Remembrance Day a victim of virus Poppy campaign, events 'decimated' this year due to COVID's spread
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/11/2020 (1544 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Orville Marshall was wounded in the Italian campaign during the Second World War and has participated in many Remembrance Day ceremonies through his 98 years.
But Marshall admits the mostly virtual Remembrance Day ceremonies planned here and across the country this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and virus restrictions just won’t be the same.
“When everything is so messed up, that’s what people are thinking of,” Marshall said during a telephone interview from Selkirk.
“It’s a scary situation. Why would they spend time dealing with the past now? It’s not the war they are worried about — it’s the virus.
“I’m looking forward to Remembrance Day next year,” he added, breaking out in laughter.
Whether it is the large ceremony held in the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre, smaller ones at individual legions — and even the national one in Ottawa — the general public is being discouraged from showing up due to the fear of spreading COVID-19 and physical gathering restrictions. Instead, they are being told they can watch them on either televisions or computers.
Dawn Golding, executive director and service officer of the Royal Canadian Legion Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario headquarters, said she feels for the veterans of past wars and peacekeeping who can’t come out to ceremonies to remember the soldiers who died or were injured with them, see their old comrades — and help the general public remember too.
In remembrance
The novel coronavirus pandemic, which has swept away many everyday activities, has taken away the ability to commemorate Remembrance Day in person.
In the past, the largest ceremony was always at the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre, but it has been cancelled this year. Same with the ceremony at Brookside Cemetery, where thousands of veterans are buried, as well as the Royal Winnipeg Rifles’ ceremony at Vimy Park. The Minto Armoury is closed to the public so no ceremony will be held there.
The novel coronavirus pandemic, which has swept away many everyday activities, has taken away the ability to commemorate Remembrance Day in person.
In the past, the largest ceremony was always at the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre, but it has been cancelled this year. Same with the ceremony at Brookside Cemetery, where thousands of veterans are buried, as well as the Royal Winnipeg Rifles’ ceremony at Vimy Park. The Minto Armoury is closed to the public so no ceremony will be held there.
But while most Royal Canadian Legion branches and other veteran organizations have also cancelled public ceremonies this year, several local legions will soldier on, by holding virtual ceremonies to.
Here is what will happen on Remembrance Day:
HMCS Chippawa, the province’s Naval Reserve Division, will hold a virtual ceremony on its YouTube channel starting at 10:30 a.m.
The Royal Canadian Legion’s Charleswood Branch 100 will hold a virtual service live on YouTube. Livestreaming starts at 10:30 a.m.
The RCL’s Winnipeg South Osborne Branch 252 will livestream its ceremony to the public on both its Facebook page and on the 199 St. Vital Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron’s YouTube channel beginning at 10:45 a.m.
The RCL’s Henderson Highway Branch 215 will hold a small ceremony with five people at its new cenotaph outside. The cenotaph was moved to the legion branch from the former North Kildonan municipal office last summer. Once the ceremony has ended, at about 11:30 a.m., members of the public are invited to privately pay their respects at the cenotaph.
The RCL’s Norwood Branch 43 had planned to hold a ceremony at the cenotaph but cancelled it because of the city’s code-red status. The branch encourages its members “to mark the day in private remembrance or with national virtual service on television from Ottawa.”
The RCL’s West Kildonan Branch 30 will offer a virtual ceremony on Nov. 11. It can be accessed through the branch’s Facebook site. The legion is also raising money for veterans with a GoFundMe poppy campaign.
The RCL’s Transcona Branch 7 recommends everyone wear a poppy, visit Memorial Park Circle to see the names of lives lost from the community, and go to the Transcona Cemetery’s Field of Honour and place the poppy on a headstone. People can wander throughout Transcona to see designated honorary street names for Second World War veterans.
“It’s devastating, it’s just devastating,” Golding said.
“But I know everybody will do what we can and get through this.”
Calling teachers “heroes”, Golding said she knows they will do what they can to make sure students know why we mark Remembrance Day and the sacrifices that were made by people.
Another veteran, Al Mills, who served in the forces from 1969 to 1973, was part of the United Nation’s peacekeeping efforts between India and Pakistan, was deployed to Quebec during what’s known as the October Crisis, and served with NATO forces in the then West Germany, said “it’s going to be kind of lonely this year.
“It’s sad we can’t go out to remember the fallen Canadian dead.”
But Mills said it is even more than that. As a member of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Henderson Highway Branch 215, they would normally go around to veterans homes and hospitals and bring a treat like chocolate.
“We can’t do that now,” he said. “It’s a sad thing.
“Even the poppy campaign will be decimated this year. I’ve seen some poppy boxes in some stores, but only a few places will allow it.”
But Mills said he was gratified that a school teacher took the time to bring a video camera last month to the legion’s cenotaph so she could record in advance a piper and a bugler there participating in a ceremony so she could show it to her students.
“It’s wonderful she did that.”
Gord Machej, the branch’s president, said they normally have between 500 to 600 people show up for a Remembrance Day ceremony at the church next to the Legion with everyone invited back to the Legion afterwards.
“It will be different this year,” Machej said. “The Legion will be closed on the 11th and we will only have five Legion officials doing a very modest ceremony at our new cenotaph.
“But we need to remember, even with the pandemic.”
As for Marshall, who is originally from Peterborough and turns 99 in a couple of weeks, he said he tried to enlist with the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment near his hometown when he was 17, but they turned him down. “They said go home and grow up,” he said.
But Marshall was able to sign up for good on Oct. 9, 1940, training in Canada before heading to England and eventually being part of the Italian campaign. He was injured on Jan. 31, 1943.
“My hands went numb,” he said.
“I couldn’t see anything — blood was in my eyes. The medic finally got to me and cleaned me up. I then could see and I saw my rifle on the ground and the barrel was all bent. Something hit it while I was holding it. I don’t know whether shrapnel or ground.”
Marshall was taken to hospital where he was treated and received rehabilitation. He spent the rest of the war as a supply truck driver, but was there when the only soldier of the Canadian Army was executed. He got back to Canada in Oct. 1945. “I was the last Canadian to leave Italy,” he said.
Marshall returned, became a baker and then a psychiatric nurse in Selkirk, was married to Edith from 1947 until she passed away in 2014, and has a daughter and son.
And through the years, Marshall participated in many Remembrance Day ceremonies. Last year he was honoured to lay the first wreath commemorating all the veterans.
“Remembrance Day always brings back many memories and various faces I was with,” he said. “There’s no question it won’t be the same this year.”
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Indigenous vets’ service recalled
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs acknowledged the service, sacrifice and contributions of Indigenous veterans across the province and Canada on Sunday.
Indigenous Veterans Day is recognized annually on Nov. 8.
More than 12,000 Indigenous people from Canada served in the major conflicts including the First World War, Second World War, Korean War and many peacekeeping missions across the globe.
“On this day that recognizes Indigenous veterans, we want to honour and thank First Nations veterans and current members of the military for their service,” said Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.
“From every corner of this province and across Canada we have had young First Nations men and women who have served and continue to serve alongside other Canadians. This courageous act of service and sacrifice is for us all.”
Manitoba was the first province to acknowledge Indigenous Veterans Day in 1994.
Kevin Rollason
Reporter
Kevin Rollason is one of the more versatile reporters at the Winnipeg Free Press. Whether it is covering city hall, the law courts, or general reporting, Rollason can be counted on to not only answer the 5 Ws — Who, What, When, Where and Why — but to do it in an interesting and accessible way for readers.
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