While walking through the memorial field in my hometown of Bergen op Zoom, dedicated to soldiers who fell in the Second World War, something broke inside me.
We rarely take a moment to consider what the consequences would have been if these men hadn’t been there. As I walked across the grounds, I noticed that the average age was around 20. It’s absurd, these young men sacrificed their lives to restore our freedom.
We rarely take a moment to consider what the consequences would have been if these men hadn’t been there. As I walked across the grounds, I noticed that the average age was around 20. It’s absurd, these young men sacrificed their lives to restore our freedom.
I don’t know who they are, and I’ve never had the chance to thank them. But each stone bears a name, and beneath each stone lies a person. A young person, far from home, far from Canada. These boys must never be forgotten because freedom is not a given. Innocent people always pay the price with their lives.
For those who gave their lives
“given my life
don’t let me drown
don’t let us be forgotten
am I anonymous?
i’m free
we are free
who are you?”
“given my life
don’t let me drown
don’t let us be forgotten
am I anonymous?
i’m free
we are free
who are you?”
This image, in which I used a coat designed by fashion designer Ward Warmoeskerken, carries meaning: the young men buried there may be anonymous to us, but they gave their lives for our freedom, and we will continue to remember them.