After three years of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Remembrance Day parade will be returning to the streets of London, Ont., on Nov. 11, honouring the courage and sacrifice of those who served and continue to serve in times of war, conflict and peace.
On Friday, at 10:15 a.m., the long-awaited parade will begin in front of the Delta London Armories, marching west on Dundas Street before turning onto Wellington Street to end at London’s cenotaph in Victoria Park.
Among those set to march in the parade is Second World Ward veteran Frank Tex Davids, encouraging others to take at least two-minutes to “remember our heroes.”
“A lot of them can’t be here today,” he said. “I’m very, very grateful to be able to stand here and talk to people and let them know just how we feel.”
On Thursday, in preparation for Friday’s ceremony, members of the community laid and gifted wreaths to veterans on duty, including Davids, at the cenotaph. In reflecting on past ceremonies and those to come, he read a poem by Mike O’Reilly titled Be Quiet When Willie Walks By.
“Did you see the old boys with their uniforms on, marching down Main Street today?
Some helped the others as they went along. Their minds seemed so far away.
And when they laid the wreath at the top of the hill, I saw some of them cry
As they thought of their friends they knew long ago in ages long since gone by.Old Willie Johnson walked all alone as the rain came tumbling down,
And someone they laughed as Willie drew near, for he was the drunk of the town;
And one of the men came over and said, “You know, Willie’s one heck of a guy.
If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here today, so be quiet when Willie walks by.”“He sold all his medals a long time ago for the help a bottle could hold,
But it’s hard to crawl out of the cracks in your soul when the last of your pride has been sold;
But deep down inside there’s a heart of pure gold and a spirit that money can’t buy,
So remember, my friends, and bow to the truth. Be quiet when Willie walks by.
Yes, be quiet when Willie walks by.”
Also at the cenotaph on Thursday was Sam Newman, a veteran with Vimy Branch 145 of the Royal Canadian Legion. He said that for veterans preparing to attend Remembrance Day ceremonies, “you have to prepare mentally, as well as physically.”
“It’s not just here today and gone tomorrow,” he said. “This has been my profession ever since I was in high school.
“I’m a Cold War veteran and there’s a lot of difference between being a veteran that’s been out on the battlefield,” Newman continued. “But I felt for those people when they were there, I feel for anybody that’s in any battlefield now, and I feel that it’s just an extension of my service to be here or be where the vets are or where the Legion is and to be part of it.”
Newman said that he was sent to the Normandy beaches and had been stationed with NATO forces in England, France and Italy. Additionally, he served with the UN in the Middle East, in Egypt, Israel and in Syria under peaceful conditions.
He added that being able to have an in-person ceremony again means so much to him and other veterans alike.
“After the previous two Remembrance Day ceremonies were sparsely attended due to pandemic-related considerations, I’m hoping Londoners turn out in overwhelmingly large numbers for this year’s gathering,” said mayor Ed Holder in a statement.
“It is absolutely vital for each of us to take time to remember those who fought to protect and advance our freedoms, while also remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of those freedoms.”
Randy Warden, chair of the Remembrance Day committee, said that the feedback in preparing for the ceremony “has been extraordinary.”
“And although we would like to think COVID is completely in the rearview mirror, the reality is, if somebody may not be feeling well, we do want them to stay home,” Warden explained. “We have to remember that some of our veterans are amongst our most vulnerable.
“So having people just pause for a moment, whether they’re here at the park with us, or just standing at home taking two minutes to reflect, that’s what we’re really hoping for,” he added.
Additionally, Warden said that one of the changes introduced for this year is that five buses of veterans from Parkwood Hospital are expected to arrive for the ceremony.
“We’re just excited to have them back and a part of the ceremony again,” he said. “But rather than have the buses go down a different avenue, as they had in the past, they will be up closer to the cenotaph because that’s what this event is all about; recognizing our fallen and recognizing those very veterans.”
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According to the city’s website, Dufferin Avenue will be closed from Clarence Street to Waterloo Street and Wellington Street will be closed from Central Avenue to Queens Avenue between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the ceremony.
Dundas Street from Waterloo Street to Wellington Street, Wellington Street from Dundas Street to Wolfe Street, and Dufferin Avenue from Clarence Street to Waterloo Street will also be closed from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The ceremony was put together in collaboration with the city, the Royal Canadian Legion, the Canadian Forces HMCS Prevost and 31 Canadian Brigade Group, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the London Police Service, the London Fire Department, the Middlesex-London EMS, local veterans and others.
The ceremony will be running from 10:30 to 11:20 a.m.
“Not only do we remember, we honour them,” Holder said. “Their legacy is rich with historic and countless examples of resilience, perseverance, sacrifice and tenacity. These are virtues each of us would be well served to emulate during these times.”
Go to the city’s website for more information about London’s 2022 Remembrance Day parade and ceremony.
–with files from Global News’ Scott Monich
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