Remembrance Day Ceremony draws large crowd in Stratford

Photos by Patti-Jo Lindner

Grey skies set the tone for the Stratford Remembrance Day ceremony on Monday morning.

Hundreds of community members gathered to pay respects, lay wreathes, and reflect on the sacrifices made by thousands of Canadians. The Hamlet Public School choir kicked off the ceremonies by singing “A Wish For Peace”, leading the way for the crowd to reflect on the sacrifice that must come to achieve peace.

Several dignitaries spoke to the large crowd, with a portion of the ceremony focusing on the over 12,000 Indigenous veterans that had to overcome great obstacles in order to serve for Canada. At least 500 of those brave people made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The centennial anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force was also a focus of the ceremony, with a flyover happening just after 11:00 a.m.

The annual parade closed off the event, and the parade route was adorned with thousands of crocheted poppies. The poppies could be seen all along the William Hutt bridge, and across the hedges lining the memorial gardens next to the cenotaph. Attendees also laid their poppies on the wreathes as the ceremonies closed.