We are having a few health issues, so we will stay close to home today. Our national broadcasters feature the ceremony in downtown Ottawa on TV. We tape it and watch it. This is the cenotaph in Ottawa.
We've attended quite a few ceremonies, back in the day. My students wrote some plays, songs, skits, and I coordinated school assemblies and prepared the order of program. We educated everyone on protocols, and began using inclusive language. Women served, as well as men. Our troops were and are diverse, and now the BIPOC community is gaining recognition. First Nations members were banned from joining the Legion.
One year our entire school wrote to troops serving as Peacekeepers.
We ended up with a Pen Pal, PO1 Dennis Irwin, HMCS PRESERVER, who sent us photos. My grade 4/5 students made it into a video, putting the song we'd written to the photos.
We ended up with a Pen Pal, PO1 Dennis Irwin, HMCS PRESERVER, who sent us photos. My grade 4/5 students made it into a video, putting the song we'd written to the photos.
We've been to ceremonies in Bala, Perth. Joseph Brian laid a wreath in Ottawa:
I scanned Photos of soldiers from the 1940s found in my mother's memory box.
We visited the Canadians in Afghanistan - Repatriation Memorial in 2012.
When we lived in Muskoka, we found the beauty of a small town ceremony. Bala and Wahta took turns hosting the ceremony. These were the 2008 photos.
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| Sgt. at Arms, Keith Metcalfe, left. |
This was my favourite ceremony on Wahta Territory, near Bala, 2009.
Branch President, Pam Davidson, led the ceremony. On her left, the Wahta Ladies and their beautiful drums.
The ceremony followed protocol with our Sgt. at Arms, Keith Metcalfe, leading the troops at the left of the photo.
A marvellous man, he delivers Meals on Wheels, as well as being a mover and shaker at our local legion.
A former Paratrooper, he has contributed more than his share of service to his community, and his nation.
The Ladies of Wahta sang 'Oh, Canada' in Mohawk, and, below, Amazing Grace.
When and how does your country memorialize your fallen members?
11 comments:
...the Ottawa memorial is impressive, I saw it several years ago.
I'll be in attendance this morning at the national service.
Our town ceremony involved the laying of countless wreaths, each donor being called out to proceed to the laying. I think reading the whole list and having them proceed in still an orderly fashion would be more appropriate. It shouldn't be so much about the donor.
I was watching the Sunrise ceremony on TV. You posted nice photos. Good job on scanning photos from your mom's collection. Really appreciate it
Hari OM
I used to attend the ANZAC services (April 25th) in OZ and always found them moving and appropriate. They were local and pertinent to the immediate community. Here in the UK, it all began with remembrance for the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the ceasefire was official for the first world war. Performed by the bigwigs in London at the Cenotaph. The ceremony became a fixture and the whole of the UK (in theory) stands still and silent for two minutes at that appointed time, in honour of the fallen. YAM xx
Your description and photos regarding Remembrance Day in Canada, are very moving! May Peace reign in the world, and no more people sacrificing their lives in war!
This is an excellent post to honor those who cared enough to serve. I sure hope you're feeling better soon. And I send my special respect to the First Nations people of Canada too
Down here we have Anzac Day in April, remembering those who served, did not return home, and those who came home, damaged beyond repair in many times. These memories and respect are so important. The Amazing Grace sung in two languages, says so much to us all.
In all kinds of circumstances it's a moving day.
There are all kinds of memorials and recognitions on Veterans Day here. We do owe all our vets so very much for their service to our country.
Our city doesn't have Reembrance Day (here, Veterans Day) ceremonies. I wish they did.
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