 
“Remember”
is a moving rendition of a letter by W.C. Anderson, originally
published in newspapers across Canada honoring two young men
who, as many of our own relatives did, gave their lives in
the throes of battle in World War II.
The letter tells the story of Donald Leitch and Allan
Campbell, of Strathroy, Ontario: “two teenagers I secretly
adopted as my big brothers” writes Anderson.
“Lest We Forget it says on the cenotaphs in towns and
cities across this great land of ours. My off-spring will
grow to understand why that little kid who sat on the curb
of that small town street so long ago will never forget.”
Donnie was twenty-one when his brother was killed, and Allan
twenty-three. “My
Big Brothers. My Heroes.”
“Remember” is available on the very special CD Lest
We Forget, It contains three moving remembrance themed songs, coupled with
acoustic versions, along with two spoken word pieces, the
aforementioned, “Remember,” and a moving rendition
of Dr. John McCrae’s renowned poem, “In Flanders Fields.”
The
song “Wartime Letters” explores the correspondence between
Tim’s parents during their forced separation of World War
II. A gift of a military-issue wallet, which once belonged
to Tim’s father, was the inspiration for this composition.
“After my father passed on in 1991, my mother gave it to me
as a family heirloom,” recalls Tim. “It was apparently empty,
but I discovered three letters inside: they were from my father
to my mother, written between August 1944 and January 1945.”
The letters talked of everyday life, but their historical
context made a lasting impression on Tim. “D-Day happened
that June, and everything seemed to be going so well. For
me, the tragedy was how many more lives would be lost between
the time they thought the war was over and the time it really
was,” Colonlet Tom wrote. Tim translates these sentiments
into moving lyrics:
 |
Wartime
letters, full of family news
A good fifty years ago.
How’d it happen.
how did they get through?
The bond of love
their writing shows. |
“Winter
Rose” also explores this theme of love and separation with equal
grace.
Also included on Lest
We Forget
is one of Lawson’s best-loved songs “The Quiet Canadian” which
is a tribute to Sir
William Stephenson;
a true Canadian war legend whom Lawson befriended in 1985. Sir
William, the subject of the Canadian best selling book The
True Intrepid,
(published by Lawson’s Timberholme Books), is remembered not
only for his genius during his days with Army Intelligence,
but for his post-war humanitarianism.
 |
When
the great war came, he volunteered
Foot soldier, Flanders Fields..
Then in ‘36.
he shone like gold;
Churchill called,
‘Intrepid’ code;
Nine years and more he gave,
Secrets to the grave. |
Tim
wanted to give Lest
We Forget
a practical focus: he decided early on to donate the proceeds
from the sale of the CD to The
Royal Canadian Legion.
The money will go to the Poppy
Fund, a Legion-managed trust that supports veterans and
their families. In this spirit of cooperation, the Legion is
distributing tracks from Lest
We Forget
to its 1,600 branches coast-to-coast, and endorses the promotional
activities with Lawson’s record label, Timberholme Music.
As Mick Steers, Manager of Special Projects of the Royal Canadian
Legion, said: “When Tim’s project came our way, obviously the
first thing we were interested in was the music, and we were
impressed: Lest
We Forget
will strike a chord with our members, and the general public,
across the country.”
Prior to the November 11th commemoration, thousands
of Legion members visit schools to participate in ceremonies
and talk to students.
Tim’s music helps communicate with the younger generations.
States Steers, “We need this kind of contemporary material,
to help illustrate the theme of remembrance. The message of
Lest
We Forget
is the same one our members are working to convey.”
A bridge across the generations is key to our remembrance.
As Tim suggested: “I have a son who is 15. He watches
movies: he listens to music. To present wartime stories this
way makes common sense.”
By detailing the lives of real people and real experiences,
Tim Lawson honours those who fought for our freedom. Lest
We Forget
is a fitting remembrance of, and tribute to, our world’s
veterans of war.
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