The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

I was recently doing some business with Larsen's Memorials in Winnipeg when I noticed in the back of their shop a stack of brand new grave markers for WWII casualties. I inquired about them, and that's when I found out about the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is a remarkable organization, headquartered in the UK, that looks after the memory of all Commonwealth men and women who served and died in world wars I and II. They do this by maintaining the memorials of all the war dead, and in some cases the cemeteries in which they are buried.

The Commission abides by the following principles:

• Each of the dead should be commemorated by name on the headstone or memorial
• Headstones and memorials should be permanent
• Headstones should be uniform
• There should be no distinction made on account of military or civil rank, race or creed

The organization has a very good web site where you can search for war dead or cemeteries. The history is also relatively fascinating. Did you know Rudyard Kipling was recruited to consult on the inscriptions on the memorials? All the work is funded by 6 Commonwealth nations, of which the UK is by far the largest contributor. Canada contributes the second largest amount.

Source: http://www.cwgc.org

The uniformity required in the memorials must dictate that the granite is sourced from a specific location, but the work done to engrave the markers is done locally. The grave markers that I saw at Larsen's were part of a routine 10 year replacement program. That's what surprised me the most...

Imagine: every 10 years, every memorial for every Commonwealth casualty of the two great wars is replaced. That's 1.7 million memorials in 23,000 locations in 153 countries around the world. I find that to be absolutely astonishing. It's not something I had ever really thought about, but I guess I just assumed they were replaced on an as-needed basis.

It may even seem a little bit excessive, but on Remembrance Day as you're thinking back to all those who died for our country, you can rest assured that their names will live on ad infinitum on well maintained memorials.

April 6: The day Troy Cowley died

In my own sort of This Was Manitoba-esque type post... It was this day in 2003 that a friend of mine was murdered.

His name was Troy Cowley. Troy worked as a facilities manager at my place of employment at the time. It was an IT business office in downtown Winnipeg, and the nature of Troy's work brought him in contact with most people there at one time or another. He was well very liked in the office, as I'm sure he was outside the office, because of his outgoing nature and perpetual good spirit.

In the evenings, Troy worked as a bouncer in an exchange district nightclub called Lot 115. He was not on-duty on April 6. He was there as a guest, but when a fight broke out on the patio behind the club he went to go help. Shortly after he stepped out of the back door of the club to calm things down he was shot twice in the face.

I had heard something about a shooting at the club, but I didn't know who got killed until I walked into the office the morning of April 7 and saw a colleague crying.

Troy was killed by this person:


Manitoba Warriors gang member Russell Thomas. Russell was, as they say, known to police. For example, in 1999 he was charged with gang and drug-related offences. Convicted only of the drug offences he was sentenced to over 4 years in prison and was on day parole a year later. Other events transpired and by the time of the shooting he was under three separate weapons-related court orders.-cbc-

Maybe the justice system was too inept to keep this turd off the street prior to April 6 2003, but in his conviction of second degree murder for the shooting of Troy, the courts took the unusual step of doubling the minimum time until parole to 20 years. And then one year later they accidentally let him go.

Fortunately they got him back in custody, and as far as I know he is still behind bars. I am pretty sure he is because Gang Life Recordz, "the realist shit on this side of the boarder", is still rapping to "Free Russell Thomas".

But forget about them. On this day I raise a glass to memory of Troy Cowley.

Remembering a Veteran

I don't remember ever talking to Pépère about the war. I didn't see him a whole lot anyhow, and I was told that he didn't like to discuss it so I never attempted to bring it up. I never even saw his medals until his funeral.

All I know is a summary of what he did and what part of Europe he fought in. Much of what he experienced over there went to the grave with him, and perhaps that's the way it should be. We can't ever forget what happened in WWII, but the individual hardships and tragedies, terror, boredom, relief, discomfort, whatever -- the personal experiences and details -- that doesn't necessarily need to be passed on, and there is really no way to properly convey it anyhow.

So while I may be curious, I know all I need to know: that Pépère went over and played his small role to help us all, and suffered lasting effects because of it. That's why I will think about him today.

Jack Layton

We here at the Peanut are sorry to learn of Jack's demise. Jack was a dynamic figure in Canada's political scene and as leader of the NDP he provided an important counter-balance to the traditional governing parties.

I certainly feel for Olivia and the rest of Jack's friends and family, but I am not going to pretend now that I have any particular personal attachment to Jack simply because he has passed away. And though I regret his passing, it is certainly no surprise. My mother, like Jack, won a battle with cancer but lost the war. I know others who have fallen to cancer's sword as well, including both parents of a family that I am acquainted with. In both cases cancer struck with shocking speed, taking both parents (years apart) in less than one month from their initial diagnosis. Once cancer grips your body there is little than can be done to stop it.

