Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Lt. Col. John McCrae and several events are planned in his hometown of Guelph.
A Canadian doctor during the First World War and author of the famous poem, “In Flanders Fields” died of pneumonia on Jan. 28, 1918, in France at the age of 45.
RELATED: ‘It’s really a hometown story’: John McCrae honoured in Guelph
Guelph Museums, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, the 11th Field Artillery Regiment and the Royal Canadian Legion are all co-hosting events around the city on Saturday.
- Guelph Civic Museum, displays and reflections with free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, memorial service starting at 10:30 a.m.
- McCrae House National Historic Site, displays and reflections with free admission from 12 to 5 p.m.
- McCrae Memorial Gardens, wreath-laying ceremony by Prince Arthur Guelph Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1331 starting at 12:30 p.m.
- Performance titled John McCrae: His Life in Words, Images and Song, featuring Hugh Brewster and the Elora Festival Singers at the River Run Centre. Tickets are $25. The performance starts at 3 p.m.
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McCrae was born on Nov. 30, 1872, and his childhood home still stands in Guelph today as a museum and memorial.
He started writing poetry when he was a student at Guelph Collegiate Institute, and joined the Highfield Cadet Corps in Guelph at the age of 14.
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