Last night while slowly drifting off to sleep, I got a notification from one of our Countries biggest patriots, Darlene Loucks, about Donald Brasseur a veteran that died and how he had no next of kin.
There was a story in the paper about him as well, so I started making plans for Christmas Eve to attend his service and funeral.
The paper reported that he was forgotten, and was worried nobody would show up.
I started doing some research about him and what I found out hit me hard. It turns out he landed in Normandy, and got injured at the battle of the Falaise Gap. This area around Caen, France took some of the highest number of Canadian Soldiers during the war that we ever suffered at the hands of our enemy. This was also the place that I lost my grandfather. Knowing that Donald possibly knew and served beside my grandfather had my mind racing. It was only fitting that my grandfather was probably known to many as he was a veteran of World War 1 as well, so I could just imagine Donald and the other young men, some still teenagers would probably refer to him as the ” Old Man”.
Knowing this today I wore the special Canadian Heroes T-Shirt I did up in memory of my grandfather, having him with me today was my way of letting Donald Brasseur know that one of his fellow soldiers that he fought alongside with was with him today at his own funeral. It was the first time I have ever worn the shirt.
Canadians from far and wide came together to pay their respects at the funeral home, Police, Fire, EMS, and soldiers from all services, were there to pay their respects in person. Those that could not make it have posted some great messages on our face book page and the funeral homes as well.
It was a great service at the funeral home, some funny stories were told about his life from friends. Don was a very accomplished musician, having been praised by the likes of Bob Hope. If you want to learn more about his life please visit his website at http://www.donaldbrasseur.com/
During the service a story was told about how he got his nickname “Boots”. Turns out he always had an extra pair of boots tied around his neck. To anyone that never served this may come as odd, but in peacetime duties any soldier can tell you what it means to have a pair of warm and dry boots, during the war they were a precious commodity, finding a pair of boots even if they were taking from a dead soldier friend or foe was at times a matter of survival.
Those familiar with those soldiers lost in Afghanistan will maybe think back about Jack Bouthillier, to whom also had the nickname ” Boots”. Two great men and heroes sharing the same name their buds gave them, was precious to hear.
It was mentioned during the speeches how the media has gotten things wrong in the past, I can only imagine it was in reference to the article done about Nathan Cirillo in the spectator, but in this case they got it right by letting people know this man might not have anyone show up at his service.
Well the media did a great job by spreading the word which started to open up the phones and social media outlets, and less than a day later about 100 people came out to see him off.
Halton Police provided an escort for the funeral procession, and units stopped traffic along the way. We were there with Canadian Heroes Memorial Vehicle #1, I could see people stopping, turning and paying their respects along the way, with a police car in the lead and us as #2 vehicle with our Canadian Flags flying, the public could most likely imagine that the funeral was for a fallen soldier or veteran.
We came upon a massive new house being built, and I saw a construction worker high up on the wooden trusses on the roof stop and stare as we drove by. I watched him the entire way, and turned around as far as my neck could stretch as we drove away, and he was still paying his respects as we drove out of sight. Little things like that mean a lot, to that young man thank-you.
After about a 20 minute drive we arrived at the Woodland Cemetery, a final resting place of many veterans, with over 1,000 buried there.
When we stopped we all started to gather around the empty grave, it stood out amongst the gray stones
and ever darkening skies as the fog rolled in.
Just about 40 feet away though was something that also stood out, a new grave as well, but this one was full of balloons, wreaths, poppies and other things left for a soldier that was just buried recently….
As I walked towards the grave it suddenly hit me whom was buried there……It was Nathan Cirillo….
You can imagine how I felt……the feelings that came over me were about everyone that a human being could possibly have.
Knowing that he was in close proximity to where Don was being buried, brought some warmth to a somber mood, but talk about a small world once again.
After saying hello to some old friends and meeting some new ones, the pall bearers brought Don from the hearse to his final resting place.
A short speech, a prayer, and he was lowered into the ground. The guard took the flag off and folded it and gave it to one of the funeral home employees. What happened next though was missing…..there was no one to give the flag to…..no family……this was sad to witness, so a few hours later I thought of something we could do with the flag, I will ask the funeral home that if possible I will take the flag with me to France when I go over next year, and I will fly it in the area were Don was injured in Normandy.
After the service I noticed a soldier in uniform standing over the grave of Nathan….. It was more than just the casual observance of respect and honour though, and immediately I figured out whom it was…. It was Nathans Commanding Officer, L. Colonel Hatfield of the Argyll’s.
I had just talked with him a couple of weeks earlier on the phone and I could feel the pain in his voice still and when I went over to talk with him I could feel it now in person.
Over the years I have went to so many services I can’t even begin to remember them all, from a young Air Cadet in 1974 to present day, military funerals are something we do, sometimes too many too soon, but honour and respect is due to them all.
I have had the privilege of being taught and lead by some great military men, and seeing the emotional toll that L.Colonel Hatfield was still going through was heart wrenching but warming at the same time.
Ask any soldier about their commanding officers over their careers and you will hear everything, trust me on that front. In this case I saw and experienced love, honour, pain and respect, something that only a true leader of men could show to one of his own that was lost. After a while I saw him walking amongst the rows of headstones of our fallen heroes, hundreds of them row upon row, it was a picture of the ultimate show of honour and respect.
A short time later, most of the people had now gone home to their families to get ready for a feast on Christmas Eve, but the Colonel was still there. I can just imagine what he was thinking and saying to Nathan as he stood over him.
Seeing a commanding officer standing solo at the grave of one of his soldiers is by far the most powerful picture one can ever imagine, it was an incredibly powerful visual picture to take in.