That is why, when Jack appeared in his press conference, suddenly frail and weak, less than a month ago, I feared the worst. I was not one of those who optimistically predicted that Jack would be back in September or even that he would be back at all. I knew he would not. I suspect most people knew as well, but did not want to face reality. I read all of those tweets and commentaries that said Cancer better watch out because it doesn't know who it's dealing with and other silly things, and I shook my head. Sure, hope for the best, but if you convince yourself that he's going to beat it, it will only hurt more when he does not. It may be a blessing for the NDP and its supporters that the end came as quickly as it did, rather than stringing them along with false hope of a return of Jack.

On a personal level his death is no more or less tragic than any other, but it has great significance to the country on a political level. With his loss, we have not just a rudderless opposition party, but an extremely inexperienced rudderless opposition party. It is a party that has a lot of work to do just to sort itself out. There will be a leadership race that could potentially become nasty, having recently adopted a lopsided Quebec-oriented posture but with most senior MPs coming from other parts of the country. When at one time the NDP knew what it stood for and had a small but solid base under a charismatic leader, it is now spread thin, with no leader and a suspect agenda.

I don't know if there has ever been a time in Canada's history when a national government has ever has so much leeway. There have certainly been larger majorities, but as far as I know there was typically some sort of effective opposition to hold them to account. (Mind you, I am no political scholar.) But here we have a situation where Harper is faced with a full term of majority rule, and every opposition party is in complete disarray, with the exception of the Green Party which only has one seat.

Layton was a remarkable man, and the rise of his party to official opposition status under his leadership was stunning. The void that will be left by his departure will be equally remarkable. The NDP was over-achieving with Jack at the helm, and now that he's gone and Nycole Turmel is temporarily in charge, the party is completely out of its league. In retrospect, the rise of the NDP may have been more of a victory for the Conservatives than it was for the political left. In any case, the man went out on top and had an impact on the nation, and that is something to be remembered.

Peter Falk and the HBC mug

Acting legend Peter Falk passed away yesterday. Though best known for his Emmy-winning role Columbo, Falk was also the narrator of this blog's namesake movie: The Princess Bride.

Here's a neat little factoid about that: as Falk's character is reading the story to his grandson, played by Fred Savage, he drinks coffee from an Hudson's Bay Co. coffee mug:


Completely useless trivia, yes, but this blog is nothing if not completely useless, so there you go.

Rest in peace, Mr. Falk.

Gerry Rafferty

I found out via Facebook that musician Gerry Rafferty died on Tuesday of this week. Gerry was best known as the artist behind the song "Baker Street", with it's iconic sax solo.

I was driving home one night and heard that song on the radio. I had heard it a thousand times before, including on the episode of The Simpsons where jazz man Bleeding Gums Murphy dies, but I didn't know who sang it. I needed to know, so I memorized some of the lyrics..

And then he’ll settle down, in some quiet little town
And forget about everything.

..and googled them when I got home, finding out of course that it was Gerry Rafferty, former member of the band Stealers Wheel -- best known for the song "Stuck in the middle with you", otherwise known as the song where the guy gets his ear cut off in Tarantino's Resevoir Dogs.

After reading this bio, it seems that his death is almost a long-sought relief from a painful existence. I really have nothing else to say about Gerry, except that "Baker Street" is one bloody good song. RIP.

And when you wake up it’s a new morning
The sun is shining, it’s a new morning
But you’re going, you’re going home.

Remember

April 9 - Vimy Ridge Day

go to West End Dumplings for a related post with actual text!

Remembrance Day

Lest we forget ...


My colleagues in Ontario are working on the 11th. Why isn't this a holiday in every province?

Sen. Ted Kennedy

The Peanut says good bye to Senator Ted Kennedy today.

Kennedy was a vocal supporter of health care reform. In fact, an exclusive source has told Anybody Want A Peanut? that Kennedy intentionally died in order to help boost Obama's lagging health care reform campaign.

I may need to vet my sources a little better.

Not your typical stuffed suit or partisan hack, Mr. Kennedy was good for American politics and Washington won't be the same without him.

Vimy Ridge Day

April 9 is Vimy Ridge Day. I didn't even know there was a Vimy Ridge Day until Don Cherry mentioned it on Coaches Corner. It's one of those special Days where you still have to get up early and go to work. I don't get to sleep in and spend the day making little houses out of Cheeze Whiz and Ritz Crackers in my underwear, which I thought was the whole point of having a special Whatever Day. Still, it is a good idea because maybe some young people who don't know about what happened 92 years ago will get curious and google it and learn something about this proud moment in Canadian history.

