Lest We Forget

in lestweforget •  5 years ago  (edited)

Tomorrow, November 11, is Rememberance Day/ Veteran's Day.

On the eleventh day, of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour (11.A.M.) please stop for a moment to give thanks to our brave men and women who fought and gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy today. There are many ceremonies and parades in different communities to honour and remember those who served. Wreaths are placed at the cenotaphs for our fallen soldiers. Mothers, who have lost their son or daughter who served in recent wars, are honoured.

The statue in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada to honour the men and women of WW1, WW11 and the Korean War.


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This is the poppy I have been wearing on my jacket since last week. They are available at the legions and as I look around the town I see most people, young and old, are sporting one.


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My father, two of his brothers and many cousins left Canada for Overseas to take part in WW11. My mother, from Co. Mayo. Ireland, was a nurse in England when the war was on.

Here’s a photo of them around the time we were married during the war in 1943.


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When my father was living, even at 85 years old, he always dressed up in his legion jacket and cap and marched in the Rememberance Day parade that was held at his hometown. Not many of the soldiers from that war left now.

One way I pay tribute is to whip up a wartime recipe of a War Cake. I plan to make one tomorrow.

In wartime certain foods such as eggs, sugar, butter and milk were rationed. The cake is made with simple ingredients and often was wrapped up and sent overseas for the soldiers in the trenches by a member of the family.



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#Recipe for War Cake:

Boil together on stove for 3 minutes- 2 cups water, 2 cups raisins, 1 cup molasses.

  • add 2/3 cup of shortening while mixture still warm.

Let mixture cool-

Add:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder.
  • 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 tsp. hot water
  • 3 tsp cinnamon

Mix thoroughly and put in greased tube pan or 2 loaf pans in 350 degree preheated oven. Bake approximately 1 hour.

When cake is removed from oven a glaze can be put on while it is still warm by saving a couple Tblp. of the boiled water mixture and add a drop of vanilla, some icing sugar, pinch of salt. Make sure it is thin enough to drizzle gently over the cake.

Enjoy the War Cake with a nice cup of tea or coffee and let us not forget.



#thealliance




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Hey @redheadpei

Great job highlighting this. Lots of memorial stuff going on in the UK. My football team for one, with a decent ceremony before the match, including a minute silence.

Thanks for sharing

Gaz

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Thanks @cheese4ead! Kudos to your football team for the Rememberance ceremony and minute of silence. So important for the soldiers then and now.
Blessings!

Thank you for telling us about your father and mother and their service during WWII. I'm sure the cakes were very much appreciated by the soldiers receiving them!

Welcome @free-reign. 😊 Yes, the simple ingredients of the cake makes a lovely treat.

My parents were both children in the war - in England and Scotland. I had coffee this morning with an amazing woman who also grew up in the UK in the war. As you know, the aftermath of the war lasted for years and when she and her husband (to whom she's been married for more than 60 years), went on their first date, she was in her school uniform. It was all the family could afford and the best clothes that she had.

Thanks for the lovely story, Fiona. Yes, England was devastated during the war with all the bombs raining down on them.

You're welcome. And parts of Scotland. My father was evacuated from Glasgow during the war. he was about 10 - to a poultry farm.

That's a great story. Love the picture of your parents!

My grandfather emigrated to Canada from what is now Ukraine as an infant in 1917, with his mother, right after the Russian Revolution. They were mennonite, and they found other mennonites in western Canada (there are a lot).

He volunteered to serve in WWII and met my grandmother in England. He was one of the soldiers who landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. He never, ever, spoke about it.

Thanks WW. a wonderful story of your grandparents. I think a lot of them didn’t speak of it as they witnessed so much death And violence of fellow man.

My uncle was with the medics, carrying the dead a and wounded off the battlefield. He was never the same after and had horrid nightmares, waking up in terror after he returned to Canada.

There are many Amish people settling here ( coming from Ontario) and bringing old farms to life again and some Mennonites settling at the other end of the Island.

Did your parents follow the Mennonite way of life?

No, most definitely not. For volunteering to serve in the army my grandfather was essentially shunned from the Mennonite community, and my parents divorced before I have any memory at all. I was raised very dysfunctionally. :)

Haha WW. I think we all have a bit of dysfunction...some more than a bit.
Definitely an interesting family tree . Your grandfather was a brave man and he was better off without a group of people who shunned him for his devotion to fight for the future of his country.💕 ❤️

We still call it Poppy day or Armistice Day, so many lives lost or destroyed through the war! Lovely photo and what a lovely way to bring honour to your parents with that War Cake, very special photo too!

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Thank so much @lizelle for your lovely comments. ❤️

awesome tribute and recipe! @tipu curate

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Thanks so much @blueeyes8960 and for the tipu. 💞 I made the cake and when Hubs came in from outside he wondered what I was cooking -said the house smelled wonderful.

Thanks for the recipe) It's good that there is a memory of the past!

Welcome @amalinavia! I made the war cake today and it turned out nicely.

An important time to remember not only the sacrifice of those who died in past wars... but also the devestation and futility of war in general. Of course, there were noble causes... but in the end, there is so much that is lost.

So true, Bengy. Much was lost and I am forever grateful and thankful of the sacrifices made and the freedom we have here because of it.

