Communities across Bruce and Grey counties marked Remembrance Day this morning with parades and services, in honour of those who fought and gave their lives for our country.
In Owen Sound, the community gathered in a large crowd in the rain.
92 year old Korean War Veteran and retired Meaford area paramedic Joseph Leonard Smith attended the ceremony.
Smith served for 12 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, initially enlisting in 1952. “I went to Korea that year,” says Smith, adding, “I spent two years over there.”
He hopes the service and sacrifice of others in war is not forgotten, explaining, “I think that they should remember the different things that happened. If we didn’t have any soldiers going, or navy there would be nothing left of the world, I think.”
Marching in the parade, and performing a 21-gun salute by the Cenotaph were the Grey and Simcoe Foresters of the Canadian Army Reserve.
Grey and Simcoe Foresters Corporal Cody Misner deployed to Latvia in 2021 with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment as part of Operation Reassurance, in a NATO multinational battlegroup. Canada is expanding its presence to brigade size by 2026.
Misner says he was augmented into the regular force battalion as a section member, noting, “We did a lot of training to get in line with our allies and get all on the same page about tactics, manoeuvres, things like that to combat Russian aggression in the Baltics and support our allies as well in those regions.” He hopes to deploy to Latvia again.
School children helped lay some of the wreaths at the cenotaph this year, and Misner adds, “I was really happy to see this many people in Owen Sound for Remembrance Day today. It was awesome to see so many young children down here as well from St. Dominique Savio and getting to share the experience with them. It’s awesome to see the next generation taking an interest in our history.”
Communities all over Grey Bruce gathered today. Below are social media posts by local legion branches.
You can also find more from the Chatsworth Legion on their Facebook page, as well as the legion branches in Durham and Tara.
