When I wrote the editorial below, I was trying to get away from the usual Nov. 11 official line because soldiers are not, in fact, the major casualties in war. In every war for the past century, most of the dead and wounded have been civilians. But to say that on Nov. 11 would have alienated people without making any point. So I opted for another group that suffered, the mothers left behind. It occurred to me for reasons I don't mention in the editorial. My mother was one of those left behind -and I well remember the effects of her fear and loneliness over those years.
The editorial was too short to get in things I wanted. But that's radio. They give you a very limited time, and that's it.
Today, we remember, as we should remember, those who went to war for Canada, and the many, over a hundred thousand, who died in over a century of wars.
Now, let's spare just a minute for the women they left behind.
The 30s had been years of such terrible depression that men felt ashamed of facing wives and families they could neither feed nor shelter... so they joined up to risk their lives for less than a hundred a month and food and clothes from a government that just months before said it couldn't afford to give them a cup of coffee.
Most of their pay went to wives and families, and it was better than the depression but it still wasn't much. and it was hard. it was hard for children who would not see their fathers for five years... and dreadfully hard for wives who had to look after two, three and four children in a world of shortages and fear and loneliness - and do it for five years fearing every day for the messenger boy with telegram that would mean loneliness and, probably, terrible hardship forever... remember those women today... they also served.
graeme decarie
