‘We gather today expressly for the purposes of remembering’

Story and photos by Sharon Harrison
“While we acknowledge the land on which we are on, the community which we live in, and the country to which we belong, we gather today expressly for the purposes of remembering,” said Phil Dawson, president of Royal Canadian Legion Picton Branch 78, who led the Remembrance Day ceremony in Picton.

“We remember the young men and women who left their homes, their families, and their futures, to serve in wars, peacekeeping missions and humanitarian efforts,” he said. “Some never returned, others came back forever changed.”

The ceremony began as the parade made its way from the Picton United Church to the cenotaph, where the weather co-operated on what was a relatively mild, but overcast morning, with occasional glimpses of warm sunshine.

Silence slowly fell in Picton on Remembrance Day Wednesday as the large gathered crowd became quiet and the bells of the nearby Picton United Church tolled 11 times, signifying the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

On this day to remember courage, commitment and sacrifice, faces were sad, the mood sombre, expressions solemn, a few tears fell, thoughts and memories quietly rampant for some more than others, feelings kept mostly hidden, contemplation and reflection heavy, along with hearts, during this quiet time of reflection and remembrance.

The collective occasion at the Picton cenotaph every year on this most significant day is always a poignant one, a difficult one for so many, a day to remember veterans lost, to never forget their service to country and their ultimate sacrifice, but it also recognizes those veterans living, and those who continue to serve every day.

This year’s ceremony was an especially respectful, dignified and ordered one under Dawson’s guidance, where he reminded that Remembrance Day is not just about the past, but the present and the future.

It was a day that also included the marking of Indigenous Veterans Day which is recognized every Nov. 8.

“From the muddy trenches of the First World War to the beaches of Normandy, from the verdant hills of Korea to the dusty roads of Afghanistan, Canadian soldiers have stood for peace, stood for justice and stood for freedom,” he said. “Their courage was not borne from the absence of fear, but from the determination to protect what mattered most: the safety of their loved ones, the dignity of their fellow citizens and the principles of democracy.”

“The values they fought for, democracy, compassion and unity, are still ours to uphold,” he shared. “Today, we also honour the veterans that live among us, the family members that bear the quiet burden of service, and the peacekeepers who continue to serve in dangerous corners of the world.”

He said, the Last Post, two minutes of silence, and the Rouse are part of the ceremony to help people remember the fallen, and to reflect on their sacrifices. Lest we forget.

The bugler played the Last Past followed by two minutes of silence, interrupted only by the clanging of the church bells 11 times, as a piper performed the Lament as this part of the ceremony concluded with the Reveille by bugle.

Prince Edward Collegiate Institute student Anna Scanlan read the Act of Remembrance, where Padre Brian Nicholson followed with words of prayer.

“We honour all those who laid down their lives in the spirit of unselfish service, for greater love has no one than this,” shared Nicholson. “In gratitude and devotion, we give thanks for their commitment, and to make Canada what it is, a place where the strong hear the needs of the old and the weak. We stand to guard the rights of our citizens against tyranny and oppression.”

Undertaken next was the laying of the many wreaths around the war memorial which included representation of municipal, provincial and federal governments, and many others, including Hastings Prince Edward Regiment, Special Forces (in memory of George Wright), Dieppe (laid in memory of Russ Burrows), Korea Veterans (in honour of Walter Ruggles), Navy Veterans Merchant Marine (in memory of Arthur Harrison), Nursing Sisters of World War Two, 31 Gunnery and Bomber School, 415 Wing, NATO Peacekeeping Veterans, First Canadian Guards, Afghanistan Veterans, 8 Wing, 851 Air Cadets, as some examples.

Local organizations, agencies and businesses also placed wreaths, along with many individuals.

Among them, the Kiwanis Club, Community Care for Seniors, Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation, Prince Edward Fire and Rescue, Prince Edward OPP, Prince Edward Masons, Prince Edward Collegiate Institute, Salvation Army, Quinte Pride, Kinsmen Club, Picton Elks and Glenwood Cemetery.

Amazing Grace played by the bagpiper signalled the conclusion of ceremonies, followed by a recording of the Royal Anthem.

Remembrance Day services were also held concurrently by the two other Royal Canadian Legion branches in the County at the cenotaphs in Consecon and Wellington today.