In Flanders Field…

Originally this episode aired November 5th 2016. Prior name of the Podcast was Tea with Puppets.

In Episode 5, we look at a selection of some of the stamps issued to commemorate Remembrance Day, November 11th. It’s an important day to take a moment of silence and thank true heroes for their sacrifice and service.

Title: Memorial Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa
Denomination: 10¢
Date of Issue: 15 June 1938

The Memorial Chamber stamp, a commemorative stamp issued in 1938 as part of the Pictorials Issue.

Title: National Memorial, Ottawa
Denomination: 2¢
Date of Issue: 15 May 1939

The stamp commemorates The National War Memorial, also known as “The Response,” is a cenotaph symbolizing the sacrifice of all Canadian Armed Forces personnel who have served Canada in time of war in the cause of peace and freedom–past, present and future. The memorial is the site of the national Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 11.

Title: Lest We Forget
Denomination: P
Date of Issue: 19 October 2009

Canada Post revisited the statue in 2009 issue, called “Lest We Forget,” with a close-up photograph of the National War Memorial. Official release.

Title: Armistice, 1918–1968
Denomination: 15¢
Date of Issue: 15 October 1968

In 1968, Canada Post commemorated the 50th anniversary of Armistice ending the First World War, and features the Vimy Memorial.

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War.

Next year is the 100th anniversary of this victory, so you I’m pretty sure Canada Post will have some special issues to honour this sacrifice.

You can learn more about the Vimy Memorial here.

Title: John McCrae, 1872–1918, In Flanders Field
Denomination: 5¢
Date of Issue: 15 October 1968

Also in 1968, Canada Post honoured Dr. John McCrae, 50 years after his death. He is known as the author of the poem, In Flanders field.

Title: In Flanders Field
Denomination: P
Date of Issue: 3 May 2015

In 2015, Dr. John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Fields, was commemorated again by Canada Post on it’s 100th anniversary. The poem was celebrated with a beautiful souvenir sheet with a hand-scripted image of the entire poem in the author’s handwriting and an images featuring a soldier’s silhouette and shadowed crosses against a red poppy.

Title: Wait for me daddy
Denomination: P
Date of Issue: 4 October 2014

The final stamp we discussed was the 2014 stamp issue from Canada Post on October 4, 2014, named “Wait for me Daddy”. The stamp depicts the famous photo taken October 1, 1940 in New Westminster, BC by Canadian photographer Claude P. Dettloff. It captures the raw emotion of a little boy reaching for one more moment with his father, who is marching off to war.

The City of New Westminster commissioned a bronze statue honouring the photo to be placed at the bottom of 8th Street, in Hyack Square. The city unveiled the statue on October 4, 2014. This stamp issue coincided with the unveiling of a statue.

Media coverage of the boy behind the photo and a wikipedia entry about the other stories in this photo.

Title: The Royal Canadian Legion, 1925–1975
Denomination: 8¢
Date of Issue: 10 November 1975

One other stamp mentioned was a stamp issued in 1975, commemorating the 50th anniversary of formation of The Royal Canadian Legion. The Legion is the largest community service organization in Canada, providing important services to veterans and the community at large.

It is also important to note, since June 30th 1948, the Royal Canadian Legion has the responsibility to safeguard the Poppy as a sacred symbol as decreed through an Act of Parliament.

The most recent issues for Remembrance Day 2016 is a series of 10 commemorative envelopes, celebrating various anniversaries of regiments in Canada.

• The Ontario Regiment (RCAC)
• The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada
• The Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)
• The 42nd Field Artillery Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA
• The 56th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
• The Sherbrooke Hussars
• The 150th anniversaries of The Brockville Rifles
• 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins)
• The Grey and Simcoe Foresters
• The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment)

You can check them out on Canada Post shop here.

At the end of the episode, we played Last Post, which is used in Remembrance Day ceremonies in Commonwealth nations. In the USA, Last Post was replaced by Taps by the United States Army in 1874.