Communities throughout Bruce and Grey counties held services at Cenotaphs today to mark Remembrance Day.
In Owen Sound, the Grey and Simcoe Foresters, Owen Sound Army Cadets, local veterans, emergency service personnel and students from Saint-Dominque-Savio school walked in a parade through downtown to the Cenotaph on 1st Avenue West, where a service was held in honour of fallen Canadian soldiers, veterans and current service members.
There was a gun salute, two minutes of silence and prayers spoken during the Owen Sound service.
“It’s a community service to remember and we want to make sure that it is community spirited,” says Parade Commander Lawrence Victor James Surridge, MMM, CD. “We want to see people getting close to the Cenotaph, as close to the actual remember ceremony as they can.”
Surridge says was in the Canadian Army for 34 years making it to Chief Warrant Officer, the highest non-commissioned member rank in the Canadian Armed Forces.
“There’s nothing more important than a Remembrance Day service,” Surridge says. “It brings a tear to a soldier’s eye.”
Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy was among local dignitaries in attendance at the Cenotaph, to participate in the wreath-laying for the final time as mayor.
“This is actually my last weekend [being Mayor]; being able to lay the Victoria Cross Wreath was pretty special,” says Boddy.
Several other Remembrance Day services were held across Grey Bruce today. Some local legions have gatherings this afternoon as well.
Pastor David Baker spoke at the Port Elgin Cenotaph.
“May we seek peace rather than conflict, understanding rather than judgment and compassion rather than indifference,” Baker says. “And may we be people who remember.”
The number of living World War II and Korean veterans in attendance at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Grey Bruce declines each year. There are also many veterans who have served in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and many other deployments overseas.