(Published with permission from Andrew Miller)
Looking at these photographs, I find myself wondering what it must have been like.
This first picture is my grandfather, Private Charles Edward McCormick, standing in the middle with fellow servicemen during the Second World War.
It’s a winter photograph, and while we don’t yet know exactly where or when it was taken, it makes me think about something we don’t always consider when remembering those who served: the hardships of spending a winter at war.
Imagine being young, thousands of miles from home, standing in the snow with your fellow soldiers, knowing that the comforts and security of everyday life were a world away.
Winter during the Second World War brought its own challenges. Freezing temperatures, snow, mud, wet clothing, frozen ground and the constant struggle to stay warm, maintain equipment and get whatever rest was possible.
For soldiers serving in Northwest Europe where he was, winter could make an already difficult existence even harder. Every movement, every night outdoors and every day spent away from shelter came with additional challenges.
My grandfather enlisted in 1940 and served until 1945, with the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards and later the Carleton & York Regiment.
The second photograph was his last taken in 1987 at the King Square Cenotaph in Saint John, just one year before he passed away.
There he stands again, this time at home, wearing his beret and medals, continuing to remember and honour those who served alongside him and those who never made it home.
The third photograph shows his original military identification dog tags, another small but incredibly personal piece of history that Mom has carefully preserved.
Three photographs. Different moments in one man’s life. A young soldier, a returning veteran, and a reminder of the service he gave.
I’m grateful that Mom preserved these memories. The more I look through them, the more I realize how much there is still to learn about his experiences and the men who stood beside him.
Tomorrow, on Remembrance Day, I’ll be thinking about my grandfather, his fellow soldiers and everyone who served.
We remember the sacrifices made, but we should also remember the hardships endured and the lives that were forever changed.
Lest we forget. 
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