Across Canada, a nation paused. Eighty years removed from the end of the Second World War, Remembrance Day ceremonies unfolded, a solemn tribute to those who answered the call to serve.
In Ottawa, a dusting of snow clung to the National War Memorial as 99-year-old John Preece, a Second World War veteran, recounted the brutal realities of his service. He spoke not of glory, but of the relentless mud, the biting cold, and the constant rain – a stark contrast to the peaceful stillness of the day.
A sniper’s bullet, a searing pain in his arm during the final days of the war in Holland, is a memory etched forever in Preece’s mind. He is one of the vanishing few, a living link to a conflict fading into the pages of history. “When I go to the old regiment in Toronto,” he lamented, “there’s nobody. Everybody’s gone.”
Just 3,691 Canadian veterans of the Second World War remain, according to Veterans Affairs Canada. Historians warn that with each passing year, the ability to hear firsthand accounts of those years diminishes, transforming lived experience into historical record.
The weight of those untold stories fuels a call for connection. Wayne MacCulloch, a retired major and peacekeeper, urges civilians to seek out veterans and listen. He speaks of facing machete-wielding crowds in Haiti, navigating minefields, and the sudden, terrifying reality of firefights – experiences that offer a visceral understanding of service and sacrifice.
“You get the flavour of what it was like to serve when you talk to someone,” MacCulloch explained. “You can see what they experienced in their eyes.”
Nancy Payne, a Silver Cross Mother, laid a wreath, representing the profound loss felt by mothers across the country. Prime Minister Mark Carney, with quiet reverence, adjusted the ribbon on his own wreath, a small gesture reflecting the weight of the occasion.
The ceremony in Ottawa showcased a powerful legacy of service, embodied by the Storey family. Ralph Storey, 88, who served in Germany in the 1950s, stood alongside his son and grandson, each representing a different generation committed to defending their nation.
For Brian Revet, who travelled from Saskatoon, Remembrance Day is a deeply personal act of remembrance. He came to honour an uncle lost during the war, an aircraft gunner whose sacrifice resonated through the decades. He arrived hours early, determined to witness the ceremony up close.
This year’s ceremony saw a change in leadership, with Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Wagner presiding over the event in place of the Governor General, who was recovering from illness. Despite the absence, the solemnity of the occasion remained unwavering.
The skies above Ottawa, usually filled with the roar of fighter jets, were quieted by the weather. Yet, the presence of an RCMP helicopter served as a reminder of the ongoing commitment to service and security.
Don Bindon, a 36-year veteran of the RCMP, stood in his red serge, a link in a chain of service spanning generations. His son serves in the army, and his father fought in the Second World War – a testament to a family’s enduring dedication.
From Halifax, where the Mayor of Boston joined in solidarity, to Toronto, where the centennial of the city’s Cenotaph was marked, communities across Canada united in remembrance. The sound of bagpipes, the boom of artillery, and the blare of trumpets echoed across the land, a powerful chorus of gratitude and respect.
