless it was too cold.  As the bugle players came out, each one of them stopped, shook her hand and said hello.  When the bagpipes played were played she was humming along.  It filled my eyes with tears listening to her.  She would have seen/experienced so many horrible things because of the wars.  This ceremony obviously meant a lot to her.