Claude Charland
The following is from Intergenerational Integrities 2021 Anthology. Intergenerational Integrities involves 18 like-minded, passionate secondary students of British Columbia and Alberta who share a common love for writing, history and learning. Their purpose is to connect youth and seniors, especially during the Covid-19 global pandemic, where many have been physically and socially isolated. For this initiative, each student has been paired with a veteran of the Korean War.
Claude Charland was born in Montreal, Quebec on February 27,1929. He enlisted in the Canadian Army as an infantryman in the second battalion. While in Korea, he served as a platoon commander and led men into combat on numerous occasions. While in Korea, Claude and members of his Regiment (the Van Doos) organized hockey games on the frozen Imjin River. He says that being able to play his country’s national sport allowed him to forget about the war for a little while. After the Korean War, Claude served with the Canadian Army until he retired in 1982.
Braidyn Chang is a grade twelve student attending Dr. Charles Best Secondary in Coquitlam, British Colombia. She is very passionate about history, leadership and writing. She is very thankful to have been given the opportunity to work with Senator Yonah Martin and her team for the “Korean War Forgotten No More” campaign. Braidyn believes that building connections between youth and seniors is crucial in supporting humanity. She hopes to have a career that could contribute to the development of society through empowering others to make a positive difference in the world.
Home on the Imjin River
By Braidyn Chang
The river
frozen over a few nights before
frosted fingers weaving together
until they held heavily
Thick ice warming the canal like a blanket.
It reminded him of home
He stood, hockey gear
covering every loose limb
a stick in his hand, outward curve in the blade
upward curve in red lips
Sucking in swirling flurries
He missed his home
Warm dinners with family
Freeing forests of maple trees
Letters from lovers across seas
The twenty-one-day trip,
from a small French-Canadian town
To the country he could not place on a map
Here, they played war games
Passing soldiers back and forth between fields
Hoping they would not be the next sacrificial pawn
but patriotism rose high in their chests
Inspired by their fathers and from a decade ago.
He had found the Imjin River,
coated in thick glass
A frozen canvas
Only
missing the sketches of skate marks, deep scratches on its surface
After a desperate plea
The equipment delivered to the rink
The crowds full along the dikes
Pushing onto the ice
Eying the puck smartly
Remembering the games in Quebec
The river,
Frozen over
Had made him another home.