REMEMBRANCE DAY RESPECT
Terry Mosher’s editorial cartoons, penned under the name Aislin, have been a fixture of the Montreal Gazette for 50 years. We take a weekly look back at some memorable cartoons in this impressive and vast body of work.
There is a day when satire, skepticism, mirth, hyperbole — all the standard tools used by the cartoonist — are tossed out the window. This is out of heartfelt respect for those who have honourably gone before. Over the past 50 years, I have done my best to represent in graphic form the importance to Canadians of Remembrance Day. Never having known war myself, reflecting on the sacrifice so many have made in the line of duty always gives me pause on Nov. 11 — the day we set aside to publicly honour all those who have served and perhaps fallen in wars beyond our own borders.
Leading up to Remembrance Day next Saturday, I will wear my poppy proudly as so many of us do. The brilliant red colour of the artificial flower is a symbol of the blood spilled during the First World War on the battlefields of Flanders — and in too many battles since.
Included here are several of my graphics from over the years — with one exception. In 2016, another artist – Gigot – did the painting of the statue of the soldier you see below that stands in a park close to our home in Lachine. Full disclosure: Gigot is a pseudonym used by my wife, Mary Hughson, when she contributes watercolours to The Gazette’s editorial page. It is the maiden name of her mother, Nancy Grant, who served in the RCAF during the Second World War. Gigot’s Montreal-related paintings will appear monthly.