LEST WE FORGET 81 Canadian army tanks were driving up and down every street declaring that the war was over, and the people were finally coming out of hiding. Robert knew he had to go down into the dark basements as some people were too scared to come out into the sunlight. In the basement of one war-damaged building, Robert discovered a small boy crying all alone. His parents had died. The little boy was scared of Robert. He didn’t know an enemy from a friend. Robert gave the boy a leftover partial stick of gum. Robert carried the little boy to the tank outside. They dropped the little boy off at the rescue nursing station which was setting up nearby. Robert said good-bye to the little boy and gave the boy the small bible that had been in Robert’s pocket all through the war. He pointed out that on the inside front cover was his full name, service number, regiment number and name. He said, “My name is Robert” as he pointed at himself. The child replied, “Vim”, as he pointed at himself. That was the only verbal communication they had. However, the bond between them was felt, it was an emotional parting. Robert returned from the war, back to Saskatoon. There, Robert met a wonderful woman named Myrtle Moncrief. They married on August 3, 1946. They had a daughter, Lorraine Roberta, on December 19, 1949, and a son, Dennis Robert, on October 28, 1957. Robert received a letter in the mail one day from Holland. It was from Vim! Twenty-four years had passed since Robert saved Vim, who had always cherished that little bible that the kind soldier gave to him that day. Inside the front cover of that little pocket-sized bible was the soldier’s name and it also said Saskatoon Light Infantry and it had Robert’s ID number and his regiment numbers. With research, the grown-up Vim (actually named H. William Dekker) was able to contact Robert Chapman. Very soon after the phone calls, Vim of Amsterdam, Holland, brought his wife, Anne, to Canada to visit Robert and his wife, Myrtle. Robert always reminded his children that he went into that war to make a better world for them and their mother. Robert valued his freedom and right to be happy and to enjoy peace. Democracy for Canada. That is what the poppy means to us now. Robert and all the soldiers fought to defend and protect our freedoms and rights. Let’s recognize our wonderful Canadian life and let’s make Canada a good safe place for all. Let’s always remember the Veterans past and present. A poppy means ‘Lest We Forget’. By Lorraine Roberta Chapman (Robert’s daughter) CHAPMAN, Robert Henry (Continued)
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