Tomb of Unknown Soldier

[visitor]

In the US, the Tomb of the Unknown  Soldier is guarded 24/7/ 365 days a year by a soldier  with great solemnity, even when a hurricane was pounding Washington.  It is a great honor to be chosen. He walks 21 steps,  turns, pauses 21 seconds and continues. Is the Canadian  Tomb also guarded? I cannot find info on that website.

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

No it isn't. It is underneath the National War Memorial, outdoors, just below the Parliament buildings. Given Ottawa's nasty climate, especially our winters, I don't think we could guard it in a similar fashion unless it was moved indoors. Places that are guarded such as Rideau Hall seem to lose their guards toward the end of summer. If you have not seen it, I am sure you will see numerous photos in tomorrow's news papers.

My family and I laid our poppies there after the Remembrance Day Ceremonies. It is a really special place on Remembrance Day and is a great place to say thank you to the Veterans.

Here is some more info if you are interested:

<a href="http://www.ottawakiosk.com/unknown_soldier.html"> Tomb of the Unknown Soldier</a>

 

[condor888000]

I was one of the cadets on parade when he was brought to lie in state at the centre block. Most moving moment of my life. I wish I could have been one of the two cadets chosen from my unit today to parade downtown, but instead I was sent to the Beechwood cemetery as well as the Eastview Legion. I was hoping to lay my poppy down on his tomb after, but unfortunately, it was not to be.

 

[pbi]

Visitor: I think the issue for our Tomb is not one of more or less respect: the touching gestures of hundreds of average Canadians placing their poppies there every year is proof enough of that. Rather I think that our Tomb is intentionally sited to place it in contact with the daily life of Canadians in our capital and a major city, beside our National War Memorial and close to our Parliament. I do not think that that is really so bad, after all.

Cheers

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Visitor: I think the issue for our Tomb is not one of more or less respect: the touching gestures of hundreds of average Canadians placing their poppies there every year is proof enough of that. Rather I think that our Tomb is intentionally sited to place it in contact with the daily life of Canadians in our capital and a major city, beside our National War Memorial and close to our Parliament. I do not think that that is really so bad, after all.

Cheers

Yes; it worked great for letting skateboarders come into contact with it, according to initial reports.  

 

[career_radio-checker]

Yes; it worked great for letting skateboarders come into contact with it, according to initial reports.  

I've witnessed a few skateboarders there, interesting story:

I did an essay on the written and unwritten rules on how to behave at cenotaphs. My research involved me sitting close to the National War Memorial for 2 hours in the day and 2 hours at night. And observe how people reacted in this particular public space. It was probably the most interesting and passionate project I ever did for university. I highly encourage other people to do the same, and you'll find that public appreciation is not only present on RRemembranceday. For instance, one father told his two girls never to forget that their lifestyle was fought for. Other parents are quick to grab there children who climb on the tomb and give them a little history lesson on the tomb of the unknown.

Of course there are those parents who don't really care and just let their kids climb all over it and try to pull up the bronze sword, or take the change some times left on the tomb. But what amassedme the most was a group of young teenage boys, some on BMXs and others on skateboards began to use the many levels of concrete and stairs as their new skate park. (Now I was pissed off at there behaviour, but as a researcher I had to bite my tongue and continue to observe. And I am glad I did because I witnessed the most amazing spectacle). About 5 minutes after these teens had started to do stunts and tricks, this minivan pulls up on to the crosswalk at the base of the monument and this man gets out. He calls all the boys out begins ripping these guys a new one... in a polite manner. He told them that "As a Canadian I cannot accept your misbehaviour" and "Above all places, this is not a playground.
He continued "This place is burial for thousands of Canadians who fought for you and this is not how you show respect." All the while his wife and kids were in the minivan watching, and all I could write in my note book was: 'Wow!'
needless to say the kids left shortly afterwards.

P.S. does anyone know where I can find footage of the burial of the unknown soldier (May 2000')

 

[paracowboy]

I was one of the cadets on parade when he was brought to lie in state at the centre block.

huh! Well, I was one of those wearing quilted scarlet tunics and a pith helmet on the same parade. And, yeah, it was moving, wasn't it?

 

[wack-in-iraq]

No it isn't. It is underneath the National War Memorial, outdoors, just below the Parliament buildings. Given Ottawa's nasty climate, especially our winters, I don't think we could guard it in a similar fashion unless it was moved indoors. Places that are guarded such as Rideau Hall seem to lose their guards toward the end of summer. If you have not seen it, I am sure you will see numerous photos in tomorrow's news papers.

My family and I laid our poppies there after the Remembrance Day Ceremonies. It is a really special place on Remembrance Day and is a great place to say thank you to the Veterans.

