Remembering our troops -Canadian Vet recognized on our money

[Jerry Wald]

Always seems sad that they do this after they pass away  :(  , but I guess it's better than no recognition at all    .

I just wanted to share this with you guys south of our border as well as the people here in Canada.


*THE VETERAN ON OUR TEN DOLLAR BILL ... *

If you look at the back right-hand side of a Canadian $10 bill, you will
see an old veteran standing at attention near the Ottawa war memorial.
His name is Robert Metcalfe and he died last month at the age of 90.
 

That he managed to live to that age is rather remarkable, given what
happened in the Second World War. Born in England, he was one of the
400,000 members of the British Expeditionary Force sent to the mainland
where they found themselves facing the new German warfare technique -
the Blitzkrieg. He was treating a wounded comrade when he was hit in the
legs by shrapnel. En route to hospital, his ambulance came under fire
from a German tank, which then miraculously ceased fire. Evacuated from
Dunkirk on HMS Grenade, two of the sister ships with them were sunk.
Recovered, he was sent to allied campaigns in North Africa and Italy. En
route his ship was chased by the German battleship Bismarck. In North
Africa he served under General Montgomery against the Desert Fox,
Rommel. Sent into the Italian campaign, he met his future wife, a
lieutenant and physiotherapist in a Canadian hospital. They were married
in the morning by the mayor of the Italian town, and again in the
afternoon by a British padre    .

After the war, they settled in Chatham where he went into politics and
became the warden (chairman) of the county and on his retirement he and
his wife moved to Ottawa. At the age of 80 he wrote a book about his
experiences. One day out of the blue he received a call from a
government official asking him to go downtown for a photo op. He wasn't
told what the photo was for or why they chose him    . "He had no idea he
would be on the bill,'"his daughter said.

And now you know the story of the old veteran on the Canadian $10 bill        .

Mostly I feel unworthy, but I try to do my part when and where I can. I try to help the people I come in contact with on a daily basis to make their day a little bit better...sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but I try...nothing like our troops though    .

Jer Bear

[Jack Shanks]

That is a great story. Thanks for sharing.

 It is often said the veterans of World War II were some the greatest men to ever live. My father and uncles were in that war and would tend to agree.

[Al Kidner]

Yep, my hat's off to all of 'em. The "Greatest Generation" as it's called.

Greater love hath no man....


AK.

[nutmeg]

My hat is off and my head is bowed to all of the vets of that horrible war. BTW, My mother was a navy nurse who befriended a nurse from germany while they were working here in the states after the Korean war. They became good friends and one day my parents invited her and her husband for dinner. My friend and I had gone to see the movie "The Longest day". My father and"Ted" came to pick us up after to movie and while riding home we couldn't stop talking about how we kicked the crap out of the Germans.
Well my father says "boys meet Ted. He was a German officer in WW11. We captured him and sent him to a prisoner of war camp in Texas". Ted says that at the camp he was treated and fed better than he was in in whole life. After all was over and he was released, he and Heidi settled here in America because as Ted said, "North America is the greatest and most beautiful place on earth. Never forget what real freedom means". " Don't ever take it for granted". Just thought I'd share that story. It took place in 1963. (nut)