THUNDER BAY - On June 1, 1997, retired Rear Admiral with the Royal Canadian Navy, Ray Zuliani, then recently promoted to Commodore, dedicated a monument commemorating the sacrifices of naval veterans during the Second World War.
Twenty years later, Zuliani, along with members of HMCS Griffon and veterans returned to rededicate the Anchorage Memorial at Marina Park during a ceremony on Saturday.
“We don’t have the memories, but we have an obligation to honour them, so that’s why it’s significant to me,” Zuliani said following the ceremony.
The ceremony included a parade by members of HMCS Griffon and naval cadets, with the rededication of the memorial taking place during the 80th anniversary weekend of HMCS Griffon.
The memorial was established by members of the Royal Canadian Naval Association Thunder Bay Branch to honour those who served in the Royal Canadian Navy and Merchant Navy during the Second World War. Veteran, Ken MacAskill, who led the ceremony on Saturday, was the chairman of the construction and fundraising committee for the project.
“It’s kind of a striking point,” he said. “Something everyone kind of rallies around. In the Navy, one of the biggest ceremonies during the year is the Battle of the Atlantic Sunday. Generally it’s held down here, but lately because of changes in the weather, we end up having to hold the services back at the Griffon.”
MacAskill, who served on the east coast during the Battle of the Atlantic, said monuments like the Anchorage Memorial are a way of honouring the memory of those who gave their lives during the longest battle of the Second World War.
“The way the monument was built, it has many facets,” he said. “There are several brass plaques and if people go and read those plaques, they will find out quite a bit of history. They are a part of history. This country is full of history. You don’t hurt anybody by reminding them, if it’s good or bad, of times gone.”
Zuliani added that veterans take these kinds of ceremonies and monuments to heart, especially seeing the public and the youth participate in something so meaningful.
“It’s really encouraging for them when young people come out because they know that there is going to be this thing going on forever,” he said. “The number of naval vets is shrinking and shrinking very quickly now. So it’s up now to the younger generations and that is what they are hoping, that they will take up that torch and continue with the naval heritage and keep supporting.”
Master Seamen, Nick Davis, a cadet with the RCSCC Vindictive, is one of those youth who will be carrying on the memory of those who came before, something he said he is proud to do.
“It’s a very special opportunity that not a lot of people get to do,” he said. “It’s a great thing for the younger people to get into the history of everything and understand what happened and what is going to happen and we get to take part in something that has been going on for generations.”
