Remembrance Day Ceremony in Brandon honours those who fought in the line of duty

WINNIPEG -

From the playing of The Last Post to the laying of the wreaths, residents in Brandon both young and old gathered to honour and remember the men and women who served and sacrificed for their country.

The Royal Canadian Legion Brandon Branch #3 held a Remembrance Day service at the Keystone Centre on Thursday. This is the first time since the pandemic started that Brandon residents were able to gather at the Keystone Centre for the ceremony.

Cindy Stumme, the president of the Royal Canadian Legion Brandon Branch #3, said she hopes the veterans and residents watching the ceremony take it to heart.

“That they see that community comes together to remember and understand the sacrifice that those men and women in uniform offered to this country - I hope that is what they take away," Stumme told CTV News.

The event began with a parade that included members of the Royal Canadian Legion, members of the Army Navy and Air Force (ANAF) veterans, and soldiers representing the Canadian Forces Base Shilo.

Then representatives from several agencies, groups and organizations laid down wreaths at a monument, followed by a rendition of “In Flanders Fields” by Lt.-Col. John McCrae.

Luke Malazdrewicz, an eight-year-old cub scout from Brandon, went to the ceremony with his dad and was among those laying a wreath.

"To remember all the soldiers who were brave enough to fight for our freedom," he said.

"It’s a moment of remembrance that hits close to home. His great-grandfather was among the more than one million Canadians who served in the First and Second World Wars.

“I feel happy that he wanted to do it, and fight for Canada to have a free country," Luke said.

Veterans Affairs Canada says more than 2.3 million Canadians have served throughout the country's history, and more than 118,000 have been killed.

Lt.-Col Jesse Van Eijk, commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, spoke at the ceremony on Thursday, remembering all the Canadians who have fought and died for freedom and peace.

“They took up a torch, they held it high, and they kept the faith,” he said.

Van Eijk also spoke about how the poppy was adopted as a symbol of remembrance 100 years ago.

“Since then, it’s been worn by generations of Canadians as a tangible token of respect and remembrance for those who laid down their lives for this nation and for their brothers and sisters in arms,” he said.

Paul Mount, a retired United Nations veteran, said he makes a point to get out on Remembrance Day to honour those sacrifices.

“We need to remember - first of all we need to remember the war, why it happened, why it shouldn’t happen, and those that made the sacrifice. And we do remember soldiers on all sides," Mount said.

It is a thought echoed by Erich Stumme, a veteran of 35 years.

“For me, it is important to celebrate Remembrance Day just to remember that the soldiers who served for the country made sure that we can keep our freedom, and can have our life that we have," he said.

"Because we can see in so many other countries, they lose their freedoms and they cannot defend it. So we always have to think and be thankful to the ones who served and lost their lives for us - for our freedom and for our lives.”

Stumme called on Manitobans to take a moment this Remembrance Day to think about the sacrifices made for them.