Remembrance Day a vigil of honour
By Lethbridge Herald on November 11, 2022.
Members of the 20th Independent Field Battery stand on vigil at the Cenotaph during Friday's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Herald photo by Al BeeberCal Braid – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In a stirring Remembrance Day ceremony, hundreds packed the square in front of the Yates Memorial Theatre to honor Canadian soldiers who never returned home from war. The Cenotaph in the square is a memorial for those soldiers whose loved ones were denied the opportunity to bury their dead.
Master of Ceremonies, 2nd Lieutenant Matthew McHugh, said, “Following the First World War, most people were unable to travel to France. Cenotaphs like ours here in Lethbridge were built all across Canada in towns and cities to commemorate the over 53,000 Canadian soldiers who were killed in action and whose remains were never found or never returned to Canada. At the cenotaph we stand guard by way of vigil.”
He said for many Canadian families, no funeral rites could be completed for loved ones lost on the battlefield of the First World War, “So each year on Remembrance Day, we gather in front of the cenotaph to stand guard for our lost warriors whose funeral rites were never completed.”
McHugh explained that on Nov. 11, 1918, the armistice was signed to end what was known as ‘the war to end all wars.’ He said many allied countries recognize the sacrifices made by their veterans in the First World War and all wars since then by observing a symbolic ceremony that contains a Last Post, Two Minute Silence, Lament, and the Rouse.
“The Last Post is played to summon the spirits of the fallen to the cenotaph,” he said. “It was originally played to signal to soldiers the camp was secure for the night. It was also played to call out to wounded or separated soldiers at the end of a battle in order to guide them home to safety and rest. Today, it signifies that a soldier’s last sentry duty is finished; he or she has died and we’re calling home the spirits of the fallen to rest.”
Remembrance Day ceremonies call for two minutes of silence on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as a symbol of honor and gratitude. McHugh said, “The first minute of silence is for those who died in the war, the second minute is for those who were left behind (and) deeply affected by the conflict.”
The Lament is played by a bagpiper and is an expression of grief and mourning. Historically, it symbolizes the sounds of spouses and children crying over their dead. “It symbolizes our collective sorrow,” he said. “The Rouse is played at the end of the two minutes of silence. The Rouse was originally used to wake up soldiers every morning. In this ceremony, the Rouse is used to wake the fallen soldiers (to) rise above their mortal duties on earth so they may rest in peace.”
McHugh then called out, “Vigil Commander, Mount Vigil,” and Master Bombardier Tyson Penrod led a group of soldiers to march and then stop before the cenotaph before four of them took place at each corner with their heads bowed and rifles lowered vertically to the ground. Sara Folden was called upon to sing O Canada, and Ken Lewis followed with the Last Post on trumpet. The Two Minute Silence ensued, piper John Gray played the Lament, and then Lewis performed the Rouse.
An overhead fly-past was performed by the Royal Canadian Air Force C-17 Globemaster from 429 (Bison) Squadron, as well as a Harvard MK IV aircraft, piloted by Geoffrey Brayne. McHugh read the Act of Remembrance and Guest speaker, Major Robert Mein, Commanding Officer 20th Independent Field Battery, then talked briefly. Incoming Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Dory Rossiter laid a wreath at the foot of the cenotaph on behalf of all the bereaved mothers across Canada. Outgoing Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Rick Casson laid a second wreath at the base of the cenotaph and Captain Luke Watson gave the Benediction.
11-10
WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER!
We are quite the Pomp and Ceremony Society when it comes to Veterans. We celebrate their past achievements and yearly take a day to remember their bravery and thank them for their efforts to keep us free.
I however, look upon this with jaundice eye because the veterans of today who are living, will soon die and will be celebrated with the others on their special day. The reason I have reservation when it comes to this Pomp and Ceremony is because I ask myself how did we treat these people when they were alive?
