Photo of Hopewell Cape Square at sunrise. Photo credit Lawrence McGillivary
It was a crisp, but beautiful November 11th morning for the community to gather at the Hopewell Cape “square” for the Sunrise Remembrance Ceremony. Following the singing of O Canada, as the flag was lowered to half-mast during the reading of “In Flanders Fields”, the brilliance of the rising sun created a path of gold across the river and land. As the minute of silence was observed, the only sounds in the reverent silence were the songs of birds and the flaps of the flag in the breeze. The words of the Act of Remembrance emphasized the reasons for the ceremony held at the “square” ~ to lay the wreaths and poppy crosses to acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who served to keep us free, and to solemnly vow, “We will remember them”.
The ceremony’s closing poem, “Young Fellow, My Lad” I believed to be a very appropriate reading, to honour the memory of the many young men from Albert County who bravely served, and to also remember the sadness and sacrifices that families suffered at home, when many “lads” never returned. The poem, written by the well known Canadian poet, Robert Service, is one of the war poems in his book, “Rhymes of a Red Cross Man” written in 1916. Service dedicated the book to the memory of his brother, Lt. Albert Service, Canadian Infantry, who was Killed in Action in France in 1916.
I am very fortunate to have the treasured “Rhymes of a Red Cross Man” book that belonged to my great uncle, Hugh Wright, who served in the 26th Battalion and the 4th Siege Battery during WWI. After the ceremony, people expressed their appreciation of the poem and asked where I had found it, so I want to share it. Dawne McLean, ACHS President.
“Young Fellow, My Lad” a WWI poem
From book, Rhymes of a Red Cross Man, by Robert Service, 1916
"Where are you going, Young Fellow My Lad,
On this glittering morn of May?"
"I'm going to join the Colours, Dad;
They're looking for men, they say."
"But you're only a boy, Young Fellow My Lad;
You aren't obliged to go."
"I'm seventeen and a quarter, Dad,
And ever so strong, you know."
"So you're off to France, Young Fellow My Lad,
And you're looking so fit and bright."
"I'm terribly sorry to leave you, Dad,
But I feel that I'm doing right."
"God bless you and keep you, Young Fellow My Lad,
You're all of my life, you know."
"Don't worry. I'll soon be back, dear Dad,
And I'm awfully proud to go."
"Why don't you write, Young Fellow My Lad?
I watch for the post each day;
And I miss you so, and I'm awfully sad,
And it's months since you went away.
And I've had the fire in the parlour lit,
And I'm keeping it burning bright
Till my boy comes home; and here I sit
Into the quiet night.
"What is the matter, Young Fellow My Lad?
No letter again to-day.
Why did the postman look so sad,. And sigh as he turned away?
I hear them tell that we've gained new ground,
But a terrible price we've paid:
God grant, my boy, that you're safe and sound;
But oh I'm afraid, afraid."
"They've told me the truth, Young Fellow My Lad:
You'll never come back again:
(Oh God! the dreams and the dreams I've had,
and the hopes I've nursed in vain!)
For you passed in the night, Young Fellow My Lad,
And you proved in the cruel test
Of the screaming shell and the battle hell
That my boy was one of the best.
"So you'll live, you'll live, Young Fellow My Lad,
In the gleam of the evening star,
In the wood-note wild and the laugh of the child,
In all sweet things that are.
And you'll never die, my wonderful boy,
While life is noble and true;
For all our beauty and hope and joy
We will owe to our lads like you."