The Piper's Lament
An RCAF piper (Sgt Brown) plays the "piper's lament' as part of Commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic ceremony on Parliament Hill today. The Ottawa ceremony is normally held in front of the National War Memorial, but since it is undergoing renovations, it was moved to the hill. The Centennial Flame added an ethereal touch to almost any solemn occasion.
Not to give a history lesson, but for those wondering what all the fuss is about; the Battle of the Atlantic lasted 2,075 days and would saw the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) escort 25,343 merchant vessels across the North Atlantic. Near constantly beset by some of the worst weather and determined wolf packs of the Kriegsmarine. These cargo carried by these vessels was the equivalent of eleven lines of freight cars - if each one of them stretched from Vancouver to Halifax. 90,000 tons arrived in Britain daily. When it was all over the RCN had captured or destroyed 42 enemy surface ships, and directly, or assisted with, the sinking of 33 enemy submarines. This came at the high cost of thirty-three RCN warships with a further five damaged beyond repair. In total 1,990 sailors were killed, 319 wounded and 95 became POWs.
Times have changed, but the Canada (and indeed Europe) of today would be much different were it not for their service. Not to say that war is ever a good thing. I'm a big fan in the democratic process and not sending folks into harms way - and likely to harm someone else - unless the case has been made that all other avenues have failed.
The Piper's Lament
An RCAF piper (Sgt Brown) plays the "piper's lament' as part of Commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic ceremony on Parliament Hill today. The Ottawa ceremony is normally held in front of the National War Memorial, but since it is undergoing renovations, it was moved to the hill. The Centennial Flame added an ethereal touch to almost any solemn occasion.
Not to give a history lesson, but for those wondering what all the fuss is about; the Battle of the Atlantic lasted 2,075 days and would saw the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) escort 25,343 merchant vessels across the North Atlantic. Near constantly beset by some of the worst weather and determined wolf packs of the Kriegsmarine. These cargo carried by these vessels was the equivalent of eleven lines of freight cars - if each one of them stretched from Vancouver to Halifax. 90,000 tons arrived in Britain daily. When it was all over the RCN had captured or destroyed 42 enemy surface ships, and directly, or assisted with, the sinking of 33 enemy submarines. This came at the high cost of thirty-three RCN warships with a further five damaged beyond repair. In total 1,990 sailors were killed, 319 wounded and 95 became POWs.
Times have changed, but the Canada (and indeed Europe) of today would be much different were it not for their service. Not to say that war is ever a good thing. I'm a big fan in the democratic process and not sending folks into harms way - and likely to harm someone else - unless the case has been made that all other avenues have failed.