WATCH ABOVE: As Tracy Nagai reports, a special ceremony was held for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and warrant officer Patrice Vincent.
CALGARY- With Remembrance Day just around the corner, many Canadians are taking time to honor those who died fighting for our country.
Sunday morning, about 100 people gathered in Airdrie to erect crosses along Veterans Boulevard and a parade of motorcycles delivered symbolic cargo.
A special ceremony was held for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and warrant officer Patrice Vincent.
Bob McNiven president of the Airdrie Legion said they owe it to the people on the front lines, to have their backs here at home.
“There are names on the crosses of the veterans who died in world war one and world war two in the Beddington and Airdrie area,” McNiven said.
The deaths of the two fallen soldiers are at the forefront of the ceremonial event.
Norman McRae organized the ceremony. He was inspired by the field of crosses in Calgary and his ties to the military go back generations. McRae says the military is very much a family.
“Anybody who’s been in it feels very emotional when something does happen to that family and I took it pretty rough on Wednesday when I heard the news of the second man being killed,” McRae said. “Most people know him from his poetry and Flanders Fields is his most famous. I am related to John McCrae.”
After the singing of the national anthem, there was a moment of silence.
The people at the ceremony resolute they will not live in fear.
“When we were told not to wear our uniforms in public, believe me, more people dug their uniforms out of the closets and the bottom of their old barrack boxes and duffle bags and put them on,” McNiven said.
The events of this past week will not be forgotten by most Canadians.
“We were very upset, it was very heartbreaking for everybody,” Christina Campbell a resident of Airdrie said. “Everyone should know, everyone in Canada should know so we never do it again.”
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