Ringing of bells to mark 100th anniversary of end of First World War

Wedgeport legion inviting churches in its catchment area to take part in Nov. 11 event

The Royal Canadian Legion, at the national level in partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada, launched Bells of Peace, an initiative honouring the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the fighting in the First World War.

At the setting of the sun on Nov. 11 this year, the Parliament Hill carillon, along with spiritual centres, legion branches and many community locations across the country, will ring their bells 100 times at every five seconds.

Wedgeport Legion Branch 155 hopes all churches in its catchment area will participate in this event at sunset Sunday, Nov. 11, which will occur locally at 5:02 pm.

The Branch 155 area includes about 20 surrounding communities from Pinkney’s Point to Tusket to Quinan to Surette’s Island and all in between.

One hundred years ago, celebratory bells rang out across the world to mark the end of the First World War.

Churches spontaneously ringing their bells

On Nov. 11, 1918, when news of the armistice broke, churches across Canada responded by spontaneously ringing their bells.

Each peal 100 years later will honour the more than 66,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders killed, the over 172,000 wounded and the countless others who suffered invisible yet painful wounds. Over 9,000 Canadians were identified as suffering from “shell shock.”

Wedgeport Legion Branch 155 will place six-by-10-inch Canadian flags on all 400 veterans’ graves in its catchment area. The First World War veterans will be included and recognizable by the dates on their tombstones. The 27 First World War causalities in the Legion 155 area who are buried in Europe will also be remembered.

“The Wedgeport legion is suggesting that in each of our churches people gather Nov. 11 at 4:30 p.m. to reminisce on the soldiers of the First World War that they remember of their communities, both those who died and those who survived,” the legion said in a letter to the churches. “Relatives can speak about a family member who was a soldier or was a war participant in another manner. If only the name is remembered, that’s fine. And at 5:02 someone will ring the bell, 100 times at five-second intervals. Someone should count the bell ringings.”

People attending can stand outside the church to better hear the bell ringing if that is the case, the legion says.

“In Comeau’s Hill, Wedgeport and SAR, where there are cenotaphs or war memorials, people can stand at these sites. Some could bring a flashlight.”