City honours fallen soldiers
Remembrance Day scrolls presented to families of three local soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan
Council held a special ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday night to honour members of the armed forces from Peter borough city and county who died in Afghanistan.
Mayor Daryl Bennett said the city observed Remembrance Day on Saturday – but citizens and council have “a sacred obligation” to continue to remember those who died.
Council was presented with a new, hand-made scroll in a large frame that lists members of the armed forces from the city and county who’ve died since the Korean War.
There are 15 names on the scroll. It will be placed in the lobby of City Hall soon for all to see.
In a moving ceremony on Tuesday night, council also presented three separate scrolls to local families who lost loved ones in Afghanistan.
Coun. Henry Clarke, who retired as the lieutenant colonel and com- manding officer of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment in 1997, made two presentations to families.
He presented one scroll to the family of Private Michael Freeman, who was from Peterborough and died during his first tour of duty in Afghanistan.
“He will be remembered for his compassion, courage and devotion to duty,” Clarke said.
Clarke also presented a scroll to the father of Corporal Mark McLaren, who died in 2008 on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
“He was a fine young lad,” said Clarke of McLaren. “It was a real blow not just to his family but to the whole community, when he died.”
County Warden Joe Taylor presented a scroll to the family of Corp oral Nicholas Bu lg er, who was from Buckhorn.
Bu lg er was a father of two who was a seasoned infantry veteran, Taylor said. He died when his armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
“I hope you never get tired of hearing the words thank you,” Taylor told his family.
The scrolls were a gift from the Cenotaph Advisory Committee, and were several years in the making.
Erik Hanson, manager of the city’s heritage resources co-ordinator, pointed out that the scrolls include a city shield and hand-done calligraphy.
He said it’s the work of Mihail Murgoci, a heraldic artist and calligraphist who once lived in Peterborough and now resides in Toronto.