My father’s name was Lyn (Lynwood) H. Buffam and was a soldier in the Perth Regiment during the Second World War.
My father, like many others during the Second World War, was a miner when he joined the army. He was only 17 when he enlisted, but he felt so compelled to fight for our country that he said he was 18. It wasn’t until he arrived in England that we discovered he was a minor. My father must have been terrified of embarking for England, as he couldn’t swim and was afraid of the water. However, the call of duty was so strong that he didn’t let it stop him. When it was discovered that my father was underage, he was given the choice of returning to Canada or staying in England until he turned 18. He felt that returning to Canada was not the option he wanted to choose, so he stayed in England with the regiment he had enlisted in. His regiment then took part in the Italian campaign.
My father rarely talked about his time in the army, apart from a few of the more amusing incidents that had occurred. Sadly, my father passed away in 1992. Sadly, I never fully appreciated the sacrifice he had made, nor all he had had to endure. It saddens me to think that I no longer have the opportunity to talk to him about what he went through.
The first year I took part in the Canada Army Run, and the first year Remembrance Row was part of the event, was the year I took on the Vimy challenge. I was very moved to see all the photos of the soldiers lining the route along Colonel Bye Drive. It was very moving, but also very inspiring to see the photos of these soldiers. Since then, I’ve taken part in the 10 km + 5 km challenge every year. This year, I’m taking part in the half-marathon and, once again, I’ll be running in memory of my father. There aren’t enough words to express what an honor and privilege it would be not only to run this race to thank my father for the sacrifice he made at such a young age, but also to be able to see my father’s photo as part of the Remembrance Row.