Kamloops' Annual Remembrance Day Ceremony and Parade took place at Riverside Park, Nov. 11, 2018. This year's service marks 100 years since the armistice was signed ending World War I.
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November 11, 2018 - 3:10 PM
KAMLOOPS - Riverside Park in Kamloops was packed with those who came to pay their respects to those who served in the Great War, and all the wars since.
The grounds were already filing up at 10 a.m. this morning, Nov. 11, half an hour before the service was meant to start.
The Reverant Sandra Sugden of the Royal Canadian Legion conducted the ceremony, along with Captain Steve Filyk of the Rocky Mountain Rangers.
At the stroke of 11 a.m. the two minutes of silence commensed, cut short by the Lament on bagpipes.
The 419 Squadron from Coldlake Alberta flew past and then the Reveille began.
Sudgen opened the crowd to pray in their own way, or to just use the moment for self reflection.
Then the laying of the wreaths began. Local politicians, businesses and individuals came to lay wreaths at the centotaph.
Peter Miedema of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 52 closed the ceremony singing 'God Save the Queen' before the parade officially began.
When it was over, a number of those involved went to the Legion for lunch.
Here are some of the moments from today's ceremony.
From 1984-2013 Dianne Francis served in the Royal Canadian Airforce retiring at age 60. Today she comes to the service in uniform to represent her element.
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Daryl Snell lets his daughter Olivia Snell, age 6, sit on his shoulders so she can see above the crowd.
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"It's very close to my heart." Gus Martin sheds a tear as the Lament commences. "My grandfather was in the World War, and my dad was in the second war— and fortunately or unfortunately I was too young to join either one of them." Martin enlisted shortly after the Korean war and had a career in the Royal Canadian Airforce. He was transferred from Ontario to Kamloops in 1968 and then retired in 1972.
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Organizations and individuals laid wreaths on the Cenotaph to commemorate Veterans. Many would pause for a moment afterwards to offer a salute or a prayer.
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The parade down Victoria Avenue was lead by Kamloops Pipe Band Society. The procession drew a few spectators who stopped to take photos or video on their cellphones. Many wore the red poppy.
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Peter Miedema, who sang 'O Canada' at the ceremony, shows his father's medal who was a member of the Allied underground in the Netherlands. The red, white, and blue symbolize the Dutch flag and the medal represents the 50th anniversary of the 1945 liberation of the Netherlands.
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The plaque at the cenotaph in Riverside Park.
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And at the Remembrance Day ceremony in Vernon.
The Remembrance Day service in Vernon on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 was held inside Kal Tire Place.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Bonnie Derry
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