Remembering veterans
Candles lit at dusk in memory of servicemen and women
Cemetery headstones will be lighted with the glow of candlelight this weekend at ceremony to remember area veterans.
As part of the annual Decoration Sunday, a twilight service will be held at Lakeside Cemetery beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The solemn event will include a candle lighting around 7 p.m.
“As you’re driving out you can see three, four, five hundred candles lit in the graveyard,” said Carl Wall, president of North Sydney Legion Branch 19.
“These are special candles that come from the Netherlands — after the Second World War all the children in the schools in the Netherlands
used to go out and light a candle on the Canadian soldiers’ graves (to thank them for liberating their country).
“It was started by them after the war and then we started doing it about 16 or 17 years ago.”
A legion service will follow that includes a moment of silence and military laments.
Wall said a large number of Cape Breton recruits signed up for service in the First World War and Second World War, along with Korean War.
“We’ve been doing it for years now, it’s a solemn ceremony especially with Last Post being played,” said Wall. “We have all the denominations from town represented; It’s a community event.”
Wall said the candles are left to burned on the gravesites for 24 hours.
“After the first World War, the beacons started going out the cemetery and decorating the veterans’ graves and for years we used to put flags on the grave,” said Wall.
Wall said candles can be purchased at the legion, located on Archibald Avenue, at a cost of $5 each. Candles will also be available for purchase prior to the ceremony on Sunday.
“We have candles available here for families of the veterans and for the public,” he said. “Anybody can buy the candles and lay them on the graves.”
The North Sydney legion first began Decoration Sunday in 1927. Originally, the event was for veterans, but over the years it grew to include the general public.
In previous years, Decoration Sunday has been well received by the Northside community, attracting between 200 and 300 people each year.
Wall said it is quite the spectacle to see the graveyard glowing in the darkness.