We Will Remember Them.

November 11th is a very important day in Canada. It is a day when we pause to remember and recognize the sacrifices made by Canadians in the name of freedom and global peace. On this Remembrance Day I specifically remember four men in my family who are very important to me.

When hostilities broke out in 1939, my Father, Robert (left), and my Uncle (my Mother's older brother), Seymour (below right), both left their homes in Bonaventure County, Quebec and enlisted with The Royal Rifles of Canada. After receiving Basic Training at Camp Valcatier, Quebec and Infantry Training at Camp Sussex, New Brunswick, the Rifles were assigned to Garrison Duty in Newfoundland (Botwood, Gander and St. John's) and New Brunswick (Saint John).

In October 1941, the Rifles were sent back to Valcartier to be equipped with tropical gear and then loaded on board a special troop train and began their cross country trip to Vancouver. After picking up reinforcements in Ontario and meeting up with the Winnipeg Grenadiers, they boarded the ship Awatea and embarked to Hong Kong to augment the British Garrison.

On December 8th, Hong Kong time (same real time as the attack on Pearl Harbour), just twenty-two days after they disembarked, the Battle of Hong Kong began when the Japanese attacked.

Both my Father and Uncle were wounded in action during the Battle of Hong Kong. When the battle concluded on Christmas Day 1941, they both began their battle as POW's in Hong Kong and Japan. Thankfully they both survived this ordeal and returned home to marry two wonderful ladies and raise their families. Due to numerous health issues that arouse from the harsh treatment as "Guests of the Emperor" they both left us far too soon.

The other two family members I remember on this day share the same name, Cluston Timothy Allison.

The one I knew was my Mother's youngest brother. He was too young to enlist with his brother in 1939 and when he came of age he joined the RCAF. He served in Bomber Command as an aircraft mechanic in the European Theater. He returned to Canada, married our Aunt Noreen and had a successful career building Holiday Inns throughout Canada and the Caribbean. He instilled his passion for golf in me and taught me that there isn't a problem that can't be solved by using a bigger hammer. As you have probably surmised, he was named after the other Cluston.

The senior Cluston was the youngest of my Maternal Grandfather's brothers. From what I was told, he was a bit of a hell raiser when he was a young. Eventually he, and one of his older brothers, got into trouble with the law and they had to flee Bonaventure County and seek refuge in the back waters of Alberta working for the CPR. But when war began in 1914, my Great Uncle answered the call to arms and enlisted under the assumed name of Arthur Greyburn as a member of the 31st Battalion CEF (Alberta Regiment). Unfortunately, he was Killed in Action as a result of an artillery bombardment in St, Eloi, France in April 1916.

In 2012 I was fortunate enough to visit the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belguim and "meet" this man for the first time. I was able to locate his name on a panel where he is listed among the almost 55,000 fallen WW1 soldiers of the Commonwealth who have no known grave.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.