Tales of Animals in War - 2022 Edition

“Woof! Hey everyone,” barked Gandy the dog. “Here is a picture of the Remembrance Clubhouse friends when we recently visited our capital city of Ottawa. We all have a great interest in remembrance and Canada’s military history. We also happen to have animal relatives who served in times of war. So we decided to take a walk around town to look for different symbols of remembrance. When we came around one corner, our paws and hooves stopped us in our tracks! There were a bunch of cool street banners hanging from lamp posts, showing some of the places the Canadian military has served over the years.”

“Yes,” squawked Squeaker the pigeon. “I actually first saw the banners from a birds-eye view as I was flying high above. I spotted one about the Dieppe Raid and was so excited that I almost fell from the sky. You see, a relative of mine was a messenger bird at Dieppe during the Second World War. He even received a medal for his bravery.”

My favourite banner was the one honouring Canadian peacekeepers in Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea,” purred Simone the cat. “It shows a soldier with binoculars. I was so jealous! We kitties love to watch things carefully and pounce when the time is right. Keeping your eyes open for trouble is a good thing and can help keep things safe.”

“All the banners were interesting, but the one about Western Europe really stood out for me,” Win the bear roared happily. “Many Canadian kids lived in West Germany while their parents were serving in uniform there. It reminded me of my great-great grandmother Winnie who went overseas to England during the First World War.”

“I noticed there was also a colourful street banner about a big peacekeeping mission in the Balkans in the 1990s,” added Gandy excitedly. “Canadian Armed Forces members did many things in that region of southeastern Europe. Dogs like me also helped the people there. Remembering Canadians who fought in wars is very important, but so is honouring our peacekeepers.”

“All those banners were so awesome,” trumpeted Ellie the elephant. “They also got me thinking about other ways in our communities that we remember those who have served, like war monuments. I also know several Canadian schools are named in honour of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

And in British Columbia there is a school named after Mark Isfeld who was a Canadian peacekeeper.”

 “You sure are right,” neighed Bonfire Jr. the horse. “Banners and school names are great ways to honour important battles and brave soldiers. Many streets and highways in our communities also have names that salute our service members. We actually drove on the Highway of Heroes on our way to Ottawa. I have even galloped down remembrance walking trails in a few communities.”

 “We had a great time exploring Ottawa and talking about some of the different ways Canadians publicly honour those who have served in uniform,” Gandy barked. “It’s important that we remember people who have stood up for peace as a way to show our thanks. Next time you are out for a walk or drive, keep an eye open for these kinds of things in your community. And why not bring remembrance to your classroom or school by designing special banners of your own!”