A Moment of Time

It’s a pittance really, a short one hundred and twenty seconds, a mere two minutes*. It’s what’s asked of you and I to give, come 11am November 11th, that you stop, and there in total silence and contemplation, you take that moment, no, embrace the moment, in honour of those who serve and have served. Not just the ones who paid the ultimate price, but every single veteran, no matter the who the what and when. It’s dropping what you’re doing and being thankful there’s those out there willing to take up the fight…for all who call this country our home. A small price to pay…

Here, we’re at a place where deceased warriors and heroes lie for all eternity. It’s the back part of Burnsland Cemetery, with the graves all lined up neat and proper in a row, as though soldiers standing at attention. Come take in our photos. There’s nothing spectacular here compositionally, nothing technically wowing, it’s all about the subject, monuments to those, mere feet below, who worked and fought to protect all we hold dear.

Burnsland Cemetery, just off Calgary’s busy MacLeod Trail, has a section devoted who those who perished while in military service, all wars and conflicts and even rare times when there was peace. Still they die. There’s hundreds and hundreds of graves here, an endless number of names and ranks, of wars fought and time served. We’ll never know them all, and never could, but still we give our thanks. We hope somewhere in the great beyond, they’re listening.

Hey you, Donald Hill, ordinary seaman, passing in 1942 at age 21, Private Dent of the Medical Corps, aged 73 on passing in 1943 (age Seventy Three!), you there, Private Joseph Snake Person, passed 1942 at age 38, we all owe you a debt of gratitude. But we’ll never be able to pay you back. Ever. And you, Corporal Martin, Signalman Meiklejohn, Aircraftman Nichols serving with the Australians, Private Knowles of the Infantry, First World War, Sargent Weddell, Private Lanson, all of you…we’d thank you in person, each and every one, and shake your hands. If we only could.

The first military burials in Burnsland date from the early 1920s, soldiers who died in WW1, earlier interred somewhere else then later brought here. Lots of burials date from the next big war, WW2, where it’s said Canada came into its own militarily. Then there’s a smattering of graves from those who fought in Korea, and later conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

There’s the young fellows, many in their teens, and the old ones, those in their fifties, sixties and even seventies, who together fought and died for a common cause, your freedom to be who ever you want to be. The privates, the corporals, ol’ Sarg, the majors, all fighting together. For you. There’s the Infantrymen, the Engineers, the Quartermasters, Army, Navy, Air Force all fighting for you and me, their country, their home. All are represented, men, woman, the farm boys, the businesspersons, the fathers and mothers. War cares not who you are.

We’ve yet to come up with the most recent military burial here. While shooting we saw some dating from the 1960s and 1970s and a search suggests the last one may have happened into the 1990s (still trying to pin down more detailed info). Looks like they ran out of room then.

On a small knoll, a monument, the Cross of Sacrifice. And the flags fly, and they fly forever in thanks of those who gave and gave till it cost them everything, not for the glory, but that a job had to be done and they were the ones to do it. Selfless is the soldier. Then, now and forever.

Burnsland is also home to regular burials. Established in 1923, there’s some twenty two thousand graves here overall. Wow! Search as we might, we could not find an exact count in regards to the number in the military section, but it’s easily hundreds and hundreds. Burnsland is not the only such place in town with a section for soldiers, but is the largest in terms of numbers. Union Cemetery, right across the road has a military field of honour too, but it’s smaller.

We wander about each step considered carefully and out of respect. These guys deserve it. We look out over the great expanse of headstones, fighting back the tears. And then a smile comes, not one of cheer, but of respect and honour. Boys…you’ve done us proud – I so want to say more, to thank each and every one of you. But all I can come up with is a “thanks”. Not much, but perhaps enough still. We’re in company of warriors and champions, us, the only living souls here the time of our visit. And if they were with us today, every single one would have our back. That’s how they rolled.

Shots were done over two separate visits. All were captured after dark with extended exposures with the longest (mentioned below it) taking about a minute. And while waiting on the camera, we stood there in the near darkness, calm and peaceful, our heads bowed, our breathing shallow with not a word to be heard, till that moment passed. Seemed the right thing to do. And a minute, well, it’s not much time at all. And two, it seems but little more.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One.

*Didn’t it used to be one minute of silence? If it was it’s not a complaint about today. If one is good, two is better, just I swear that’s how I remember it.

To spend all eternity…
The Little Cemetery Moyie BC.
Badland’s Cemetery.
Sacred Heart.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: October and November 2018.
Location: Calgary, AB.
Article references and thanks: FindAGrave.com, City of Calgary.

You are encouraged to visit the military graves. Get to know these people long gone, even if it’s for but a moment.

Getting to know these soldiers.

At the Burnsland Cemetery Calgary.

A monument to those who served.

Sgt Weddell, passed 1947. Rest in Peace.

This exposure took one minute – we stood there for two.