Remembrance Day is gone from our calendars for another year. There is a practice now almost universal when, upon meeting a veteran, we say: “Thanks for your service!
Recently, a one-eyed veteran Navy Seal appeared on Saturday Night Live to graciously receive a pardon from one of the comediennes for making light of the loss of the Seal’s one eye.
He suggested that, what might be a better greeting, would be – “We will not forget.”
I wrote a little book of about 80 pages in 2004 called ‘As Time Goes By’. The book includes a dozen short stories of local veterans going back more than 150 years. The book weaves in the Music of Wartime.
It includes a CD of songs of wartime performed by local people … Sandy Lee Lindsay, Victoria Serda, Steve Wilson, Bob Trelford, Don Tew, Bruce Chapman, Tom Marcotte, Rachel Bennett, Andrew Champion and Charlotte and Al Thompson in a show performed at the Southampton Town Hall 14 years ago.
Short interviews with the veterans were the highlight of the writing task for me. I’ll never forget them. The book and album are for sale at the Bruce County Museum and Archives in a new printing. All revenues go to the Museum to be used to help us all remember. Look for its blood red cover or inquire at the front desk.
Mike Sterling
November 11, 2018.
