Amazing tales of service and survival

Canadian Veterans line up in formation during Remembrance Day ceremonies at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Thursday. (Pawel Dwulit/Canadian Press)

There are days when my job is really a pleasure.
 
This is one of them.
 
I spent the day at the National War Memorial honouring Canada's veterans.
 
I am tasked with finding interesting people to interview.
 
And there is no shortage.
 
At every turn, there is a veteran, an active duty soldier, a member of the family who has a story to tell.

Today, Neil Carroll, now in his 90s, told me how his plane was hit over Germany during the Second World War, and how the propeller cut off his leg. The other men in his plane were killed. Carroll was happy to have someone listen to his amazing tale of survival.
 
Captain Rolph Overhoff has served in the Armed Forces for more than 30 years. He spoke of his last tour of duty in Afghanistan, during which 18 Canadians were killed. He and his family come down to recognize Remembrance Day at the cenotaph every year.
 
Those are just a couple of the stories I heard today.
 
But there are dozens, if not hundreds, more like them.
 
Thirty thousand people showed up in Ottawa to remember today: I was one of them.