Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Standing in Silent Tribute ... Cenotaph visited by North Coast residents through the afternoon

Prince Rupert paid its respects on Wednesday
with the annual Remembrance Day ceremony, which
had gathering restrictions in place

The 2020 version of the Prince Rupert Remembrance Day ceremony had many of the familiar elements, the singing of O Canada and God Save the Queen, a sentry around the Cenotaph this year made up by members of the RCMP, the benediction and one solitary wreath placement from the Legion, their final wreath joining the many, many others that were placed prior to this morning's 11 AM ceremony.

Missing for this year however, was the usual congregation of those paying solemn respect to Canada's War and service fallen, the public this year asked owing to COVID to forgo their annual visit at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

Some still did choose to show at 11 AM to pay their respects, keeping a safe social distance from the Cenotaph and each other. 

Though their numbers were significantly lower than previous years, some of those from home perhaps joining the fifty plus who shared in a broadcast hosted by Derry Bott over Zoom this morning, a welcome addition to the day's observance that offered a chance to be part of the annual ceremony.


Screen Shots from this morning's Prince Rupert 
Remembrance Day ceremony which was relayed by Zoom

The abbreviated version of the official remembrance may have been missing in numbers of the public this year, but as the afternoon moved forward, residents of the region did stop by to pay their respects for those souls who responded to the calls from their nation and since have passed, whether of field of battle or in their later years.



Through Wednesday afternoon residents of the North Coast have
stopped by the Cenotaph to pay their own personal respects
for Remembrance Day
 


The solemn silence of the Cenotaph was broken on occasion by the footsteps of those arriving on their own, in pairs, or as a family; all coming by for a personal moment of remembrance. 

A number leaving their own poppies behind on the Cenotaph, their gestures a final salute to those that served; a reminder that even in a time when large celebrations are no longer allowed, an individual moment speaks as loud as in any large gathering of years of the past. 

You can review a list of links to further explore Remembrance Day from our notes of this morning.

As well, through this week, the stories of Remembrance have been featured in the national and provincial media, some of their tributes can be found from our two archive pages from our political blog D'Arcy McGee here.

Ottawa Observations

Victoria Viewpoints


Some past regional notes on Remembrance Day were noted on our Community Notes page

We re-post them below for easy access on this very special day.


Cross posted from the North Coast Review.




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