Never forget...North Bay remembers

‘Lest we forget,’ are powerful words we speak once a year to honour soldiers fallen, making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Thousands turned out to Memorial Gardens for the annual Remembrance Ceremony Saturday morning.

Following the parade and march of the colours into the arena, trumpeters set the tone before the volley of fire prefacing the two minutes of silence to honour those fallen. At 11:00 a.m. on November 11, the arena fell silent, commemorating the day the armistice during the First World War was signed so long ago.

For North Bay, a city with so much history rooted in our military, it was truly a moment of pride and compassion carrying over to the laying of the wreaths.

Decades ago, Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae wrote the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ in 1915 after the Second Battle of Ypres, in response to the death of his friend, Alexis Helmer during battle.

To this day, his poem holds powerful meaning in remembrance of the brave men and women we lose, continuously being recited each year during the Remembrance Day Ceremony, lest we forget…

In Flanders Fields By John McCrae

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders Fields