Scaled-back ceremony pays tribute to local vets on Remembrance Day
Nearly 100 people attend annual event despite precautions needed during pandemic
A scaled-back Remembrance Day Service was held Wednesday morning at the Peterborough Citizens War Memorial and Veterans Wall of Honour in Confederation Square.
About 100 people in attendance observed COVID-19 protocols during the service honouring the fallen soldiers, including some veterans.
The public parade normally held each year was cancelled this year because of the pandemic.
The first Remembrance Day service ever organized in the Square by the Royal Canadian Legion was in 1931 — 90 years ago. Traditionally, it attracts hundreds of people, gathered shoulder to shoulder at the war memorial.
There were no speeches from politicians on Wednesday; instead the 15minute service included a colour guard, pipers and “The Last Post” played live.
Two wreaths were laid instead of the usual 27. One was placed by Brenda Chandler in honour of her nephew, Sgt.
Vaughn Ingram, who died at age 35 in Afghanistan in 2006.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 52 president Joel Chandler placed the second wreath, to honour all veterans organizations.
Joel Chandler made brief remarks, saying that the pandemic meant veterans could not attend the service but that they still must be honoured.
“Wear your poppy proud,” Chandler said. “We will remember them — God bless our military.”
Rev. Maj. Brad Smith also spoke, not
ing that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
“It is with gratitude that we remember our veterans and serving members who suffer, or who have suffered injuries of body, mind or spirit,” Smith said.
“May we be compassionate to those who put an end to the trouble of their lives — those for whom suffering was so great that they were unable to find hope for the future. We remember them.”
Although Mayor Diane Therrien did not speak at the service, she released a short Remembrance Day video on social media; she’s filmed alone speaking in the Square.
Therrien says the “peace, prosperity, personal and political freedom” that we enjoy today were hard-won and must never be taken for granted.
“We pay tribute today to those who fell in the cause of freedom. We are thankful for those who served and returned to us,” she said.
“We will honour them by doing our part to eradicate racism, intolerance and all forms of oppression. In doing so, we will remember them.”
Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development Minister Mary am Monsef, the MP for Peter boroughKawartha, also was not at the service but released a written statement on Wednesday.
“We can’t come together this year, but we wear the poppy proudly,” she wrote. “We remember.”