Hatters gather to pay respects

By Jeremy Appel on November 12, 2018.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

Medicine Hat held its annual Remembrance Day ceremony Sunday, which this year coincided with the 100th anniversary of the First World War’s end.

The ceremony began with a service at the Esplanade before a march to Veterans Memorial Park for wreath-laying at the Cenotaph.

“It’s a time for us to reflect,” said British Major Ade Heindson, who’s based at CFB Suffield. “I’ve personally served in quite a few conflicts, just bringing home the poignancy of the two minutes of silence to remember those people you’ve served alongside who’ve fallen from the Great War and Second World War, and other people who gave their lives so we can have freedom of speech and freedom of movement.”

Heindson served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo and Cyprus.

He said it’s “very humbling” to see so many civilians come out to pay their respects.

Master Cpl. Izaak Kollman of Lord Strathcona’s Horse said Remembrance Day isn’t just about honouring fallen soldiers, but appreciating the freedoms they fought for.

“It’s important for Canadians to realize and understand that the way we live here in Canada is not the societal norm throughout the world,” said Kollman.

“The way we live here is protected by force arms, because if we didn’t fight to defend our rights we wouldn’t have them.”

Capt. Ron MacDonald addressed the Esplanade service, presenting the First World War as an integral nation building exercise for Canada.

“Canada there became a nation,” said MacDonald. “This nation was purchased by the gallant men and women who stood fast at Ypres, stormed Regina’s trenches, climbed the heights of Vimy Ridge, captured Passchendaele, and entered Mons on Nov. 11, 1918.”

Canada and Newfoundland, which only became a province in 1949, contributed 650,000 troops to the First World War effort, with 66,000 perishing.

During the Second World War, Canada and Newfoundland had a million people serve in the armed forces, 47,000 of whom lost their lives.

Since then, Canadians have served in Korea, Egypt, Cyprus, Iraq (during the 1990 Gulf War, but not the 2003 invasion), Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Afghanistan and Libya.

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