I had the fortune of covering the Birth of a Nation ceremony in Okotoks this past weekend. I’ve attended these solemn events in the past, and they never cease to move me.
But, as I knelt at the entrance to Frederick Pryce Memorial Park, camera lens trained on the rows of uniforms lining the walk to the cenotaph, I was struck by a vague memory of my grandmother saying once that her father had been at Vimy Ridge. Or was I remembering that correctly? I’d have to check when I got home.
The ceremony continued, my mind wandered. There’s a faded image of the great-grandfather I never met in my mind’s eye, where he exists in uniform – a replica of the photos I saw growing up.
I scanned through emails Grandma – the family historian – has sent over the years, little nuggets of wisdom and genealogy she’s shared with me and my kids. There was a document she’d sent around Remembrance Day in 2013 – maybe that’s where I’d seen it.
She’d written about the history of Remembrance Day and the poppy, to show the kids why we remember – what we remember. The page included information about my great grandfather, Pte. William Gilbert Brookes, who had been farming in Saskatchewan when the First World War broke out in 1914.
He enlisted enlisted in the 152nd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary force in 1916, and was sent overseas to train in England before serving in France with the 46th Battalion. He was wounded twice, recoverd in military hospitals in England, returned to the front lines where he served in trenches and took on scouting missions.
He returned home after demobilization on June 10, 1919. But had he fought at Vimy Ridge? I had to keep digging.
I found another email, containing the black and white photo I had seen through my youth, Great Grandpa Brookes standing in uniform, proud and regal.
The words accompanying the photograph (addressed to my daughter): “This is your Great-Great Grandpa Brookes. He fought in World War I. He was at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, one of most famous World War I battles for Canadians.”
There it was. My great grandfather was one of the many heroes we honour, one of 20,000 who fought at Vimy Ridge and made a name for Canada.
When I spend so much of my day focusing on current events and looking to the future, it’s nice sometimes to dig around in history.
It brings perspective and clarity to today.
