This Remembrance Day I watched the HBO documentary The Cold Blue, about the what it was like to fly B-17 bomber missions across the English Channel during World War II. It uses real colourized footage throughout with commentary from actual veterans who flew those missions, all of them in their 90s now. I was hoping for a sobering refresher on why we all need to honour today in some way, and this documentary did not disappoint. It was extraordinary.
At one point in the movie, the narration underlines the ages of these men when they went to war. Some were only 19. My own son is 19. To imagine him having to go to war now is too horrifying to contemplate; I can’t imagine what families back then went through. Certainly, the war in Ukraine reminds me that it is happening to families even now, almost 80 years later.
This movie earns a hearty recommendation from me. Watch it with your family and prepare for some tears and deep conversation.
Let’s not take our lives for granted, and let’s not live without a deep appreciation for the sacrifices of those who died.