We will remember, with gratitude
“Since the earliest Crusade men and women have suffered in the throes of war not for personal gain or glory but for the preservation of an ideal that righteous freedom might be realized as a reward to all mankind.
Thus we, the citizens of East York erect this symbol to commemorate through the years those who laid down their lives or were incapacitated serving the cause of such freedom in the victorious wars of 1914-1918 1935-1945
Pray that the crusade is now ended in eternal peace
1950 Korea 1953″
–words engraved on the East York Cenotaph at 850 Coxwell Avenue in Toronto
Soldiers from Canada fighting in the cause of freedom
From the podcast site introduction:
“Join Dave Smith, a former major in the Canadian Armed Forces, fighting alongside Belarusian Partisans for Ukraine. From the intense battlegrounds North of Kharkiv to the life-saving professional efforts within its hospitals, Dave offers a raw and authentic soldier’s viewpoint of what it is to fight up close on the line of engagement – the Zero Line.
The conversation sheds light on the grim realities of capturing Russian conscripts and subsequent efforts at prisoner exchanges, exploring the stark differences in how Ukrainian and Russian forces handle detainees. Dave provides insights on how compromised platforms like Telegram play a crucial role in the information war. He offers a fascinating look at the North Atlantic Fella Organization (NAFO), an internet meme movement that supports Ukraine. Dave’s candid reflections, paint a vivid picture of the way in which humor enables both young and old to cope with the stresses of war.
J. Alex Tarquinio and Frank Radford, our hosts in The Delegates Lounge, spoke from New York, while Dave spoke from Ukraine via web conference. Part 1 of this conversation began in July with Dave’s account of his journey and his insights into the war up until that point. This took place before his regiment was deployed to fight North of Kharkiv. For Part 2, we spoke with Dave in October, after intense combat with Russian conscripts on the Zero Line and his recent stay in a hospital in Kharkiv. He also described how soldiers use social media on the frontlines. As he relates his battlefield experiences, listeners will catch a rare glimpse into how international policies directly impact those on the front lines.”
