It is sometimes difficult, often emotional to travel back to places we haven't been since our youth. Perhaps more so for a veteran travelling as a delegate on a pilgrimage. To experience once again deep feelings not forgotten, comradeship once cherished and since lost, and to rediscover a country once wrought with battle reclaimed by the evolution of change.

For this reason, it is important for Canadians to show their support to these same men and women as they travel to commemorative cenotaphs and memorials in foreign places. As well, Veterans Affairs Canada, encouraged by the daily e-mail received through our site, wanted to provide a forum for messages to be shared with pilgrimage members.

December 5 -- Just want to drop another line to all the Vets, Delegates, and families in Hong Kong.  I hope you all have a great time, remembering old friends and family.  Memories stay in our hearts forever.

December 5 -- Once again Greetings from New Richmond. I keep reading the news releases and am fascinated at the wonderful quality of the Photos sent to us over the Web. I can only echo the sentiments of all the other Emails I have been reading - those of us at home are able to take this journey with you. It is much appreciated. See you Friday. Love to you all.

December 5 -- To Mrs. Patsy Commerford , all our Hong Kong Vets & all members of the Canadian Delegation.
I was finally able to sign on to your web site today. It was fascinating to see all the sights that you have visited over the last few days. I am sure that there are bittersweet memories for all but I am also sure that your commemoration gathering will long be remembered as a fitting tribute to your comrades and a wonderful experience for both you and  Family members that were able to join you on this occasion.
On behalf of my family , I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all those that paid the supreme sacrifice and to you  who still suffer so that we could enjoy a safer world. We will never forget. Have a safe journey home!

December 4 --Dear Dad (Dempsey Syvret-Hong Kong Veteran),
Just a short note to wish you and all of the other veterans all of the best. It must have been very difficult to make such a long trip back to where all of you suffered so many hardships and to relive the painful memories again as you visit the cemeteries where so many of your friends are buried. I congratulate you all for all you have done for Canada and I am glad that you all have had the chance to return to Hong Kong as FREE men. Thank you.
Dear Grandpa,
I am very proud of you and all of the other veterans for fighting for our country. I wish I could be there with you, but since I can't I send my love.

December 4 -- It brings sadness to my heart when I quietly celebrate Remembrance Day - it also brought many memories to the forefront when I saw the Web Site presentation.
My father was Leo Porterfield (a member of the Royal Rifles of Canada), who was a POW for most of the duration of WWII. He was an incredible man and I miss him dearly. He passed away at the age of 55, 22 years ago. His death was a direct result of the ravages of being a POW. He was a very tall man and when he returned to Canada, was nothing more that a skeleton covered by skin.
I have a letter signed by Mr. Doddridge (sent to me by my mother) about establishing a military museum in New Richmond. On the letter, my mother wrote the names of all the other men from Noranda who were also POWs. They are: Leo Porterfield, Wilfred Maloof, Steve Maloof, Billy Ladds, Ernie Ladds, Wilmer Cyr, Alan Landriault and Morgan Davies - quite a number of brave young men from one community.
I wish you all the best and my heart goes with you.

December 4 -- To all of you veterans, we hope this pilgrimage has been a positive experience, and that you are having a good time. There has been coverage in various newspapers, so much of Canada is following your experiences, with deep gratitude for your sacrifices. Continue to enjoy and we'll see you soon. All the best from Grimsby, Ontario.

December 4 -- Modern technology has allowed us to share in the journey of the Canadian Delegation to Hong Kong. It is wonderful to be able to share these images, recollections and experiences of the men who spent many years of their young lives there and to remember those who gave their lives during the struggle.
The pictures of Phil Doddridge, a dear and close friend, Lance Ross, and others from the Gaspe Coast, fill me with pride in their service to our country.
As a child growing up in the Eastern Townships of Quebec I met Major Wells Bishop (Colonel and CO of the 7/XI Hussars militia Unit at the time) and I also knew the others from Sawyerville, Capt. Lionel Hurd, and Rene Bedard.  Two others whom I knew only as names at the annual Remembrance Day service, Eddie Phillips and Reggie Taylor, lost their lives in the conflict.  As an adult I have met and come to know others in that conflict and to realize the hardships facing those who integrated back into Canadian society afterwards.
I appreciate the service this pilgrimage provides to the Canadian public in making them more aware of the contributions of these men and the dreadful struggle for survival they faced as prisoners of war.
I also appreciate the way in which these Hong Kong Veterans have been able to contribute to their communities during the 55 years since their release.
Thank you

