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I am starting a new topic, despite the fact that there are others about Maj (Ret’d) Pilon’s outrage over e.g. a youngster urinating on the National War Memorial because I have a question rather than a firm opinion.
Here, reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions (§29) of the Copyright Act, is an interesting piece from today’s National Post:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=528391
I’m familiar with a few equivalent sites:
1. The American one, at Arlington National Cemetery that is, indeed, carefully guarded;
2. The Australian one, housed within their National War Memorial that is rather like a war museum;
3. The British one, in Westminster Abby;
4. The French one, in Paris, at the Arc de Triomphe which is, in many respects, closest to ours; and
5. The “original,” the Danish one, in the town of Fredericia.
Now, my question is: what is the proper way to ‘display’ the unknown soldier?
Each of the five models above use a different method.
In Fredericia, for example, there are ceremonial guards at the gate of the fortress who also “guard” the statue/tomb which is right beside the gate. I don’t know if they are regular or reserve or if yhey are there 24/7 or just on nice days.
My impression is that Canada’s cenotaph (like Singapore’s) and tomb are the most accessible of all that I have seen. Even Hong Kong’s small cenotaph [see picture, below] is more “controlled” by a low chain that is removed only, I think, on a very few national memorial dates. That seems to be sufficient for them.
Maybe we want our cenotaph and tomb to be fully open so that people can get close and reflect, maybe, on the other hand, the “centre” of the complex – the memorial, proper, and the tomb ought to be “controlled” by a small, low fence, and, as I believe is the case in Hong Kong stiff penalties for anyone (local or tourist, young or old) who trespasses.
My memory, which could be very faulty, is that the tomb in Paris is also controlled only by a low fence and that sentries are only present on special occasions.
We now have daytime (nice days only?) scarlet clad sentries there during the summer – I’m not 100% convinced that’s what we’re after. It seems to me that if the tomb needs or is “entitled” to a sentry in July it ought to “need” one on a cold January night, too. Do it right, in other words, or don’t do it at all.
I’m interested in members’ opinions.
Here, reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions (§29) of the Copyright Act, is an interesting piece from today’s National Post:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=528391
I’m familiar with a few equivalent sites:
1. The American one, at Arlington National Cemetery that is, indeed, carefully guarded;
2. The Australian one, housed within their National War Memorial that is rather like a war museum;
3. The British one, in Westminster Abby;
4. The French one, in Paris, at the Arc de Triomphe which is, in many respects, closest to ours; and
5. The “original,” the Danish one, in the town of Fredericia.
Now, my question is: what is the proper way to ‘display’ the unknown soldier?
Each of the five models above use a different method.
In Fredericia, for example, there are ceremonial guards at the gate of the fortress who also “guard” the statue/tomb which is right beside the gate. I don’t know if they are regular or reserve or if yhey are there 24/7 or just on nice days.
My impression is that Canada’s cenotaph (like Singapore’s) and tomb are the most accessible of all that I have seen. Even Hong Kong’s small cenotaph [see picture, below] is more “controlled” by a low chain that is removed only, I think, on a very few national memorial dates. That seems to be sufficient for them.
Maybe we want our cenotaph and tomb to be fully open so that people can get close and reflect, maybe, on the other hand, the “centre” of the complex – the memorial, proper, and the tomb ought to be “controlled” by a small, low fence, and, as I believe is the case in Hong Kong stiff penalties for anyone (local or tourist, young or old) who trespasses.
My memory, which could be very faulty, is that the tomb in Paris is also controlled only by a low fence and that sentries are only present on special occasions.
We now have daytime (nice days only?) scarlet clad sentries there during the summer – I’m not 100% convinced that’s what we’re after. It seems to me that if the tomb needs or is “entitled” to a sentry in July it ought to “need” one on a cold January night, too. Do it right, in other words, or don’t do it at all.
I’m interested in members’ opinions.
