Remembrance Day

Nanaimo RCMP Const. Steven Casey and his son Bradley pay their respects among the wreaths at the Dallas Square cenotaph downtown Nov. 11. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)

Nanaimo holds cautious Remembrance Day ceremony at cenotaph

Public was not invited this year and instead was asked to watch the ceremony live on Shaw TV

 

Heather Maling and crash researcher Radovan Zivanovic searching for small pieces from the crash site where Officer Henry Carruthers, of Trail, was killed in the Second World War. Photo: Submitted

Remembering a young man from Trail who went to war and never came home

Henry Carruthers is buried in the Belgrade War Cemetery in Serbia.

 

News Bulletin file photo

REMEMBRANCE DAY: Lest we forget

Ceremonies at cenotaphs aren’t public this year, but that’s no reason not to try to remember

 

A woman lays flowers following Remembrance Day ceremonies at God’s Acre Veteran’s Cemetery in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, November 11, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

There are plenty of ways to honour Remembrance Day without visiting cenotaphs

Many Legion branches looking to livestreaming and virtual ceremonies amid COVID-19

A woman lays flowers following Remembrance Day ceremonies at God’s Acre Veteran’s Cemetery in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, November 11, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Korean War veterans Andy Barber, left, and Ron Kirk, raise the Canadian flag at the Halton Naval Veterans Association Burlington, Ont. on Friday November 6, 2020. Barber and Kirk served as in the navy as part of a peacekeeping force immediately following the armistice in July 1953. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch

70 years on, Canadian veterans keep memories of ‘forgotten’ Korean War alive

It took till May 1982 before the National War Memorial was rededicated to include the dates of the Korean War

Korean War veterans Andy Barber, left, and Ron Kirk, raise the Canadian flag at the Halton Naval Veterans Association Burlington, Ont. on Friday November 6, 2020. Barber and Kirk served as in the navy as part of a peacekeeping force immediately following the armistice in July 1953. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch
Julie Mungall places her painted stones at the Brookside veterans cemetery in Winnipeg, Saturday, October 24, 2020. Mungall is commemorating Remembrance Day by painting poppies and other designs on rocks and hiding them around the city, sometimes in plain sight, for people to pick up and take home with them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Most British Columbians are unaware of WWII battles fought on our own shores

Remembrance Day research shows Canadians know more about European WWII battles than attacks closer to home

Julie Mungall places her painted stones at the Brookside veterans cemetery in Winnipeg, Saturday, October 24, 2020. Mungall is commemorating Remembrance Day by painting poppies and other designs on rocks and hiding them around the city, sometimes in plain sight, for people to pick up and take home with them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Peter Dawe salutes his son Capt. Matthew Dawe’s grave in Kingston, Ont., on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. Capt.Matthew Dawe died in Afghanistan on July 4, 2007. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

Fewer people plan to attend virtual or in-person Remembrance Day ceremonies: poll

The poll found that roughly 71 per cent of respondents will wear a poppy

Peter Dawe salutes his son Capt. Matthew Dawe’s grave in Kingston, Ont., on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. Capt.Matthew Dawe died in Afghanistan on July 4, 2007. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
Poppy volunteers Jean Harrison, left, and Vivien MacDonald, with Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256, and others have been distributing poppies by donation leading up to Remembrance Day, Nov. 11. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Campaign pushing to ensure people have their poppies by Remembrance Day

Poppies worn each autumn to honour fallen veterans

Poppy volunteers Jean Harrison, left, and Vivien MacDonald, with Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256, and others have been distributing poppies by donation leading up to Remembrance Day, Nov. 11. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Brian McFadden, vice-president of the Vancouver Island Military Museum, shows elements of a new exhibit there that examines some of the horrors and hardships for women and children in prison camps during First and Second World Wars. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

New exhibit at military museum in Nanaimo dedicated to prisoners of war

Vancouver Island Military Museum examines horrors and hardships for captured soldiers and civilians

Brian McFadden, vice-president of the Vancouver Island Military Museum, shows elements of a new exhibit there that examines some of the horrors and hardships for women and children in prison camps during First and Second World Wars. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
An image of Lieut. Osborne Orr and a poster advertising opportunities to join the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. (Images courtesy the Vancouver Island Military Museum)

Nanaimo’s other First World War ace remembered

Lieut. Osborne Orr credited with five aerial victories before he was shot down

An image of Lieut. Osborne Orr and a poster advertising opportunities to join the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. (Images courtesy the Vancouver Island Military Museum)
Planes fly in formation above a large crowd who gathered to honour the fallen during a Remembrance Day ceremony at the War Memorial in Oak Bay, B.C., on Monday, November 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Honouring veterans in a pandemic: COVID-19 put Legions at risk of closure