December 3 --To the Members of the Hong Kong Pilgrimage,
Good luck on your pilgrimage to remember the sacrifices of the many veterans who gave their lives to create peace for many.  Through pilgrimages like this, it gives the opportunity to remember the many people who were prisoners of this war.  To the veterans who are part of this pilgrimage, thank you.  What each and everyone of you have done to keep this story alive to educate the youth is priceless.  To the Cadets, this trip will be educational, and will be an experience that you will never forget.  Take the time to learn the different stories of the veterans and of the prisoners of war.  I know this experience will totally change your lives.  It did for me when I traveled to Korea and Japan in 1998 with Veterans Affairs.  By representing the Youth of Canada during the trip, I learned about the different stories of the Korean War.  Each veteran that I met after this pilgrimage has a place in my heart.  To the other members of the pilgrimage, I wish you the best of luck!  The website is tremendous, and it is quite easy for people like myself to follow this amazing experience.  Good luck on the rest of your journey.  I know for myself, one of the most emotional experience during the pilgrimage of 1998 was visiting the Yokohama Commonwealth Cemetery, which I understand will be visited during the pilgrimage.  Best of luck to all participants, and on behalf of the youth of Canada, thank you for your sacrifices!  You will not be forgotten!

December 3 -- Dear Dad,
Just a note to wish you the best on your pilgrimage back to Hong Kong. We back in Canada greatly appreciate all the sacrifices that you and so many other man and women made on behalf of all the rest of us. I think about our own family history and how that all stopped for many who died. We hear some of the stories, but really have no idea just how enormous the impact was on individuals, families and world peace.
We greatly appreciate being able to follow you on your journey thanks to those who went ahead to so carefully plan for this trip. In great appreciation.

December 3 -- Greetings to Mr.Clayton.
I was delighted to see photos of you at this pilgrimage. I remember you very well from the reunion in Toronto, several years ago. I wanted to tell you how proud and grateful I am, that you are there to represent the Royal Rifles of Canada. Its important that you know that there are many people like myself who are thinking about you  and wishing you continued good health. Fond regards and safe travels, proud son of a Hong Kong Veteran.

December 2 -- Uncle Lance,
Following your trip as best I can from here. Really wish that I would have been able to accompany you as well to visit and see the places that I have read about and you have experienced. Thankful of trip with Dad to Juno Beach to see where he had been. We are thinking of you back here in Canada especially now that December has arrived and the events of 59 years ago. Hong Kong always gets mentioned to my class and in our Remembrance Day ceremony. It shall not be forgotten! Keep well and safe journey home.

December 2 -- Hello Everyone,
  Growing up, the story of the Battle of Hong Kong and its particulars were largely unknown to me. My grandfather, Stewart Henderson, never spoke of it to me, and my uncle, Ken Muir, told only a few stories, funny ones. As a child, I rarely appreciated Uncle Kenny's sense of humour, but as an adult, I can see how a sense of humour helped him survive.
Now I must take this opportunity to thank all Hong Kong veterans. I am proud to be a granddaughter of a veteran. Reflecting on what you accomplished and endured and the conditions thereof has personally given me confidence in times of doubt. My trials are nothing compared to yours, and I am given optimism and faith in the perservance of the human spirit, and the possibilities of good character.
I am very proud to be Canadian, and I am proud of my family. Thank you all for reminding me of that.

December 2 -- Congratulations to my sister in law Madeleine Tuppert, I want you to know how proud the Tuppert family is of you. It is no easy task to take such a long trip - but you did this in honor of our dear brother and your husband whom we all loved and admired; even if he is no longer with us we know you had a long and happy life together. Hope you are enjoying every minute of this trip, every day we are thinking you ,and of willy who was a prisoner of war in Hong Kong. Have a safe trip back home.

December 1 -- To Mr. Ralph MacLean,
We want to sent our best wishes to you . It is impossible to fully comprehend the sacrifices each of you made during the war.Each & every one of you have a special place in our hearts.

November 30 -- Hi Folks
  Hope you are enjoying your trip so far.  We are following your progress daily via the wonderful website coverage.  Everyone here is well and thinking of you.  We haven't seen any pictures of you yet, but I'm sure you will be there when your official itinerary starts. 

November 30 -- Good morning Everyone,
I hope that this e-mail reaches you soon. I hope you all have a good time in Hong Kong, remembering old friends who can't be there, like my Grandfather (Lawrence Rattie) among others. I know it is a hard time for you all, and some of the memories are painful, but you led a nation to hope and dream that the human spirit can overcome anything. My prayers go with you.

November 28 -- It is with great pride that we send these wishes to all of you from Coquitlam, British Columbia. Our thoughts are with you, as you re-visit a place and a time that most Canadians can never truly understand. Our hopes are that you will find peace and freedom, because that is what you ultimately fought for.  May your memories of fallen comrades help them to rest in peace, by them knowing that you remember and that generations must not forget. Never Again.