Oh, and to you French sex pots who keep using our memorial as a backdrop for your cheap porn videos, there is a field full of sheep nearby that you can use instead. I'm sure the sheep won't mind. Just watch out for the unexploded munitions.


Veteran's Affairs - Vimy Ridge Day
How to get to Vimy Ridge

Georges Devloo

Sad news from France: Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy

Georges Devloo has died, at 85, and that means a tradition of respect and generosity and stunning hospitality has gone, too.

Vimy, that crucial French village so soaked in Canadian history and blood, is a place of pilgrimage. Anyone who opts to take a train there knows, though, that actually getting to the memorial is tough. It's nowhere near the station, and the station has no taxis. It has no phone. It has no employees. But, for the past 13 years, it had Monsieur Devloo.

He was the elderly man in the trench coat, beret and broad smile who virtually every day stood on the platform to wait for wayward Canadians and offered to take them to the memorial. He asked for absolutely nothing in return.

I had the privilege of meeting Georges Devloo last October when my wife and I visited Vimy Ridge. We were looking for a way to get back to the train station in Arras that did not involve trudging through the rain to the nearest town and waiting two hours for a bus, and by chance Monsieur Devloo was available.


Monsieur Devloo is really one of the friendliest guys you could ever hope to meet. Just after I took the above photo he popped open his hatch and pulled out a photo album of his own. We spent half an hour in the loading zone out front of the train station looking at photos as it rained. Georges didn't care about the rain. He was happy as punch to share his memories with a couple of Canadians. He had photos of friends and family, photos of Quebec, Ottawa, and here in Winnipeg. Yes, for a moment I was standing in a parking lot in northern France looking at a photo of the Saint Boniface Cathedral in the trunk of a car.

Although we only spent about an hour or so with him, it's an hour we will always remember because of his big smile, kind demeanor, and enthusiasm. Both my wife and I feel as though we lost a friend. Georges Devloo was certainly a friend to Canada and he will be missed.

c/p The Broom
h/t Mr Christian for the head's up on newwinnipeg.com

How to get to Vimy Ridge

When I was looking into visiting Vimy Ridge I had difficulty finding good instructions on getting there. It didn't occur to me to call Veteran's Affairs, which would be a good place to start. But anyhow, here's my insight, should anybody happen to google by.

Step 1: Get your ass over to Paris.
Step 2: Go to Gare du Nord, and catch a train to Arras. If you wish to reserve a ticket in advance, it can done at any train station.
Step 3 / option 1 (recommended): take a cab from the Arras train station to the Vimy Ridge national historic site. Approx cost: €20 one way.
Step 3 / option 2 (not recommended unless you have little money): take a bus to the Vert-Tilleul stop (the last of the three stops in Thelus). Walk approx 1 km up the highway to the turn off to Vimy Ridge. Warning: it is a busy highway and there are no shoulders. Follow the road another 3 km-ish to get to the park. Cost: €1.

The bus does not run very often, and it does not leave from the train station in Arras either. The cab is by far your best bet. Keep the phone number for the cab (06.17.59.7101). When you are ready to leave you can call one out to get you, or ask one of the nice folks who work at the park office to call one for you.

If you are really lucky, like I was, you might get a free lift back into town by a kind French gentleman named Monsieur Devloo who often gives Canadians rides to and from Vimy Ridge. [02/10/09 edit: Mr. Devloo recently passed away]


TO THE VALOUR OF THEIR COUNTRY-MEN IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN MEMORY OF THEIR SIXTY THOUSAND DEAD THIS MONUMENT IS RAISED BY THE PEOPLE OF CANADA

***

[12/10/09 edit: I still get fairly regular hits on this post. If you are visiting Vimy and have suggestions or updated information upon returning from your visit, please feel free to add them to the comments or send me an email (see side bar for my address .. replace *at* with @) so that other visitors might benefit from your experience. Thanks, and bonne chance.]

[03.2016 update: A commentor below gave the following numbers for taxis to/from Vimy: 06 69 34 74 75 or 06 58 23 36 37]

Benazir Bhutto dead, Pakistan's future in critical condition

BBC report here

The shocking yet not surprising news of Bhutto's demise has evaporated much of the hope that I had for the people of Pakistan. It comes at a time when Musharraf's commitment to peace and democracy is becoming increasingly questionable. Bhutto represented a realistic opportunity to return Pakistan to being a stabilizing force in the region. Though I am sure Musharraf will condemn the attack and offer his condolences to her family and supporters, you have to believe that at some level he is relieved that this threat to his leadership is gone.

If you don't think this has anything to do with you, remember that Canadians are fighting right next door to Pakistan, and many of the people their fighting are crossing over from Pakistan.

Lest We Forget