In Memory of Heroes

It rained in the morning, but that did not stop people from turning up.
My cadets. In the background, names of soldiers who perished during the War.

Last Sunday, I accompanied four of my NCC cadets to the Memorial Day event for Commonwealth soldiers who died during WWII at the Kranji War Memorial. Though I have seen this sort of events on TV before, I have never been to one in person, and I went away from the event feeling moved and touched by the whole experience.

The Memorial event was a solemn one, attended by diplomats and military attaches from other Commonwealth countries. There was also a sizeable number from the various CCA groups, and despite the rain earlier, it was a good turnout. I got to listen to the most beautiful singing ever, by the choir from the Tanglin Trust School. Their sweet angelic voices was a perfect compliment to the event. My eyes welled up a few times (I was trying to control myself lest my cadets saw it) as I sang 'Amazing Grace' softly along with the choir.

One of the hymns that the choir sang was 'I vow to thee my country'. As a child, this was a hymn that I looked forward to singing in church everytime during National Day, but I have not been singing the last few years as I am now in a different church. I have never given much thought to the lyrics of the hymn before but as the choir sang, I sang along too and I finally understood the meaning of the lyrics. These soldiers buried in the cemetery had made the ultimate sacrifice for their country by laying down their lives, no questions asked. They have died so that we can have the life that we have now.

We must never forget that.


I Vow To Thee My Country Hymn
I vow to thee, my country
All earthly things above
Entire and whole and perfect
The service of my love

The love that asks no questions
The love that stands the test
That lays upon the alter
The dearst and the best

The love that never falters
The love that pays the price
The love that makes undaunted
The final sacrifice

And there's another country
I've heard of long ago
Most dear to them that love her
Most great to them I know

We may not count her armies
We may not see her King
Her fortress is a faithful heart
Her pride is suffering

And soul by soul and silently
Her shining bounds increase
And her ways are ways of gentleness
And all her paths are peace