Cyril Marshall died recently.
That may not have huge impact on many of you, but he was a true war hero and a long-time member of the Cochrane Legion.
And he was a character and a great guy to know.
He served with the British paratroopers in the Second World War and one of his claims to fame was he participated in the Normandy invasion in 1944.
And he went to Normandy not once but three times that June 6.
He was with the British 6th Airborne Division and made two trips over Normandy dropping supplies to his fellow paratroopers who had already landed — and on the third trip after dropping the supplies he jumped himself.
Then in September, 1944, he participated in the battle for Arnhem.
At that time he was on loan to the 1st British Airborne Division and he parachuted into the fray in that great battle.
That division suffered 75 per cent loss in that battle and never fought as a unit again.
But Cyril survived and moved to Canada.
And he loved this country and he loved the Remembrance Day services.
One of my last recollections of Cyril was two years ago on Remembrance Day on a very chilly morning, but he was there.
And as the ceremony ended and the vets left, he once again asked those aging old legs to respond and they did.
With arched back and clear eye he strained but on his own became an erect old soldier, as erect as age would allow, and gave a crisp salute to the Cenotaph.
He remembered as should we all.
And the rest of us can Feb. 10 at the Cochrane Legion where friends will gather at 2 p.m to remember Cyril Marshall.
One of the issues facing Calgarians these days is should Calgary folk be allowed to eat shark fin soup.
It’s a Chinese delicacy, but should Calgarians partake in it?
So Calgary city council is debating the issue.
Do you think there’s a town council somewhere in China debating if they should eat prairie oysters?
Just wonderin’.
And another thing.
I see by an issue of the Calgary Herald last week that Cochrane is on the cusp of a great future.
At least according to the interview with our illustrious mayor.
One of the items he mentioned for the future for us was a $3 million pedestrian bridge.
Now let me get this straight.
After five years at the same salary we can’t find the money to give our EMS and firefighters a pay increase but we can think of spending three million loonies on a pedestrian bridge.
Of course legacies aren’t created by fair offers.
Who ever had an overdue pay increase to employees named after them?
Just sayin’.
So let me get this straight.
Our premier bills our government for her association dues because she's a lawyer and she says that’s very important to us.
So taxpayers pay her dues.
Then we have doctors who, I dare say, are also important to us, but there’s no government cheque paying their association dues.
The truth is neither obligation should be paid by taxpayers.
Now aren’t you happy that the NHL is back?
Is your world not much more perfect now that we have professional hockey players making zillions once again?
Maybe one of them will build a pedestrian bridge for us.
It’s worth a try.
