Remembrance Day, 2014

I watched the Remembrance Day ceremonies from Ottawa on TV today. It took me back to the late 40's when my Dad and I went to the War Memorial for the ceremonies then. I remember the walking, holding his hand.

And today brother Don sent out an MP3 file of his musical arrangement for John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields. I hope I can embed it here so you can hear it. [It may have to wait until I'm back from our trip.] Here are some comments from family and friends -

From our friend Allan Hillman, England -

Hello Don

Thanks - much better with the music!!

A very timely e-mail – I have just been watching the ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, and then the BBC switched over to the Tower of London where the last of the special ceramic poppies were put in place, and the final 150 names were read out.

Now we await 11.00

If you all haven’t seen the 800,000 plus special ceramic poppies at the Tower of London, visited by over 5 million people,  covered by your media I recommend you look here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28658498

Kind regards

Allan

From brother Gordon Tripe, North Bay, Canada

Wow. I am very glad to have heard this at the start of this very, very important day. Well done big brother. Well done. Gord

From Me

Thanks Don, it is a wonderful arrangement and the choir has done a masterful job.

Thank you.

Anne

From Allan again

Hi Anne

I totally agree – the a capella was lovely, and although I cannot read music the actual arrangement completed things, Don and the choir have done a wonderful job, and the dedication to your parent’s shows the love you all have for them.

Kind regards

Allan

From Cousin David Hall, Ottawa, Canada

Wonderful, Don.

Here in a bright sky Ottawa the Remembrance Day gods heightened the drama for me. They delayed the beginning of my day until just before 11 and by the time I unlocked the secrets of the zip file the a capella ended just at the hour. Then the cannon boomed from Parliament Hill and at 11:11 the flypast roared by followed by the quieter drone from the rotary engine of the yellow biplane that flies out of Gatineau, Quebec.
Today, I honour in particular the memory of Major Harry John Hall, MC, 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), wounded at Ypres, killed in the Battle of The Somme October 1916, veteran of the Boer War, Lieutenant Seaforth Highlanders, wounded at Magersfontein, again at the battle of Jagersfontein, father of my father Kevin. 
A dram or two will be raised at the going down of the sun for all who served and all who suffered whether in the field or at home.
David

From our friend Karel Baetan, Belgium

Hello Don,

I love your version of "in Flanders Fields", my compliments to your church choir, what a beautiful performance.

It certainly brought me up to speed, next week we present our book on Y-32 Ophoven, your father is appearing in it as you know. In fact he and his comrades are more or less the reason why I wrote the book. We still have a lot to do, there will be an exhibition of WWII memorabilia , we've invited the primary schools from nearby villages so they can keep the remembrance alive, we will be interviewed on local television,I will meet Anne and her sister Louise, etc….

Kind Regards

Karel

From brother Rob Tripe, India

Don

Nice arrangement - a fitting "in memorium" tribute to Mum and Dad. How big is your choir? Pass along my congrats on a job well done to them. 

Thanks for sending it along.

Rob

P.S. - OK if I pass this along to my chorus director?