A few weeks ago, a very important man in my life passed away. His name was Karl Schneider. He was my father-in-law, and at 93 years of age, Heaven knocked and he went through the door into eternity. He left his home to join His Lord in His home. I will miss him but I am confident that I will see him again.
Though Karl may have been small in stature, he was a great man in depth and influence. He was a second Dad to me, and I will never forget the impression that he left upon my life and family. I looked up to him. It was an honour to know him. He was a man’s man, and he knew as a WW II veteran what it meant to be willing to lay down his life for God and country.
I treasure the times I had with him, listening to the faith that moved him, learning about the values that he carried deep in his soul, entering with him into the stories of life that moved him. Honouring God, family, country and church was important to him. He was a man of principle, a man of integrity, and a man who understood the cost of personal sacrifice.
When one thinks that out of the 600,000 Canadians that fought in WWI 64,944 gave their lives, it is astounding. One of every ten soldiers who left Canadian soil did not return. Twenty-five percent returned injured physically, and many came back emotionally and psychologically devastated. WW II lasted a similar length of time, taking 44,198 lives. Thankfully, in eight years of conflict, Afghanistan losses are slight in comparison (152). Few veterans from the World Wars remain alive today. We are losing their story and witness to the events of those years. The Memory Project is a critically important work in progress. Started in 2003, the Memory Project has been compiling an oral military history, recording reports of our soldiers on the 90 years of warfare, even to our most recent involvement as a nation in Afghanistan.
When one thinks of how the 1st Canadian division in WWI faced the chlorine gas attacks at the Battle of Ypres (1915) where 6,000 men lost their lives in 48 hours, it is a time for great gratitude. When one thinks of the First Canadian Parachute Division and the Third Canadian Division attacking the heavily fortified Juno Beach, one again is amazed at the level of their gallantry. When one thinks about the Canadian sailors who expended their lives to protect ships filled with men and supplies crossing the Atlantic, constantly hounded by Germany’s submarine Wolf Packs, one is moved by their bravery.
Every man and woman knew that Operation Overlord, attacking the beaches of Normandy – what was called Fortress Europe, signalled not only the beginning of the end of Nazism but also the potential beginning of the end of their own lives. It takes a different caliber of person to be willing to give their life for people they have never met.
There must be a cause – a primary motivation – that drives soldiers and makes them willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice. What is it? God and country? Honour? Justice? Liberty? Adventure – an opportunity to see the world? Making the world safe from terrorism? There was probably a mixture of motivations, but they went and still go, and I for one am grateful.
It is incumbent upon every generation to remember the sacrifices of the generation that preceded them. Every life is precious: the lives that are taken, and the lives that are given. Every life represents a family, a dream, and a destiny. For far too many, that dream was cut short, at the pinnacle of their potential.
Unfortunately, wars persist. According to Wikipedia, 27 or so recognized conflicts are occurring while I write this column. Winston Churchill stated after WWII, “When the war of the giants is over the wars of the pygmies will begin.” His words appear prophetic.
Our troops serve on many levels, from active military intervention to peacekeepers to trainers. They deserve our support and honour for doing so, and for upholding the principles our forefathers held to dearly, even to the giving of their own lives.
There are other types of wars that are being waged all around us that welcome the participation of every Canadian citizen. Our involvement can make a difference in the war on poverty, the war on the integrity of the marriage and family, the war on gangs, the war on racism, the war on the unborn, the war on human trafficking, or the war on the proliferation of drugs on our youth, to name a few.
War has come home to roost. There is real blood being shed here in our land. We do not have to go to the ends of the earth to find this war, for it is on our streets. It is a civil war, where we war within ourselves and with ourselves. The price of losing these wars will not be cheap. They may cost us our future if we are not willing to fight for something better.
Our vets demonstrated their willingness to fight for something worth dying for. I pray that every citizen become a soldier, willing to stand on guard for Canada during these very challenging days.
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