The Royal Canadian Legion braved through the heavy snowfall for their annual Remembrance Day parade that marks 101 years since the ending of the First World War.
The parade hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Colonel John McCrae Memorial Branch 234 and Ladies Auxiliary began at the Guelph Armoury toward the Sleeman Centre for the Remembrance Day Ceremony. It then marched to the Cenotaph and back to Wyndham Street and St. George’s Square as residents watched in awe.
ƒThe ceremony saw music students from John F. Ross CVI’s concert choir, and the Guelph Concert Band perform O Canada and God Save the Queen.
“We are gathered here today to pay tribute to the sacrifice and services. We are gathered to express our deepest gratitude and respect to those who gave their lives for peace and freedom for all,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie at the ceremony.
Guthrie acknowledged that there are 230 names inscribed on the Cenotaph in Guelph.
“Every single name represents the terrible loss of human life and its potential. They are sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, best friends who braved that nightmare war and never made it home again. It is thanks to the sacrifice of every Canadian soldier that today we have the privilege of living in one of the safest and prosperous countries in the world,” said Guthrie.
Guest speaker Edward Butts, who is an author and a historian and who was recently honoured by the Ontario Historical Society for his book Wartime: The First World War in a Canadian Town said not many of the names on the Cenotaph are in the history books or encyclopedias. But after doing some research, he found them in local archives.
He said in his quest to research the names on the Cenotaph, he was met with enthusiastic responses from families who shared letters, photographs and medals.
“Some of them like Major Whiteman were born in Guelph. Others came here from different parts of Canada or immigrated from other countries. They went to Guelph schools and attended Sunday services and churches people go to today. They were employed in every trade and profession imaginable,” said Butts.
“The cenotaph is full of stories. Behind every name inscribed on it is a real flesh and blood person.”
