Thousands of people gathered across Saskatchewan for Remembrance Day ceremonies to honour and pay respects to friends, family and fellow Canadians who served.
Regina’s largest Remembrance Day ceremony took place Monday at the Brandt Centre while another occurred at the Cenotaph in Victoria Park.
Herbert Bechdoldt has been a member of the Canadian Armed Forced since he was 16 years old. Now a part of the Region Colour Party, Bechdoldt says its important for people to pay their respects on Nov. 11.
“It is important to honour those that came before us,” he said. “Participate in Remembrance Day services and pass the message on to the younger generations. Go to schools and tell the stories.
“If you’re not inclined to do that, at least honour the veterans in your own way on your own time.”
In front of a full Brandt Centre, Bechdoldt said he is honoured to be part of something special. “Remembrance Day
is a way of bringing everyone together for the same cause… freedom.”
And while the day is a time to reflect, sometimes those moments bring back powerful memories.
“It sometimes is kind of an emotional roller coaster for veterans because they remember some of the things that happened,” said Reid Hill, the vice president of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Hill said with the days of World War I and World War II slowly moving further behind us, the stories are at risk of being lost.
“We’re trying capture time capsules,” he said. “We are trying to capture as many as we can to try and say, ‘We need to remember these people and tell their stories because we forget.’
“Sometimes a museum painting isn’t the best answer all the time. We want their voices and to capture their experiences.”