Remembrance Day 2009

Because today is Remembrance Day, I was trying to recollect memories of my Grandfather, Andrew Brass. He signed up for both WWI and WWII but did not discuss much, indeed it was only after that my grandfather passed away that we learned of the following war-time relationship that obviously meant a lot to him.

Born in 1900, my grandfather had to lie about his age in order to be accepted into the army in 1915. In addition to being so young, he was only 5'4" so someone must have turned a blind eye. He was on his way to France, waiting in the Moncton train station having travelled from Duffield Alberta, when a little boy of only four years was walking with his father who when he spied my grandfather said "I'm going to give that fellow my box".

The little boy was Harry Stoyles and my grandfather wrote him letters as Harry was "crazy about the soldiers" and would send him treats. Harry continued to correspond with my grandfather for twenty years, when he last wrote to say that he was planning to marry that year.

We found one letter from December 12, 1916 in my grandfather's very small box of personal mementos after he passed away in 1985. I miss my grandfather; he was the strong silent type, but obviously had a soft spot to bother writing to a four year-old when he was only fifteen himself.

How different things are now. During my grandfather's time there was no need for conscription; today it would not be politically possible. It makes the sacrifices of today's military families especially heroic. I, like four-year old Harry, honor their courage with a heart full of admiration.