Rememberance Day 2005 & My Uncle Daniel Lee

Today is Rememberance Day.

When I was a child I remember standing in the Laura Secord Elementary
School gymnasium listening to a reading of the poem Flanders
Field.  I liked the images of fields of poppies – but I disliked
the images of dead soldiers.

Today, I watched the Victory Square cenotaph ceremonieson CTV.  I
excitedly looked for my uncle Daniel Lee, a WW2 veteran and very active
with the Pacific Unit 280 Veterans.  As the television camera
panned the veterans in attendance, I  spotted his friends Ed Lee
and Alex Louie, also vets.  Uncle Dan and Ed also help organize
the Victory Square ceremonies, and finally during the laying of the
wreaths, I saw Uncle Dan handing the wreaths to some of the dignitaries
laying them at the cenotaph.

I am very proud of my Grand-Uncle Dan, and inspired by his dedication
and committment to service.  Every year, he is out in the cold
selling poppies on street corners.  But he does far more than just
that.   Here is the article I wrote last year about my Uncle Dan.

It was very nice that the CTV commentator John Stanton, mentioned the
tremendous courage of Chinese Canadian veterans – who had enlisted when
they were not able to vote for the country they were born in. 
They wanted to prove their loyalty and worth to Canada.  They made
enormous contributions in Asian operating in the Burmese jungles like
my Uncle Victor Wong did, in small espionage units.  Uncle Dan was
stationed in England along with his brothers Howard and Leonard.

Below is a picture taken last year at the Chinatown pioneer and
veterans cenotaph, as Mayor Larry Campbell and Councillor Jim Green
greeted and thanked my Uncle Dan.