Veterans Day will honour those who fought for peace

Lt.-Col. Dany Breton, 8 Wing Logistics and Engineering Officer, places a Canadian flag at the base of memorial stone of one of 200 veterans buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Picton. File photo by Ross Lees

Glenwood Cemetery will host the annual Veterans’ Day ceremony with the message of ‘Honouring Those Who Fought For Peace’.

The ceremony is hosted by Glenwood Cemetery, in partnership with Branch 78 The Royal Canadian Legion, 415 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Association and 851 Prince Edward Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron.

Historic Glenwood Cemetery, a 62-acre property in the heart of Picton, is the final resting place for more than 250 veterans who served in Canada’s military engagements.

Among those veterans are six British airmen who died while training at the former RAF base known as No. 31 Bombing and Gunnery School. This former training base overlooking Picton was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, graduating hundreds of aircrew from many countries during the Second World War.

The Veterans’ Day ceremony is held during Legion Week and honours all veterans and demonstrates gratitude to those who made the supreme sacrifice. For those who wish to decorate the individual graves of our veterans, Canadian flags and poppies will be provided.

Guests will be greeted at the front entrance to the cemetery by Air Cadets and directed to the assembly at the foot of the veteran’s plot area. The 45 minute ceremony will include parade, colour parties, Prince Edward County Pipes & Drums and soloist Jeanette Arsenault.

Sandra Latchford, Chair of Glenwood Cemetery Board, will introduce Reverend William Kidnew, Padre of Branch 78 Royal Canadian Legion who will conduct the ceremony. Dignitaries hopefully in attendance will be Daryl Kramp, MP Prince Edward Hastings, Todd Smith, MPP Prince Edward Hastings and Robert Quaiff, Mayor of Prince Edward County. A representative of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will attend and there will be a senior military officer from 8 Wing Trenton, to salute the veterans with a military tribute.

After the ceremony, refreshments will be served in Glenwood’s Stone Chapel.

The 2015 Veterans’ Day organizers, from left: Pat Burrows, President Branch 78 RCL; Sandra Latchford, Chair Glenwood Cemetery Board; Mike Slatter, Parade Marshal Branch 78 RCL; Tom Ross, President 415 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Association (RCAFA); Debbie Rankin, Quartermaster, Prince Edward County Pipes & Drums; George Court, Past President 415 Wing (RCAFA) and Doug Yates, 415 Wing RCAFA.- Peggy deWitt photo