A beautiful photo of your parents Jo!! It is good to remember the many who fought and gave their lives for us and freedom! A lovely post with important sentiment!! War cake looks delicious and I'm sure it is. I'm sure it was a real treat then and even today!! 😊 💞

Thanks Dee! I’m happy you liked ❤️ it. It’s so important for us to keep their sacrifice alive and not let anyone take away the freedom they fought And many died for.

I made the cake today and it was quite nice. 😃

You are very welcome Jo! I totally agree! 🙂 💞

Congratulations @redheadpei! This post has been featured in today's Power House Creatives curation post!

You can find the community announcement on Discord :) and it has also been shared on our FB Page and Twitter feed.

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Much appreciated @steemitbloggers! ❤️ 💗 😘

War cake, poppies and let us not forget should be on a tile on the wall! We don’t have 11-11. It we remember the veterans on 5-5 I guess history did that. We get the England memorial through the news and it’s impressive everyone is wearing a poppie

There were lots of parades and ceremonies held here and placing of wreaths to honour the men and women who fought for us.
One of my uncles was with a mounted horse regiment and helped in the liberation of Holland.

Oh wow , yes the veteran community here has ties and friends all over the world and should always be remembered

Beautiful. My father served in the war too. It’s so important to remember those who served.

Thanks Jayna. Yes, we owe them so much. 💕

The cake is a beautiful way to show love to the fighting soldiers. It it is like sending them a piece of comfort from home. War recipes are fascinating. You wouldn't happen to know more would you?

The war cake have been a great treat for the soldiers. I know a lot of carrots were used in recipes. Carrots could be grated into baking powder biscuits. Since sugar was rationed the biscuits could be made without sugar. I remember my grandmother making these.
Recipe:
1/3 c of fat mixed into 2 c flour, 3 tsp. Baking powder, salt, 1 c liquid( milk & water combined), 1/2 c grated carrots.
Mix lightly until everything combined and roll out and cut into circles. I just use a Small drinking glass to cut.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Thanks for share your information

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Thanks @shuvo35!

That looks yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe 😉👍

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Thanks for stopping by @iamraincrystal. The cake turned out nicely and was even better the next day.

Wow that's so good to hear 😉👍 if only we could send it here I'd love a bite 😄😄

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Thank you for sharing your story. It is always amazing to hear or read the stories of brave men and women who bravely fought for freedom. 😊

Welcome @pinoy.viajero! I’m glad you liked to read the story. 😊

brave men who fought for our country are irreplaceable and a life debt to us who enjoys the freedom we have now. Of course people that enjoying the liberty today should spend time as a respect to the heroism of our heroes. History is what makes us today.

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Thanks for stopping by @mrnightmare89! Yes we need to remember and make sure the past doesn’t repeat itself.

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Beautiful post @redheadpei. I too remember sending goodies to the soldiers during the war. This cake looks amazing, utilizing ingredients which were available at the time. Your mom and dad look so sweet, thanks to both of them for serving to protect all of us :)

11th November is the date my hubby and I got registered at the local council..
But we were so busy that we forgot this year :(

Thank you for this post @redheadpei, Veterans Day is not for mattress sales! 💕 The recipe looks good, I'll give it to Debbie so she can make it for me.

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Welcome @wonderwop! I think you will like the cake. Molasses is good for you and the recipe doesn’t call for sugar.

@wonderwop, NO. you are correct. the day is not to catch the latest one-day sales. It's a holiday for a reason, and should be observed as such. It totally amazes me how the retail industry tailors those sales to coincide with holidays as a way to increase sales since most of the time a day off is taken from your work.

Excellent post. If I ever heard of these cakes, I had forgotten. I love that you make it each year. Does it toast well, soak up lots of butter (which one would not have done during the war)? Sounds like the perfect breakfast food to me.

Thanks @owasco. Actually it’s like a fruitcake ( without all the fruit). I wrapped it after it cooled and the next day it sliced nicely. It is good with a cuppa tea or coffee.

South Africa also played an important role in the wars Lady Jo, but sadly over the generations the real meaning of Armistice Day is fading.
Great memories that you displayed here and indeed a very important post.
Blessings and thank you for keeping the memory alive!

Most welcome Sir Stephen. Armistice/ Rememberance Day is an important day here. Lots of parades, ceremonies and laying of wreaths at the cenotaphs.

Mothers of fallen Canadian soldiers in recent wars are also honoured.

Glad to see that you guys are keeping it going Lady Jo.
It is indeed a very important day!
Blessings!

I really enjoyed reading about your parents and their war experience. I especially liked the war recipe. Will definitely try it.

Thanks @justclickindva for your lovely comment. A couple of friends tried the recipe and said it was very good.

I'll send you a pic when I cook it. Looks so simple to make, which is perfect for me.. It's almost like a carrot raisin cake. Carrots and raisins are natural sweeteners.

Thanks @justclickindiva. I look forward to seeing the pic. 😊

@redheadpei the cake looks good almost like raisin bread. I have several small booklets with food vouchers in them for bread, milk and that sort of stuff I am sure they are from wwII.

It is like a boiled raisin cake, @myjob. I’ve made boiled raisin cookies with similar ingredients.
That’s interesting that you have the vouchers, They probably are war stamps and collectables.

@redheadpei I would like it..... I bet you are right I will have to google them and see if they are worth anything, I keep them because they belonged to my favorite Aunt and Uncle.

@redheadpei I looked up the food vouchers and google says they have more sentimental value than monetary

I'd like to eat a piece.

You’ll have to drop by the house then or you could make one 😊