People were out by the hundreds at the Sullivan’s Pond Cenotaph in Dartmouth on Saturday morning for the area’s annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
This year’s service was a bit different in Dartmouth. The city’s main ceremony at the Grand Parade location in downtown Halifax was moved by Royal Canadian Legion organizers to Sullivan’s Pond due to the current homeless encampment in front of City Hall.
The Sullivan Pond bridge was fully decorated with poppies hand-crafted by residents, family, and community volunteers of the Oakwood Terrace Nursing Home in Dartmouth.
During the ceremony, some notable anniversaries were acknowledged, including two triple-digit milestones, such as 150 years of the RCMP and the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve.
Another milestone anniversary noted was the Korean armistice agreement, which brought a complete ceasefire to the Korean War, marking 80 years since the July 27, 1953 signing date.
In a social media post from the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission, it was noted that this year’s service marked the 95th anniversary of Dartmouth’s Somme Branch Legion. Members of the legion marched to the Cenotaph at Sullivan’s Pond prior to the event.
Danita Curwin, mother of Pte. John Curwin, a member of the Canadian military from Mount Uniacke who was killed by an explosion during a mission in Afghanistan fifteen years ago, laid a wreath in honour of those who lost loved ones in the line of duty.
“To this day I still have a hole in my heart, I carry him with me wherever I go … he’s always with me somewhere,” she said.
“When 9/11 happened, she (his daughter) looked up at her father and asked, ‘Daddy is there anything we can do to help those people?’ and from there … he wanted to join the military.”
Curwin said she encourages everyone to consider the memories of families who’ve lost a loved one at war and acknowledge the sacrifices made by Canadian troops throughout history.
“He was a good kid,” she said about her son. “John seemed to inspire a lot.”
Mari Anne Hagen, an event volunteer with St. John Ambulance who was also in attendance to honour several family members who served in the military, said she was “so happy” to see such a large turnout for Saturday’s ceremony.
“It celebrates all the people who’ve come before me, that have made sure that I can get up every day and live in a place that’s free,” she said.
“They didn’t hesitate to put the uniform on … they did everything for us, and we should be grateful. That’s why I’m here and I’m very, very grateful.”
Comments