Thousands of people gathered around the cenotaph in Memorial Peace Park to mark Remembrance Day on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
For Royal Canadian Legion Maple Ridge Branch 88 Service Officer John Vanderelst, who took the final salute, the ceremony is like attending a funeral.
Vanderelst, a member of the Royal Canadian Legion since 1988, served two years of compulsory cadet service in his early teens in his hometown in Ontario.
He later joined the Canadian Armed Forces Infantry (1 PPCLI) in 1971, completing his basic training in Gagetown N.B., and then served for 15 years based in Calgary.
He was Infantry for the first six years, then spent the next 26 years in logistics finance. After that, he spent a further six years in the army reserves, working in finance with the cadets in Vernon’s summer program.
During his long career, he spent time with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and spent six months in the Middle East. He was stationed at a radar base in Sioux Lookout, Northern Ontario, and then in Geilenkirchen, Germany from 1987 to 1990. With the rank of warrant officer, he retired in Vancouver.
Vanderelst said he was impressed with this year’s turnout at the ceremony in Maple Ridge – especially the amount of children and youth.
For young people, it’s very important that they remember, he said.
“Young people have to be reminded of the horrors of war and coming here, just the cenotaph, you know, over 100 names on there,” he said.
“It’s important that people come out.”
Remembrance Day ceremonies take place on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, marking the end of the First World War, right across the country, as Canadians pay respects to those who have fallen, those who have served, and those who still serve in the armed forces.