This month we honour the fallen with multiple ceremonies of Remembrance. I must say that Remembrance Day has had more of a personal impact on me since starting my own family research. Although he died before my birth, I know that my grandmother's father, Arthur Bird Griffin, fought in the First World War and suffered medical issues the rest of his life as a result of a mustard gas release. Arthur emigrated to Canada from England and married my great-grandmother just a week after enlisting in the fall of 1914. His daughter, my grandmother, didn't meet her father until he'd returned from the front. From all descriptions, he was a very gentle man, and I'm told he didn't speak of the horrors he'd experienced. I'm lucky to have his medals in my possession, as well as a well-worn photo of my grandmother and her mother that he carried in his breast pocket while in the European theatre. I pull them out every November to share with my children, who might not be here but for his sacrifice. I think it's very important to remember the past, so that we can avoid repeating it in the future.
Below you'll find some local links to help you observe this Remembrance Day. I hope you'll share the names and stories of those who you remember with your own families and friends this. month.
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