THIS YEAR MARKS THE 75th ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR !!

My life-long friend Johnny suggested I write about this important Anniversary in one of my upcoming blogs:  I  think primarily because he knows that my dad, Robert Ralph Bell fought in that Conflagration.  Moreover, Johnny lives near the cemetery where my dad is buried and he and his wife lay a poppy on his grave every November 11th.  Thanks so much guys!

When Johnny and I were boy-cubs we attended, in uniform, those self-same November 11th ceremonies in our home town of Brighton, Ontario.  Back in the 50s there were soldiers still present from Four Wars - the Boer War; World War I; World War II; and Korea.  Today, for all intents and purposes, they are all gone.

That includes my Grandfather, his Brother and their Father - my Great Grandfather,  all signed up as volunteers to fight in the First War.  In that order their names are Jim, Bob and John.  They consisted of all the males in their household of six located in Foxboro, Ontario now part of the City of Belleville.  I only knew my grandfather Jim - but not very well, since he died when I was only 9 years old.  He was wounded near Arras and my Uncle Bob was killed in the long drawn out battle of the Somme on September 16, 1916.  My dad was wounded twice but never received a Wound Stripe which the Canadian Army, like its British Counterpart, awarded.  The Americans have a much sexier name for theirs ....The Purple Heart but as my dad muttered on several occasions, the Americans had a medal for virtually everything and dispersed them rather freely.

And from Laurence Binyon's Great War Poem:  'We will remember them'.

So who were these valiant soldiers of old?  First off, they were volunteers who signed up for the duration however long that turned out to be.  They were paid not even subsistence wages.  But of course they were not there for the money - adventure most likely, but they understood all too well that they were defending our Democracies from the Dictators of their Day and our Freedoms:  Freedom of Speech; Freedom of Religion; Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of the Press.  Too many lost their lives, their limbs, and and sustained many other serious injuries both - physical and mental.  But rest assured, everything we enjoy today is due to their Service.

And here Dear Reader is where I go rogue - and off the topic of gratitude.  Simply stated, my father and his father and their fellow soldiers both men and women who fought so valiantly without due regard to their own safety for the safety and well-being of others, would not recognize modern western society today.  I fear that they would be appalled at the state of affairs that currently stalks the land and would likely question why they had sacrificed so much in the first place...I truly hope that would not be the case but I am not so sure.  I know if I had fought and was one of the few living veterans left, I would be most discouraged with what I see taking place around me.

And it has nothing to do with Covid 19 though it has prompted many comparisons to the War Years.  It has to do with the Structures of Society...its very fabric is being ripped and torn and I fear too many of us are standing idly by and letting it happen. Indeed, I would go even further.. too many of us are encouraging it to happen.

Socialism and even Communism is being touted by the ever growing numbers of Progressives as being superior to Capitalism.  This despite the fact that the former have never worked and the latter is responsible to raising destitute billions throughout the world from abject poverty,  poor health and malnutrition.

Religion is under attack like never before.  The grey haired set like myself who attend Church are fewer and fewer in number while those younger sit home and party with their ever present cellulars always at hand.  The Environment, as they say, has become the New Religion or whatever other  raison d'etre the Progressives seize upon in passing..it seems to change almost daily - take defunding the police for instance.

Democracies that defend the Basic Freedoms are greatly outnumbered by Petty Dictatorial Tyrants and even our Democracies are less and less inclined to rally to their own defence.  Simply stated, we are  less able to speak freely about what we really believe in without risking censorship from our own politicians and judicial authorities.  A renowned writer of our age wrote in her column this week that re grew up in a Society of Freedom and now in our twilight have entered into a Society of Fear.  I personally like the adage...I may disagree with what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it...Evelyn Beatrice Hall.

Our neighbour to the south - America, once the guiding light for the world is beginning to see its candle burn out.  The most obvious sign of this is with respect to its economy...it is still number 1, but the day is quickly coming when Red China surpasses it.  The US is also split right down the middle between the worker and doers on the right and progressives on the left which expect others to pay their freight.  The progressives have already firmly entrenched themselves everywhere else in the Free World and now appear to be gaining ground there too. 

And speaking of China, and of course Russia and the rest of their militant cronies, to suggest we are headed for another World War is becoming more and more of a common refrain.  I worry that should this happen, we certainly will not possess the loyalty and dedication of our forefathers to duty and  are not likely to have united societies to rely upon to engage what are likely to be stronger better equipped forces. 

I mentioned earlier that the current Virus has been compared to the War Years and in many respects that is true.  But what we do not have today and what or should I say Who the Second World War had was Winston Churchill.  We desperately are in need of a 'Churchill' to rally the folks today like he did in the 1930s in the lead up to that war. Please keep that in mind wherever you live and whenever you vote. 

But back to my main topic - the Anniversary of the End of World War II , In Europe on May 8, 1945 and announced in Japan on August 15, 1945.  We Will Remember Them and for me personally I will remember my Dad's contribution along with my Grandfather's, my Great Grandfather's and my Great Uncle's ultimate sacrifice.

In an upcoming blog, I will recount a Thank You Reunion that my Dad and Mum attended which was sponsored by the City of Appledorn in Holland and where I was fortunate to be in attendance.

As I See It...

K.D. Bell

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