In many ways, COVID-19 exacerbated issues man Legion branches were already facing

Planes fly in formation above a large crowd who gathered to honour the fallen during a Remembrance Day ceremony at the War Memorial in Oak Bay, B.C., on Monday, November 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Flying Officer Howard McNamara (Retired) and Cpl. Anne McNamara (Retired) are shown in Veterans Affairs Canada handout photos. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Courtesy McNamara Family

COVID-19 latest bump in Canada’s long road to Second World War remembrance

Royal Canadian Legion will place a special emphasis on marking the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII

Flying Officer Howard McNamara (Retired) and Cpl. Anne McNamara (Retired) are shown in Veterans Affairs Canada handout photos. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Courtesy McNamara Family
COVID-19 has forced cancellation of Remembrance Day events at Royal Canadian Legion branch halls in the Nanaimo area in 2020. Pictured here, the ceremony from 2018. (News Bulletin file)

Nanaimo’s legion halls decide to close on Remembrance Day as a COVID-19 precaution

Remembrance Day ceremony can be viewed live on Shaw TV on Nov. 11

COVID-19 has forced cancellation of Remembrance Day events at Royal Canadian Legion branch halls in the Nanaimo area in 2020. Pictured here, the ceremony from 2018. (News Bulletin file)
(Kelowna RCMP)

Fluke find reunites dog tags of late B.C. veteran with family

Family doesn’t know how the tags were lost, but delighted to have them back

(Kelowna RCMP)
(Black Press Media file photo)

Whole Foods reverses poppy ban for workers following heavy criticism

Veteran Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay tweeted that Whole Foods’ policy is ‘absolutely unacceptable’

(Black Press Media file photo)
Julie Mungall places her painted stones at the Brookside veterans cemetery in Winnipeg, Saturday, October 24, 2020. Mungall is commemorating Remembrance Day by painting poppies and other designs on rocks and hiding them around the city, sometimes in plain sight, for people to pick up and take home with them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

‘It means so much:’ Families thankful for painted poppy rocks on Remembrance Day

Many who set out to find one of her poppy-painted rocks have a close relationship with Remembrance Day

Julie Mungall places her painted stones at the Brookside veterans cemetery in Winnipeg, Saturday, October 24, 2020. Mungall is commemorating Remembrance Day by painting poppies and other designs on rocks and hiding them around the city, sometimes in plain sight, for people to pick up and take home with them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Pilot Kevin Maher participated in a flyover of a ceremony at the Cobble Hill cenotaph on Oct. 22 in a 1940 North American (Noorduyn) Harvard aircraft. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Cobble Hill remembers lost military members with ceremony, flyover

Annual event commemorates those who died in non-combat roles

Pilot Kevin Maher participated in a flyover of a ceremony at the Cobble Hill cenotaph on Oct. 22 in a 1940 North American (Noorduyn) Harvard aircraft. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of B.C., was presented with the first poppy of the Royal Canadian Legion’s 2020 Poppy Campaign on Wednesday. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

PHOTOS: B.C. Lieutenant Governor receives first poppy to kick off 2020 campaign

Janet Austin ‘honour and a privileged’ to receive the poppy

Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of B.C., was presented with the first poppy of the Royal Canadian Legion’s 2020 Poppy Campaign on Wednesday. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
Joann Walton Hatch, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256 past-president and service officer, left; Lew Forth, Legion Branch 256 president; Mayor Leonard Krog; John Bruce, Legion Branch 10 first vice-president; and Lynn Redekopp, Branch 10 poppy chairperson; participate in a poppy-pinning ceremony to launch this year’s Poppy Campaign. (Photo submitted)

Poppy campaign gets underway this week in Nanaimo

Royal Canadian Legion members asking people to make donations and wear poppies in remembrance

Joann Walton Hatch, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256 past-president and service officer, left; Lew Forth, Legion Branch 256 president; Mayor Leonard Krog; John Bruce, Legion Branch 10 first vice-president; and Lynn Redekopp, Branch 10 poppy chairperson; participate in a poppy-pinning ceremony to launch this year’s Poppy Campaign. (Photo submitted)
The Royal Canadian Legion is doing what was once the unthinkable: Discouraging people from attending Remembrance Day ceremonies in person this year. The 2019 National Silver Cross Mother, Reine Samson Dawe, middle left, and Governor General Julie Payette, middle left, watched the parade during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Remembrance Day planners scrambling as COVID-19 upends traditional ceremonies

Legion branches are scrambling to plan stripped-down versions of the annual sombre ceremonies

The Royal Canadian Legion is doing what was once the unthinkable: Discouraging people from attending Remembrance Day ceremonies in person this year. The 2019 National Silver Cross Mother, Reine Samson Dawe, middle left, and Governor General Julie Payette, middle left, watched the parade during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick