When you go home, tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow, these gave their today.
Went the day well? We died and never knew,
But, well or ill, freedom, we died for you.
--Simonides
Posted on 02/19/2010 4:01:12 AM PST by Loyalist
John Babcock, Canada's last known First World War veteran, has died at the age of 109, the Prime Minister's office said last night.
"On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Babcock's family and friends. As a nation, we honour his service and mourn his passing," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement. "John Babcock was Canada's last living link to the Great War, which in so many ways marked our coming of age as a nation. In honouring his service and mourning his passing, we honour the proud history of our country and pay tribute to all those who fought and died for Canada."
Born on an Ontario farm on July 23, 1900 into a family of 13 children, Mr. Babcock joined the 146th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Sydenham, near Kingston, Ont. in 1915.
"I remember walking up Princess St. in Kingston and my uncle saw me as I was walking with a group of recruits and his eyebrows went up and he was surprised to see me," Mr. Babcock told Veterans Affairs in 2006. "I was slightly embarrassed as my long pants did not quite reach my ankles. His eyebrows went up and he nodded approval. I had both happy and unhappy memories after the Great War."
Just shy of his 16th birthday, he lied about his age to get into the military and by August 1917, he was assigned to the Boys Battalion in England, waiting to be deployed to the European mainland. But the war ended before he could see any fighting - a twist of fate that Mr. Babcock later said was a great disappointment.
When you go home, tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow, these gave their today.
Went the day well? We died and never knew,
But, well or ill, freedom, we died for you.
--Simonides
Godspeed, Mr. Babcock.
Didn’t notice that he didn’t actually see combat.But it doesn’t matter because at the tender of 16 he was prepared to sacrifice all “for King and Country”.His heart...and sense of courage...were in the right place.
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