My grandfather in 1927
(looking very poet like)

March 21st is World Poetry Day and I thought it fitting to publish a poem written by my grandfather Grant Harold MacCarthy. He was only 16 years old but the Ottawa Citizen thought it good enough to publish in their newspaper on Remembrance Day in 1927. I suspect it has not seen the light of day for the better part of nine decades.

The following summer my grandfather was fortunate enough to visit Europe with his family and this included a visit to the Canadian War Memorial at St. Julien. He had several uncles and cousins who served in the Great War, including George Geoffrey May who died at Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917.

My grandfather served in Royal Canadian Artillery during the Second World War and was based at an artillery training centre at Camp Petawawa.

Hill 60 Memorial

St. Julien Memorial