# Tour Over



## bilton090 (13 Aug 2007)

Going home  tomorrow !, I would just like to say I'm sorry to all the people that I made mad at me, for my  big mouth.

  This was a very hard tour for me,and the rest of the boys !.
   I recovered the RG that we lost 6 of are best in, When I got to the site the boys looked like they were sleeping, they were at peace ! , because it happened so fast, what I'm tiring to say, Is I'm not sure myself, but I looked after that Veh. for 3 days till I got it back to K.A.F , I could fell the boys there with me the hole time, and at the end I said my goodbyes.
  Now I'm sitting with 7 beers in front of me, but I can drink only one, the other 6 are for the BOYS,

    RIP guys


----------



## Armymedic (13 Aug 2007)

I read you loud and clear. Your perspective will change once you are at home.

Enjoy your beers. Drink them slow, and take the time remember your brothers and why we all do what we do.


----------



## Nfld Sapper (13 Aug 2007)

bilton090 said:
			
		

> Going home  tomorrow !, I would just like to say I'm sorry to all the people that I made mad at me, for my  big mouth.
> 
> This was a very hard tour for me,and the rest of the boys !.
> I recovered the RG that we lost 6 of are best in, When I got to the site the boys looked like they were sleeping, they were at peace ! , because it happened so fast, what I'm tiring to say, Is I'm not sure myself, but I looked after that Veh. for 3 days till I got it back to K.A.F , I could fell the boys there with me the hole time, and at the end I said my goodbyes.
> ...



CHIMO! bilton090 have a safe trip home and a job well done.

Like SMMT said enjoy the cold beers and remember our brothers.


----------



## geo (13 Aug 2007)

Bilton,
Good to hear from you.
Glad that you are well & that you are coming home soon.
Take care of your memories.  Though you will probably never forget the bad ones, time will take the edge off.... Just remember to treasure your memories of the good ones & the friends you shared them with.

Chimo!


----------



## bilton090 (13 Aug 2007)

TKs All

    I have something to ask- Does the smell & the boys talking to me stop.

         ( I did all I could for them & more, for their loved ones.  )


----------



## geo (13 Aug 2007)

Having discussed this point with some WW1 & WW2 vets,
the smells will fade, the voices will become less frequent, but they will not go away completely (nor should they).  They were your friends & it would do them a disservice to allow time to forget them.  Remember the good times - there are more of those than the other ones.

There will be times when something (a smell, a sound, a sight) will bring everything back in vivid detail, not much can be done except to surround yourself with some good friends.

At Rememberance day, raise a glass to their memory.

It's like it says in the poem....
At the going down of the sun,
and in the morn, 
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!

Chimo!


----------



## Danjanou (13 Aug 2007)

Bilton thanks for taking care of our brothers. 

Welcome home.


----------



## Mike Baker (13 Aug 2007)

Welcome home.


----------



## medaid (13 Aug 2007)

Welcome home brother. Time shall ease the pain, but never shall it fade.


----------



## Donut (13 Aug 2007)

Thanks for that, Bilton.  You've done great work, and we'll try to do as well when it's our turn.


----------



## 1feral1 (13 Aug 2007)

Not long ago, I was where you are now. So, you are not alone.

It will take some time to re-adjust, and at times it will feel like you were never there, then a smell, a song, or something else will take you right back. A small part of me will always be there. I accept that.

I think we all change to some degree, but I have concluded whether it was the Romans, Fish Creek or Batoche, Passchendaele, Vimy, Ortona, Caen, Kapyong, Bihac, Afghanistan or in my case Iraq, all those feelings, the restlessness, the anxiety, depression, those bloody night sweats, and all that goes along with this, has followed all soldiers of all ages through the times. All that has changed is the technology. Battle is still what it always was.

Welcome home! There is no better place. Settle in, pace yourself, re adjust, and breath in that fresh Canadian air. Your comrades who paid the supreme sacrifice gave their tomorrows for our today, and they will not be forgotten.

Regards,


Wes


----------



## Haggis (13 Aug 2007)

+1, Wes....bang on.

Bilton090:  Welcome home and well done.  Even here at NDHQ, we're damn proud of you!  ;D


----------



## Mike Baker (13 Aug 2007)

Big +1 Wes!


----------



## GUNS (13 Aug 2007)

I feel your pain. What a heavy burden to carry. I have lost friends, though not through combat. I had a friend loss his life in a car accident while in Valcartier. When I left the military and started my second life, I worked in underground mines.
I had three friends killed and one friend had his arm ripped off.
Not a pretty site when you arrive on scene, one broke his back and was killed instantly, one blew himself up and the last one split his crest open and died slowly.
Its funny, I can remember every detail of how they died and what happened after but for the life of me I can't remember their names.
The car accident happened in 70 or 71 and the mining accidents happened between 78 and 83.
Bilton, you will eventually learn to deal with these memories, its not going to happen overnight and you will not learn to deal with this alone.
As Geo mentioned, there will be times in the future when something will rekindle those memories. Overtime, it will be less and less. 
Take advantage of what the military has to offer and if it's not available, ask for it.

Best of luck and thank you


----------



## Nfld Sapper (13 Aug 2007)

geo said:
			
		

> Having discussed this point with some WW1 & WW2 vets,
> the smells will fade, the voices will become less frequent, but they will not go away completely (nor should they).  They were your friends & it would do them a disservice to allow time to forget them.  Remember the good times - there are more of those than the other ones.
> 
> There will be times when something (a smell, a sound, a sight) will bring everything back in vivid detail, not much can be done except to surround yourself with some good friends.
> ...



And the full poem:


----------