A dead vet is far easier to lament over then having to face a live vet who struggles to make ends meet because he lost his legs in a conflict! No one demands and I mean demands the government ensure a reasonable compensation package so he/she can live his/her life in dignity. I see article after article of Vets seeking help and the effort put forward by Canadians to actually support a living vet “is a quick run down to the local store to get a yellow ribbon that says WE SUPPORT OUR VETs” and stick it on your car!
So really, Canadians prefer their Vets to be in body bags because if they did not, there would be civilian committees made up of Caring Civilians who would DEMAND appropriate compensation for these people and ensure it HAPPENS! We would have as many meetings and out cries a week demanding assistance as we do with the drug addicts of our nation! But, we do not!
A drug addict has far more opportunity and hope in the future of getting housing and financial assistance then a legless veteran, because he/she has a “disease”! Having no legs is not a disease! One group is committing crimes the other is not? It seems God’s work has been defined quite narrowly! God has created a Union that represents Drug Addicts, no such “Union” has been formed for Veterans? Their is little opportunity to make money from a Veteran without appearing as a bloodsucker so, yellow bumper stickers work just fine!
“Canadians prefer their Vets to be in body bags”
You may think Veteran Affairs is there to do this. Veterans Affairs mandate is to ensure the hardest possible route for compensation. It purposely denies the first request in hopes you go away (or die). Then you must write letter after letter through the appeal process. The objective is to possibly relent but offer the least possible compensation as possible. The third and final appeal is final. So if your award on your last appeal is $86.00 thats it, buddy, thats what you get. You have no recourse, you have no Parades and Picket Lines are not set up. No UNION appears in front of the government and demands a pay rise, so they never get one. Civilians strike to get “better living conditions” Veterans, get what Veteran Affairs decides and if that is 90% of the wage of a Corporal, then that’s what you get……until age 65. No strikes for better living conditions, see you when you are 65 where we strip back some of that money because you get CPP now??? There is a greater drive today to get “bike lanes”” then there is to support proper compensation for a Veteran!
What is proper compensation? If a Vet has no legs then CANADA should ensure he does not have to be limited by the fact he has no legs. That means Vehicles, Ramps, full access housing, money, independence etc etc. This man or woman did not lose their legs in a slip under a bus, they lost their legs doing WHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT DEMANDED OF THEM!
I watch daily how Veterans in Canada are treated and where they sit in Value, and I mean VALUE. The only really good Veteran is a dead one, because society tends to ignore the rest, buy a poppy, buy a ribbon, wait till he/she is dead, do the Pomp and Ceremony Parade, then put away the toys for another year! Rinse and Repeat. I know of people who save their poppy so they do not have to buy another one next year? Money that goes to Vets by the way? Really, I mean really? Why are we not ashamed!!
Perhaps its time Canadians remember more than Nov 11th. Perhaps its time you realize that a fellow sent over to any war zone, who loses appendages or comes back with his/her brain scrambled, while fighting for his Government and Country should be treated far better when alive then when he/she is dead! How Novel?
Can anyone tell me why we have Veterans Food Banks? Other than we appear not to give a damn? Never Forgetting the past does not feed and house those that will be celebrated in a year from now, when they are dead! Wearing a Poppy is a feel good, it lets your neighbor know you are not a cold hearted bastard for a week and we even go so far as to shame those that are not wearing them. But is that it?
House the Drug Addict and Criminal, and IF, within those people is a starving VET we can say we did our part, right? So housing veterans with drug addicts is the new standard, that we strive to achieve?
Whom do you rely on to put Societies Priorities in Order? Your Church? Your Provincial Government? Your Local Government? Feds?
Who holds them to task, absolutely no one, there is very little money to be made from Vets, they are a drain on society, if we wait long enough we can out last them. Then buy another Poppy, perhaps? But the corollary is we did get a paid day off, right, so at least you got compensation for your time?
Have a nice day even though many Veterans will not!
I believe the Harvard was flown by Geoffrey Brayne, not Geoffrey Bryan.