BARRHEAD – The experiences of the almost 100,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are all different, but they all have one thing in common: a mission to help Canadians and ensure this is the most safe and stable world we can live in.
“It really makes me proud to know that I am making a difference,” said Cpl. Callum Moore, speaking to the students at Neerlandia Public Christian School (NPCS).
Last week, schools within Pembina Hills (and throughout Alberta) hosted short Remembrance Day ceremonies to mark the occasion. One of them was NPCS, who held its own Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 9.
In addition to presentations and reports from students, there was also a special visitor: Cpl. Moore, who came up to Neerlandia from CFB Edmonton.
Moore opened up by talking about his own service record, including being deployed to Lebanon in 2020 to assist military forces there in learning first aid.
He noted that Canadian soldiers are often deployed overseas to help train foreign military forces; for instance, the CAF worked with Ukrainian forces in the years leading up to the invasion of the country in early 2022, making sure they were ready for any possible Russian aggression.
The people who serve in the CAF today are the latest generation of soldiers in a military whose history dates back over 100 years and includes conflicts such as the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and the decade spent in Afghanistan.
Noting that this year marked the 105th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, he asked the students to envision themselves as soldiers in the First World War, specifically those who were stationed at the battlefields of France in 1917.
“You’re far from home: your friends, your parents, your loved ones, those that you hold dear. Everyone is really scared,” he said.
“On the morning of April 9, you and your fellow soldiers are told the time has come. It’s time for you to get out of your trench, march across No Man’s Land and attack the German positions.”
He described how soldiers would have to climb out of their trenches and keep pushing forward through a hail of bullets, explosions and smoke, as well as other men falling around them.
“After a long and difficult day’s fight, it quiets down. Canada has won the battle,” he said, adding that despite the victory, the cost was the lives of nearly 3,600 Canadian soldiers and injuries to thousands more.
“It’s important to remember these heroes, because without them, the battle of Vimy Ridge could not be won. These Canadians sacrificed their lives and sacrificed their bodies so that we can live the life that we live today.”
Moving to the Second World War, he talked about the battle at Dieppe in 1942, in which 6,500 soldiers attempted to re-take a small French beach from German forces.
“This time, the battle is very different, even though Canadians did their job. The Dieppe Raid, as it became known, was a costly military disaster in Canada’s history,” he said, adding that the casualties included 3,367 killed, wounded or captured soldiers.
“Both of these battles show the true and unfortunate cost of war: the lives lost and those lives that are forever changed. The sacrifice that these soldiers made so that many people could live in peace and prosper.”
In total, 100,000 Canadians would die between the First and Second World Wars and another 516 would perish in the Korean War.
A total of 158 members of the CAF would then lose their lives in Afghanistan over the course of 14 years.
“Their sacrifice helped make Canada the country it is today, by protecting our freedoms from the enemies that would have taken it away,” he said.
Besides fighting in wars and serving overseas, Moore recounted how the CAF was called in to assist Canadians during natural disasters like the flooding that hit Winnipeg in 1997.
“These days as a result of climate change, we’re seeing the CAF called upon to help in more and more of these missions, dealing with environmental damages,” he said.
He noted the CAF were also called in during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist residents of care homes in Ontario, and many members assist in search and rescue missions to help find those lost in the mountains or forests.
Moore said he is always grateful to be thanked for his service and urged the students to thank another CAF member or veteran in the next few days for their efforts.
“Honour the memory of those who gave their lives and those who never made it home. We will remember them,” he said.
.jpg;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
