Around the Commonwealth, in small towns and large cities, the citizens gather to remember the sacrifice that those that lost their lives in the service of their countries and to thank those that have, and continue to serve in the armed forces of our nation. I decided to go to the Acton (Halton Hills), Ontario, Canada Remembrance Day Ceremony held on Friday, November 11, 2011. Veterans gather with the RCMP or Mounties, Halton Regional Police, Fire Department and local cadets to render the salute and stand at attention.
The event marks the end of World War One (WWI) and has been a memorial day since that time. The 11th hour of 11th day of the 11th month of the year: November 11. Flag bearers and cadets with rifles pointed to the ground stand around the cenotaph, above.
Many places have large cenotaphs which list the wars, battles and those that died in those battles and often the Remembrance Day ceremony has the names read aloud to the assembled crowd. The poppy has become the symbol of Remembrance Day and you often have to buy several because the darn things are always falling off or stabbing you with the needle that holds them in place.
The ceremony begins before 11am and starts with the national anthem, solemn poems, prayers and speeches, followed by the laying of the wreaths and speaking the names of those that died. It is nice to see that many levels of schools support the ceremony and bring the children to witness the event.
See more photos after the jump.
A veteran takes a wreath to lay at the cenotaph
School children let out of class to witness the solemn ceremony
Here is Toronto's Old City Hall Cenotaph with all the wreaths laid at the base.
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