Remembrance Day 2012 at Victory Square

Every year, the Remembrance Day ceremony is held at Victory Square.

I arrived at 9:30, with plenty of time before the start of the ceremony at 10:15. We were able to see the cadets, veterans, reserve and everyone else march in to their places. (Please excuse me for the low quality photos. It was hard to take good shots when my hands were frozen. There were also a number of heads blocking the way!)

I think the photo (below) is supposed to be of the air force or navy…

I greatly admired these men for wearing kilts. It was FREEZING today. I wore cotton tights but my toes were still frozen. These men stood still and did as they were told, all the while I shifted from foot to foot to keep warm!

All assembled!

We were lucky to have the flypast this year, despite the fact that it had only started to drizzle moments before the schedule flypast. I took only one photo as I didn’t want to be rude and snap photos of all the aircrafts during the solemn ceremony. These were the aircrafts used:

407 Maritime Patrol Squadron
19 Wing RCAF Comox
Canadian Warbirds (Harvards)
Poppy Flight, Swiftbird Formation <- this was amazing!

The ceremony ended with the placing of recognised wreaths and the parade began. Unfortunately, I was on the wrong side so I missed most of the parade and was only able to see these two up close.

Here is the programme of the ceremony:

Prelude by The Vancouver Bach Youth Choir (nostalgic tunes from WWI-WWII)
Mounting of the Vigil Guard
O Canada
Recessional
The Maple Leaf Forever performed by Andy Greenwood
Changing of the Vigil Guard
Poem: Here I Stand Above my Grave, written and read by Westside Preparatory School student, Sophia Chang:

Here I stand above my grave
overseeing all that I have saved

A moment of silence thus I heal
turning my weight
as light as feathers I feel

I am nothing but wind
whirling about my nation
as patriotism grows on me like a second skin

I’m the keeper of my nation’s fair
guardians guiding the search
for the one true peace

Even after death
my mission remains incomplete
I will never stop until the evil admit defeat

Scarlet little flowers called poppies
grow where I rest
along with all my brothers in war
fighting to protect the peace

Here I stand above my grave
closing my eyes and blessing
for the peace I crave