THUNDER BAY – As the 11 o’clock hour approached on Monday, the winds began to whip up, a chilly reminder of the kinds of conditions Canada’s soldiers, sailors and airmen went through during their time at war.
Eighty-nine-year-old Bob Johnson stood solemnly on the steps of the Waverly Park cenotaph and saluted the colour parade as it marched past, at the conclusion of this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
It’s important to keep the memories of war alive, said Johson, who served 38 years with Canada’s military, on both the east and west coasts of the country.
“It’s to remember all those that gave their lives so we could have the freedom and the country that we have today,” Johnson said.
“I lost one uncle over there. My grandfather served in the First World War. My father and stepfather served in the second world war.”
About 1,000 people turned out for Monday’s ceremony in the park, thousands more taking part in similar events around Thunder Bay and surrounding communities, including the indoor ceremony at Fort William Gardens and one atop neighbouring Mount McKay.
While impressed with the turnout, Johnson said he’d have liked to have seen even more people on hand to remind them of the travesties of going into battle.
“Some people still care,” he said. “Not enough, though, and I think it should be like it used to be, a holiday, so everybody could remember. You see lots of people who don’t even purchase a poppy.”
Katriina Myllymaa, president of Port Arthur Branch No. 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion, said it’s important to keep alive the memories and service of those who went to war for their nation, and especially those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and never returned home alive to see their loved ones.
“It’s very important for us to make sure that we honour them in a respectful way. Nov. 11 has always been important to me because my husband is a naval veteran. It’s kind of close to home,” Myllymaa said.
Seeing about 1,000 people come out to pay tribute is a great feeling.
“It truly warms my heart to see all the people come out when the weather is not so great. But they make the effort to come out. For a lot of them, it’s their way of honouring people in their families – maybe not themselves having served – but it could be grandparents or uncles.”
With the two world wars now a part of Canada’s distant past, the latter ending 79 years ago, Myllymaa said Remembrance Day is a chance to send the message that those who don’t know their history are often bound to repeat it.
Unfortunately, today’s younger generations no longer have a real sense of what those in the Lost Generation and the Greatest Generation went through, Myllymaa said.
“Not as much as previous generations would have had. As the Legion, we are the keepers of remembrance, so it’s really important for us to try to reach out to the kids and try to get people understanding why Nov. 11 is such an important day and why it’s important for us to come out and honour the people that have served this great country and given us the freedoms we have
