mariomike said:
He used to let me wear his, but I was still in short pants.
You are completely missing the point. You are not looking outside the circle.
There is nothing to de-criminalise, its still and will always be an offence to wear them as if you earned them that means on the left, even here. That will never change.
An ammendment has to be made to be worn on the right, this along with the provisons of such an ammendment. I guess you haev not researched this topic, thats bloody obvious.
As for not having permission to wear them, how silly!
Read this: (its from a post on here from 2004)
You know with 11 Nov fast approaching, and with me being in the field for the next 3 wks, I won't be able to be on line unless I sneak into town.
I thought I'd start this thread as a memorial of those we know, or knew. My story is about one man, who's tragic loss affected so many, and who's loss inspired me to join the Militia back in 1976, and I joined up with a Unit, the Regina Rifles, who prepetuated the 28th Battalion of which Robert served and died with.
Who was he? Well he was my Great Uncle. His name was Robert Allen, and was known as Bob to all who knew him. He was born on 05 May 1895 in Marlbank, Ontario, and came out west to Saskatchewan with his family about 1910. They all settled in the Quill Lake district,and began to farm.
Bob had many interests, and had a passsion for fastball, and played on the local team throughout the spring and summers, competing against other towns such as Watson, and Wadena. He was also active socially within the community, and was overall well liked.
On 19th January 1916, he and others travelled about 30km by horse and cutter to nearby Wadena to enlist in the Army, as the local lads felt it was time to do their bit. Bob's Mum was heartbroken and truly reluctant in letting him go, but his Dad was proud that his son was off to do good for King and Empire, but like all parents was genuinely concerned about the fate of his son.
Bob had written to his cousin in Peel, Ontario, who was eager to join too, saying he'd be in before Bob. Both had actually enlisted a day apart. His name was Richard Marlin (775646 PTE, late of the 38th Ottawa Batt'n), who was later to be KIA at Vimy Ridge on 09 Apr 1917.
The local lads signed up with the 214th Batt'n Wadena Wildcats, and soon ended up at Camp Hughs, near where CFB Shilo now is. Bob made it home many times for leave before ending up in England in the spring of 1917, but when home, he charmed the local girls, and left for England a single 20 yr old man, with many of the locals he signed on with.
He left for the UK from Halifax, never to see his beloved Canada again. Before leaving he gave to his Mum, a few momentos, such as some hatbadges, and a .303 drill rd.
After enduring the boring training in England, 267104 PTE R.F. Allen was TOS'd by the 28th (Saskatchewan) Batt'n in Jul 1917, and ended up in France.
From 'somewhere in the field' Bob wrote many letters home, and sent postcards to many of his friends and family. Over the years, these momentos have been treasured and passed from one generation to the other. Bob was gutted to learn about the death of his close childhood friend and cousin, and mentioned this in a letter home.
Finally, the 28th Batt'n was to be involved in a big show in the Third Battle of Ypres, know as the battle of Passchendaele.The offensive began on Halloween, and the 28th Batt'n after rehursing were finally 'into the line' on the evening of the 5th, and advanced on the fringe of the village of Passchenadele before dawn on the morning of the 6th of Nov 1917.
The morning was cool and wet, but by mid day it was about 13C. Sometime early in the advance Bob was struck down by emeny fire (reports say SW and/or GSW), but either way he was hit badly in both legs and left arm. The septic soil of Belguim farmland had been forced into the wounds.
Bob was concious (I spoke to an old Vet in 1979 who was there with him when he was evac'd) as he layed on the stretcher, covered with mud soak bandages, and with MG08 and wizz bangs going off all around, he kept up his humour, joking about going home, and saying 'you can have your war lads, I am going home'. The enemy fire was fierce, and Bob was finally evac'd out of the line and ended up at No. 3 CCS, near Rouen, where he had both legs and left arm amputated, and was given morphia to settle him.
Bob sadly died of his wounds the next morning, and most likely succomed to an infection from the soil. He was buried near Poperinghe, at the Lijssenthoek Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Plot XXII, Grave IIA.
It should be known that Bob's Unit reached their objective before 0900, and HELD it until later releived.
His family soon heard the news, and was lost in grief as one would expect. So taken by the loss of his brother, my Grandfather, Alexander, named his first born son after him, and when my Uncle married, named his first born son after him also. Today Bob is remembered in stone at a memorial in front of the Quill Lake Legion, along with others who fell in both wars.
Bob was just 21 when he died. He never married, and had the chance to grow up, farm and have kids. He along with over 60,000 other Canadians were killed in the First World War, and out of that 60,000 men, over 11,000 have no known grave at all, and still rest where they fell.
Over 60,000 lives lost with over 60,000 individual stories,and grief striken families. Thats one helll of alot of lives and families, given the population of a very young Canada at the time. With losses so high, we cannot even phathom this, as look how we feel as a nation with recent losses of our soldiers in currrent conflicts. One life lost is to many.
Take the time to remember. Take the time to think about what ws going on, not so long ago.
Love your freedom? Thank at Vet, WW2 Vets are in their 80's now, and fought for something most of us take for granted. Its called Freedom. As of yesterday, Australia has only 5 survivors of the First World War.
Lest We Forget!
Yes Mario, I have worn his on the right with mine on the left ( I have 5 gongs for what its worth) at specific occasions, and I am not alone, many thousands in the hordes ANZAC Day goers do the same, all generations from children to the aged.
OWDU
While we're at it, let's stop the RCMP, Fire, and EMS services from participating in Remembrance Day at all. I mean, I'm pretty sure those guys didn't go up Vimy Ridge with "Jeez, thank God the cops are on the job back home" as their last thought. Jeez man, this is getting silly :
