Thank You

On November 11th, we honour the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces who have served our country, I want to express my family’s deep gratitude for the dedicated service of my father, Francis Robert Tudge, and my brother, Irving Tudge. I also wish to recognize the invaluable support of my mother and my sister-in-law, who stood by them with unwavering dedication throughout their years of duty.

Like many Canadians, my father volunteered at the outset of WWII in 1939, embarking on a long and dedicated military career. He served in key missions, including the Dieppe Raid and the landing on Juno Beach. After the war, he remained in the forces, bringing his young English war bride and their two sons to the literal land of ice and snow—Whitehorse, Yukon Territory—where he served on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, receiving some of the first messages from the Korean conflict.

Born in England during WWII, my brothers Irv and Paul spent their early years in the rugged Yukon. While conditions were often harsh, they found adventure—skiing, hunting, and camping in a primeval landscape. Although Whitehorse has since evolved into a modern town, when those first military families first arrived, they faced truly primitive conditions until proper housing was built. When my father was overseas, we lived on the base in Kingston, where mothers tried to cope with their wild children roaming the woods around Fort Henry.

When he came of age, Irv joined the Navy, a choice my mother called "running away to sea." He began his service as a young man on ships, later serving with NATO in Europe and on the Golan Heights, proudly wearing the white helmet of a UN Peacekeeper. He married a Maritime girl, who followed him across Canada and abroad—from Halifax to Cold Lake, to Germany, back to Canada in Calgary, and finally, to Ottawa. During these years, their sons experienced a similar upbringing, growing up as we did, within the close-knit military family, with Dolly often managing the children on her own.

On Remembrance Day we honour those who serve this country—and especially those sons and daughters we’ve lost—let us also remember the spouses and families who have sacrificed so much, moving from place to place and proudly supporting those in uniform. Their commitment forms the quiet, enduring foundation for that service. To all who have served and to those who have stood by their side—thank you.

?