Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was pre-recorded and posted online in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)
Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was pre-recorded and posted online, in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)
Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was streamed in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)
Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was streamed in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)
Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was streamed in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)
Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was streamed in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)
Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was streamed in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)
Hundreds of people came to pay their respects on Thursday, Nov. 11, as Remembrance Day services were held in person at the White Rock cenotaph. Last year’s event was streamed in keeping with COVID-19 protocols. This year, those in attendance were encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. (Contributed photos by Chloe Victoria Simpson and Elise Abby Simpson)More than 1,200 White Rock residents came to pay their respects to those who served Canada during two world wars, and subsequent conflicts, at the cenotaph on Remembrance Day (Thursday).
Bystanders lined streets around the monument, at Fir Street and Buena Vista Avenue, to watch as dignitaries, and honour guards from the RCMP, White Rock Fire Rescue, the Royal Canadian Legion and other community groups gathered to mark the occasion, lay wreaths honour the sacrifices made by Canadian war veterans, and listen to the Last Post and the plaintive piping of the Lament and Rouse.
This year’s occasion was minus the traditional parade, because of COVID-19 restrictions, but the usual flyover took place.
In honour of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance, White Rock Youth Ambassadors read In Flanders Fields as part of the ceremony.
The poem, written during the First World War by Canadian medical officer Lt-Col. John McCrae, inspired French humanitarian Anne Guerin to use the poppy as a symbol and subsequently suggest it to the Canadian Great War Veterans Association, which formally adopted it on July 6, 1921.
The Youth Ambassadors also led the crowd in singing O Canada and God Save The Queen.
Among dignitaries attending were MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, MLA Trevor Halford, Mayor Darryl Walker (all three laid wreaths representing each level of government), Couns. David Chesney, Christopher Trevelyan, Anthony Manning and Scott Kristjanson.
During the ceremony an ambulance was called to collect White Rock school trustee Laurae McNally, who had suffered a fall on to the Fir Street pavement, but was walking and in good spirits after being given first aid by first responders already attending the ceremony.
White Rock RCMP Staff Sgt. Kale Pauls noted that the crowd was respectful and “accommodating to the modified format and gracefully facilitated access for the ambulance when it attended right into the core of the ceremony.”
alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
City of White RockRemembrance DayRoyal Canadian Legion
