Recently retired from the military after a 30-year career, Cochrane Royal Canadian Legion Branch No.15 second Vice-President Brad Ross is organizing local Remembrance Day ceremonies this year on Nov. 11.
Ross said, as in previous years, the ceremony will focus on simplicity and efficiency to get aging veterans and members of the public out of the weather as quickly as possible.
“We're going to do the same thing we've done for the last couple of years, and just have the ceremony right at the Cenotaph by the Legion. And then have the Legion open afterwards for, I believe, chili and drinks.”
The simple, but moving, ceremony will begin at about 10:45 a.m.
“We'll have opening remarks and then ask people to be seated, and then at that time we'll call in the Colours at 10:48 a.m., and this will be followed by singing ‘O Canada.’”
Mayor Jeff Genung will also make a few brief remarks before the moment of silence at 11:11 a.m., said Ross, and this will be followed by the laying of the wreaths.
The wreaths will once again be laid in groups, explained Ross.
“We like to keep it short and sweet, and the plan this year is, as in the past, we're going to have primary groups lay wreaths, which would be like government officials and major groups such as Girl Guides, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, military. And for businesses, we're gonna ask if they just lay them at the end of the ceremony, if they so choose. And then we'll have a board up with all the people that have purchased wreaths who weren't called up to lay them.
“We still want to recognize those companies for supporting the poppy campaign,” he added. “However, we also want to take in consideration especially the older vets.”
Ross, who served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Africa, and also spent seven years as a support element for Canadian special forces, said people now look to him as a veteran, but he still doesn’t feel like Remembrance Day is really about career service personnel like him.
“I don't feel like I've done what those have done in the Korean War and World War I, World War II, and even though I've been in for the last 30 years and just retired, I never went to Afghanistan;” he explained. “so I have never been on a combat mission. I paid my dues, I think, but I don’t feel I deserve the same recognition as those that fought in the wars and have those battle scars. I really appreciate the sacrifices those members have made.”
He hopes those coming out to Remembrance Day this year will remember the true cost of freedom, and the price paid by previous generations of veterans which allowed us to enjoy the free and prosperous country we have today.
“The biggest thing for me with Remembrance Day is trying to get that next generation to understand the rights and freedoms that we have in this country,” he said, “and the options that we have to say what we want and do what we want, other places (in the world) don’t have that. And that's all because of our veterans who fought to give us those freedoms. That is what we really need to remember … Sometimes you don't know how good you have it until you lose it. And I think where we are, we've got a great country and a great place, and it's all because of the sacrifices that our forefathers have made.”
The Cochrane Legion will also be carrying on a Remembrance Day tradition after the ceremony concludes at the Cenotaph by inviting members of the public back for some fellowship and hospitality at the Legion Hall.
“The only thing I ask is that people that don't know just make sure they take their headdress off when they come in because it's a part of our tradition from the military side of the house,” Ross requested. “If there's a picture of the king or the queen hanging on the wall, we take our headdress off.”
