I remember my grandfather, “Poppa”, when we spent our summers in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where he lived. He would take me fishing at “Wisner’s Pond” early in the morning, teaching me how to bait hooks and land a fish. The fresh pan-fried trout remains a delicious memory to this day. He and my grandmother lived in this wonderful old house with upside-down stairs and hidden rooms, an exciting and mysterious place to explore as a child. Poppa also looked after the most beautiful rose garden… It was only as an adult that I came to appreciate my Poppa’s role as a member of the Canadian Army. He fought on the Somme, on Hill 70 and at Passchendaele. He was wounded twice, gassed at Hill 70 and awarded the Military Medal for bravery at Vimy Ridge for maintaining communications under enemy fire. He re-enlisted in 1940 and went to England, where he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. He had the privilege of escorting Queen Elizabeth when she and King George VI inspected 3rd Division signals at Farnborough, England. His ship was torpedoed en route to Italy (he survived), and he went on to command the reinforcement battalion during the Italian campaign. Upon his return to Prince Edward Island, Canada, he was appointed District Administrator of Veterans Affairs. My grandfather never spoke of these events, and I never thought to say “Thank you for your service” to him. Like so many others, my grandfather, Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Benjamin Conrad, was one of those quiet heroes who contributed in so many ways to preserving the rights and freedoms of citizens of Canada and other countries.