Bells will toll to honour veterans

Legion not worried Remembrance Day ceremony will clash with church services

At least five Charlottetown churches will ring their bells 100 times at dusk to mark the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, now known as Remembrance Day. The ringing of bells emulates the moment in 1918 when church bells across Europe tolled as four years of war had come to an end.

‘Bells of Peace’ is an initiative presented by the Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion, said Jack MacIsaac, president of the Charlottetown Legion.

“They sent notices to churches in cities across the country asking their participation. Then they asked the branches to reach out with churches.”

So far executive members of the Charlottetown Royal Canadian Legion have five churches in the city participating, but more may join the initiative before the ceremony is finalized.

“It’s going to take about eight minutes,” MacIsaac said.

The Charlottetown Legion is not worried Charlottetown’s Remembrance Day ceremony will clash with many Sunday church services Nov. 11.

“It never really came up, it has been on Sunday before and we just go ahead on the 11th, it’s just the nature of the beast,” MacIsaac said.

The Remembrance Day parade will start at the legion in Charlottetown.

“We step off from there about 10:40 a.m. it takes about ten minutes to get down Pownal and up Kent (Street) and in front of the cenotaph.”

The Charlottetown Cenotaph was constructed on July 16, 1925, in memory of all from the province who gave their services in the First World War. Additional lettering was later added to recognize the Second World War and the Korean conflict.

“Everything starts at 11 a.m. of course.”

The one thing MacIsaac is worried about is the amount of room around the cenotaph because Province House is under major renovations, he said.

“It’s pretty tight, we ask the public’s patience.”