
The poet and the poppy
A century ago, Canadian medical officer John McCrae saw “every horror that war had,” including the death of a close friend, and penned a poem

A century ago, Canadian medical officer John McCrae saw “every horror that war had,” including the death of a close friend, and penned a poem

As a three-year-old, I had no real comprehension of the horrific circumstances in which I lived. The hand grenade, carelessly discarded by a Nazi soldier, attracted my attention. I was playing outside my home in the Netherlands in 1944 when I saw it lying on the patio. I picked it up and studied it for a moment. With its long wooden handle and round metal top, it resembled a potato masher.

In mid-October 1918, my grandfather, Donald Mainland, was near Maurois, France, with the Fort Garry Horse. A welterweight—150 pounds, five feet six inches, with sandy hair and grey eyes, Donald was older than some of the men in the trenches. His 25th birthday had just passed without notice.

Exclusive Audio Edition: More than once Bud Hannam is mobbed by children during celebrations of the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.
Published in the June 1930 issue of Legion Magazine. Written by Will R. Bird Exclusive Audio Version: It was when the “Prairie Squirrels” were at
Published in Legion Magazine, February 1964 By Joy Smith Exclusive Audio Version: Many young people today probably have never heard the word “rationing,” but



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An informative primer on Canada’s crucial role in the Normandy landing, June 6, 1944.