On the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I

[robkelk]

This November 11 will be the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I.

Instead of the usual request to take a moment of silence to remember the veterans and the fallen on the day itself, I thought I'd mention a 22-year-old man named Hugh Cairns.

On 1 November 1918, while Sergeant Cairns was serving with the 46th Infantry Battalion near Valenciennes in France, a German machine gun opened fire on his platoon as it advanced. Single-handed, he attacked the enemy position and captured the gun, using a Lewis light machine gun to kill the crew. Later, when progress was blocked again, he charged another group of German positions, killing 12 of the enemy and capturing 18 others along with two machine guns. When further resistance was encountered from enemy machine guns and artillery, Cairns, though wounded, led a successful effort to outflank and eliminate the defenders. Cairns’s small party inflicted many casualties and captured about fifty of the enemy and all of their guns. A subsequent patrol in which he participated forced 60 more enemy soldiers to surrender. It was while disarming this group of prisoners that Cairns was wounded again, this time severely. Although he still managed to open fire and kill many of his assailants, he was overwhelmed by about 20 of the other enemy prisoners and collapsed from weakness and the loss of blood. Cairns died the following day.

Sergeant Cairns was the last Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during World War I.


Also, did you know? It was in 1931 that Canada moved Thanksgiving from November to October in order for that holiday to be a separate event, setting aside November 11 as a day for remembrance.

[Norgarth]

[classicdrogn]

Though it's almost over now, happy Veteran's Day, and to any of our members who may have served, thank you.

[ECSNorway]

As I said on Facebook:

To all those who will never leave those blood-sodden fields, and all who have marched in their step before and since, we humbly offer our thanks.