WWI soldier found in France identified as Albertan

"It's an honour to be able to tell people of this community and veterans and current members of the Royal Edmonton Regiment that we have recovered one of your own," said Laurie Hawn, Parliamentary secretary to the minister of national defence.

Stupid fucking civil servants, it's the LOYAL Edmonton regiment.

Nice story though, Rest in Peace Pte Lawless, thank you for your sacrifice

I think it may have been a transcription error, Pen. I shudder at the thought that LCol Hawn would make a such a fundamental error as that.

Agreed. RIP, soldier.

How do you do, young Willie McBride,
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside,
And rest for a while 'neath the warm summer sun,
I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done,
I see by your gravestone you were only 19,
When you joined the great falling in 1916,
I hope you died well and I hope you died clean,
Or, young Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene?

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly,
Did they sound the Death March as they lowered you down,
Did the band play the Last Post and chorus,
Did the pipes play The Flowers Of The Forest?

Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind,
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined,
Although you died back in 1916,
In that faithful heart are you forever 19,
Or are you a stranger without even a name,
Enclosed then forever behind a glass frame,
In an old photograph torn, battered and stained,
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame?

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly,
Did they sound the Death March as they lowered you down,
Did the band play the Last Post and chorus,
Did the pipes play The Flowers Of The Forest?

The sun now it shines on the green fields of France,
There's a warm summer breeze makes the red poppies dance,
And look how the sun shines from under the clouds,
There's no gas, no barbwire, there's no guns firing now,
But here in this graveyard it's still no man's land,
The countless white crosses stand mute in the sand,
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man,
To a whole generation that were butchered and damned.

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly,
Did they sound the Death March as they lowered you down,
Did the band play the Last Post and chorus,
Did the pipes play The Flowers Of The Forest?

Now, young Willie McBride, I can't help wonder why,
Do those who lie here know why did they die,
Did they believe when they answered the call,
Did they really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain,
The killing, and dying were all done in vain,
For, young Willie McBride, it all happened again,
And again, and again, and again, and again.....

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly,
Did they sound the Death March as they lowered you down,
Did the band play the Last Post and chorus,
Did the pipes play The Flowers Of The Forest?

lyrics by Eric Bogle

Sap, was gong to give him he benefit of the doubt after you mention he was a retired mbr, till I looked hi up and this part of his biography jumped out at me

Laurie joined the Royal Canadian Air Force



Now I'm not so sure

I like it.

Eric Bogle is an excellent song writer and outstanding performer, very funny man, I had the pleasure of meeting him 3 years ago in Ottawa after a show with John McDermott

Senior officers are just as bad. When my platoon graduated from Cornwallis, we were reviewed by some Brigadier General fuck up. He asked me what my trade choice was, and I replied weapons technician. He asked me(amongst others) if I was going to be training in Borden....we were a naval platoon, and he obviously must have been air force.

La Chaudiere Military Cemetery is close to Vimy, he will sleep beside his brothers.

Will hunt for pics when it happens.

Watch that crap or I'll put you on report.

sorry, as a fully fledged civilian I out rank you.