These are my dad’s medals from World War 2 and they need a good clean and polish. My brother brought them because my hubby wants to create an art piece on my dad and he wanted to know what the medals were. ( hubby burns wood and..it’s amazing artistry but that’s for another day). Cathy, over at Curious as a Cathy and the co-host of Monday Music Moves Me was inspired by your Memorial Day. I thought this would be perfect for both my parents since they endured war, my dad as a soldier and my mom as a civilian on the German side…yes, the enemy. My mom could always speak to my dad who always said that war and the horrors of it showed no favourites. Considering my mom was part of the German Resistance and dealt with the Russians afterwards, I think she and her family qualifies.
1. DANNY BOY SUNG BY JOHN MCDERMOTT-2005
John McDermott is a Canadian institution who has a true and genuine appreciation of the soldier. He has sung this song more than once and I love it. I know my dad would have loved to have seen this singer and I was lucky to take my mom and my in-laws to see him. My mom was so overjoyed that she was on the edge of her seat singing with him albeit quietly. My ex’s dad had a few tears in his eyes because this man knows how to celebrate the soldier.
2. NEARER MY GOD TO THEE BY THE ANDRE RIOU ORCHESTRA-2020
Well, you all know my mom loved Andre Riou so I had to honour her with this beautiful piece often heard in conjunction with The Titanic since this was the last song played by the ship’s orchestra but Andre decided to play this in honour of the liberation of Holland by the Canadian and British forces of which my dad was a part of.
3. TEARS IN HEAVEN SUNG BY ERIC CLAPTON-1991
This song was written by Clapton and Will Jennings when Clapton lost his 4 yr old son when his little boy fell from the 53rd floor window. I still shudder thinking about that day I heard of this tragedy but it’s also the first song that came into my mind because of my Uncle Joachim. My Uncle was born in October 1939 and was quite the surprise but loved so much. On December 13, 1940, my mom and her family were all outside when they heard a bomb dropping giving this whistling sound. They knew right away that it was the type of bomb that took the oxygen out of the air, for lack of a better word. Everyone knew to let all the air out of their lungs, bending down, hug their calves until the bomb exploded, all but little Uncle Joachim. My Oma had him in her lap and tried her best to have her son let his air out but it didn’t work. My mom, who was 12 at the time, remembered seeing her little brother slumped in her mom’s arms with blood coming out his mouth, ears, nose and eyes, dead, his lungs had collapsed. My mom said she remembered her mom trying to revive her son and after, for a month, all her mom, my Oma did, was wash his clothes, hang them up, iron them and put them away only to repeat the process. My Oma lost her youngest son to war and then, in 1945, lost her other youngest son, at age 19, to his war wounds along with 176 other young German soldiers in the hospital, on June 30th. Only a few Russian soldiers were left. This story is one of thousands of mothers who have lost their sons so what better way than to pay tribute to all.
For my mom and dad...
What a sad story about your baby uncle. A terrible end, poor child.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent, I can't imagine anything much worse than losing your child the way Clapton did. Excellent pics. Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletePS Your dad was a hero.
ReplyDeletePSS So sorry about your uncle.
ReplyDeleteI loved your take on this week's theme. The songs were perfect, along with the photos you posted. When we think of Memorial Day we think of soldier who have died, but do we think of the civilian casualties? Maybe not near as much as we should. I feel sorrow for what your Mom's family went through, and your father, also. I grew up in New York City and a number of the parents of friends or schoolmates were civilian survivors of World War II. Some were concentration camp survivors. They never talked in our presence about what they went through. I can't begin to imagine.
ReplyDeleteI hope your husband lets you post what art he ultimately comes up with. I'd love to see the finished piece.
ReplyDeleteThe story about your little uncle is heartbreaking, Birgit! I remember the news about Clapton's son also and can imagine the sorrow he felt. He wrote such a beautiful song in his memory and this is a lovely tribute to your parents. They were both incredibly brave! I'm intrigued about your hubby's artwork plans.
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