Here is some more info if you are interested:

<a href="http://www.ottawakiosk.com/unknown_soldier.html"> Tomb of the Unknown Soldier</a>

ive gotta disagree with you on the climate preventing a guard, ive been to moscow in winter and they have guards post on theirs. then again the russians did lose almost 30 million in WW2 alone.... not that that takes away from what we did in the war, but russians are generally more knowlegable about what their army has done than canadians are about their army.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

but russians are generally more knowlegable about what their army has done than canadians are about their army.

And nobody's elses. 

 

[condor888000]

huh! Well, I was one of those wearing quilted scarlet tunics and a pith helmet on the same parade. And, yeah, it was moving, wasn't it?

Certainly was. It was my first major parade, and the emotions are still with me today.

 

[3rd Horseman]

I often wonder what happened to the tomb of the unknown soldier in East Germany after the wall came down. I remeber when it was guarded by soldiers like was described earlier and then I saw a photo of the tomb years latter and it appeared abandoned, anybody know?
Oh and by the way I like the concept of our unknown soldier unguarded and close to the public, it makes me think in Canada we dont need a guard as we all guard him as we come incontact with the tomb.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I often wonder what happened to the tomb of the unknown soldier in East Germany after the wall came down. I remeber when it was guarded by soldiers like was described earlier and then I saw a photo of the tomb years latter and it appeared abandoned, anybody know?

Probably the same thing they did with Lenin's body?

 

[Gunner]

Lenin's tomb still seem to be in operation:

http://www.aha.ru/~mausoleu/

As far as the "Memorial for the Victims of Fascism and Militarism" it is now the "Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany"

http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/denkmal/denkmale_in_berlin/en/unter_den_linden/neue_wache.shtml

Let's use that multi-billion dollar search feature known as "Google"!

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Lenin's tomb still seem to be in operation:

http://www.aha.ru/~mausoleu/

Let's use that multi-billion dollar search feature known as "Google"!

Yes, quite, but it is no longer secured by a Guard of Honour.

Google is quite good at rustling up shitty links - wikipedia is the wave of the future, I think:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin%27s_Mausoleum

 

[wack-in-iraq]

And nobody's elses.  

is that such a bad thing ? why should they learn about other countries military history ?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

is that such a bad thing ? why should they learn about other countries military history ?

Yes, it is.  I hope you're joking.

 

[Gunner]

Yes, quite, but it is no longer secured by a Guard of Honour.

Google is quite good at rustling up shitty links - wikipedia is the wave of the future, I think:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin%27s_Mausoleum

Actually, I found the Lenin site through wikipedia - go to the bottom of the page.  Whether you use Google or wikipedia you need to have some type of knowledge of the subject before posting the link.  If you don't know the difference, and there are lots here who don't, you can wind up posting misinformation.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Actually, I found the Lenin site through wikipedia - go to the bottom of the page.  Whether you use Google or wikipedia you need to have some type of knowledge of the subject before posting the link.  If you don't know the difference, and there are lots here who don't, you can wind up posting misinformation.

Agreed.

 

[wack-in-iraq]

Yes, it is.   I hope you're joking.

no im not joking. ask your average canadian anything about the canadian army, or its history and they will give you a blank look, ive met canadians who dont even know we have an army. do you think these people have the slightest idea about the histories of any other nations military ?

so what if the russian people have a one sided view of their countries military, the important thing is that they know the sacrifices made by it, and are very appreciative. i was fortunate enough to be in moscow 9 may this year for the 60th anniversary of their victory day, id never seen anything even close to the way they treated their veterans. young girls running up and kissing vets, fireworks, huge displays, concerts.... i say as long as they have pride in their military, regardless of if they know about what other nations have done, let them have it.

 

[career_radio-checker]

no im not joking. ask your average canadian anything about the canadian army, or its history and they will give you a blank look, ive met canadians who dont even know we have an army. do you think these people have the slightest idea about the histories of any other nations military ?

so what if the russian people have a one sided view of their countries military, the important thing is that they know the sacrifices made by it, and are very appreciative. i was fortunate enough to be in moscow 9 may this year for the 60th anniversary of their victory day, id never seen anything even close to the way they treated their veterans. young girls running up and kissing vets, fireworks, huge displays, concerts.... i say as long as they have pride in their military, regardless of if they know about what other nations have done, let them have it.

Many would agree, it's because Canada was fortunate enough never to have the war fought on our soil. The reason why many (not all) canadians are so naive about 'sacrifice' is because they never suffered like the russians did, or the Brits, French (insert European/Asian nation here) etc...
Had their families been separated, bombed, gassed, executed, and homes destroyed, I think their outlook would have been much different. I agree with you but I also would think what I just described was a given.