Rev. Don Lewis, padre for Branch 35 of the Royal Canadian Legion, looked to the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah for a message to the masses gathered for Remembrance Day services inside the Red Deer Arena on Monday.
He spoke of the endeavour, the courage and the endurance of those who had been exiled from their homes, drawing parallels with those who have been called to duty in battles around the world, from Passchendaele to Korea, from Sicily to Afghanistan.
“We are called to remember the approximately 150,000 young Canadian men and women who have given their lives in the struggle, the ongoing struggle, for freedom and justice in the world,” said Lewis.
But remembrance does not stop there, he said. Canadians are also called to honour and thank those who still suffer today and those who are now on active duty, he said.
“We are called to remember those who fought for those very same values and who were not killed in battles, but in whose hearts and minds and bodies this morning the wars are still raging,” said Lewis, pointing to the ongoing struggle of those who live with the effects of battle, including post-traumatic stress.
War bride Wyn Ledieu, representative for Silver Cross Mother, said while serving sandwiches at the canteen that she felt honoured to step in on behalf of those whose sons and daughters had died for their country.
“It’s a privilege and an honour to be able to represent such an important person. It’s got to be very heartbreaking for them,” said Ledieu, who was a teenager during the Second World War. She lived immediately southeast of London in Kent, which lay directly in the path of German bombers.
Reflecting on the sacrifices made, she said they were called to fight for the freedoms so many people enjoy today, including freedom of speech, freedom to travel, eat and choose a place to live and freedom from tyranny.
Ledieu said it was wonderful to see large numbers of children attend the service, remarking that they will remember taking part and that memory will have meaning for them.
Grant MacKay, chairman for the 2013 service, said afterward that it was good to see so many people crowd into the arena, although regretful that there wasn’t enough room for everyone.
While there would be more space at the Centrium, it is not available most years because the entire site is occupied by Agri-Trade. Even on those years when the dates do not conflict, the Centrium is not a viable option because it is simply too expensive, said MacKay. The Legion must pay some costs to use the Arena, including wages for the city staff who open the space up for them. But those costs are considerable less than what it they would be at the Centrium, said MacKay.
There is also some risk that the annual Musical Remembrance, held on the Sunday before Remembrance Day, may have to be cancelled. Costs are rising at the College Arts Centre, so the Legion may not be able to afford the put the show on in the future, said MacKay.
This year’s service will also hold some long lasting memories for some of the cadets who took part.
This year, volunteers from the St. John Ambulance rescued and treated 17 youngsters who fainted while on parade during the service.
A few of the cadets drop every year, said audio-visual technician Harold Albrecht. He’s seen as many as 21 cadets collapse after attempting to stand at rigid attention for too long at a time, causing circulation loss to their lower limbs.
One group of army cadets was ordered to shake loose during the ceremony, lowering themselves to the floor in unison with their hands behind their heads and then bouncing back up to stand at attention.
The ones most likely to faint are the older teens, who are less fidgety and less likely to have had a good breakfast before coming to the service, said St. John Ambulance volunteer Sherryl Johnstone.
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com