A focus on Afghanistan at Lennoxville’s Remembrance Day
This year’s Remembrance Day ceremony in Lennoxville was dedicated to commemorating the end of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, including a specific remembrance of Captain Nichola Goddard.
“Captain Nichola Goddard was one of 40,000 Canadians who served on that mission which ended just five years ago,” read Master of Ceremonies Scott Passmore, explaining that Goddard was killed by enemy fire during an ambush on a convoy. “This Remembrance day the Canadian Armed Forces members will be thinking of the 158 servicepeople and seven civilians we lost in the war in Afghanistan, and the 40 Americans who were serving under Canadian command in Afghanistan at the time that they died.”
Attended by people from the community both young and old, the ceremony began with the traditional parade of veterans, members of the Sherbrooke Hussars, members of the First Lennoxville Scouting movement, and the Lennoxville Girl Guides, led by piper Matthew Fowler. Although several local dignitaries were present, including Sherbrooke Mayor Steve Lussier and former Compton-stanstead MP David Price, none took the time to speak, leaving room for the focus of the day to remain on the acts of remembrance and laying of wreaths.
In addition to the laying of wreaths, the local beavers, cubs and scouts planted crosses in the ground around the cenotaph, not hampered by the cold weather as they had been last year.
“What really matters is that we do make the choice to remember” Passmore said.