In Remembrance of…
On the 11th of November we take the time to remember the millions of individuals who laid down their lives to give us a better future. The poem on the front page and pictures included in this article are excerpts from my wife’s grandfather’s journal while a prisoner of war. (Edward A Miller, A Wartime Log). He served in the Dieppe raid and then was a POW for the remainder of the war. The Dieppe raid was an experimental invasion to test the German defenses on the coast of France.
Recently, when I was casually reading through his writings, I was intrigued at the amount of hope that his journal shows. Rather than be in misery over his present circumstance, he chose to believe in a future. He hoped for something better. He wrote of his affection for his daughters. Drew house plans, meal plans, pictures of nature as well as poetry.
This hopeful attitude when life was bleak is something we can learn from today. If he had looked at what his eye saw – it would be utter despair.
Nothing of his circumstance, both on the battlefield, and then as a POW, would have given any indication of hope. In fact, it would have given him every reason to despair and give up hope. His writings reveal his resilience to the present circumstance and ability to plan for a better future. It was an honour to play “The Last Post” at his funeral.
Given one of his war medals as an inheritance, the real value isn’t what I received as a historical artifact, it was the gift of his spirit the medal represented. Against all odds, both on and off the battlefield, he displayed the courage to lead and press forward. He looked past the present circumstance into the potential of a future that was beautiful.
I hope that we can emulate this character today.
Enjoy the paper. There are several great articles for your reading enjoyment. With Christmas coming, I trust you can participate in the many local Christmas markets and support our talented artisans.
From my family to yours,
Lowell Harder
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