The scene at the Mission Hill cemetery was solemn and heartwarming earlier this week as a group of St. Albert students honoured the service and sacrifice of Canada’s fallen soldiers.
About 400 children took part in Monday’s No Stone Left Alone ceremony, laying poppies on the headstones of approximately 75 soldiers and police officers buried in the cemetery.
The students, who were joined by military and police representatives, also observed a moment of silence for the veterans who paid the ultimate price in the fight to ensure the freedom of Canadians and others around the world.
That cemetery visit will likely leave a lasting impression on each student, which is important as the years continue to grow since some of the deadliest conflicts in history.
These children will be responsible for carrying on the tradition of remembrance in the future and ensuring the hard-fought lessons of war are never forgotten. No Stone Left Alone is an excellent tool to aid in that endeavour.
The caring gestures by the students are particularly poignant since this Remembrance Day marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the First World War. Sixty-one thousand Canadians were killed and another 172,000 injured in the Great War, which lasted from August 1914 until 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918.
More than 60 St. Albert residents served in “the war to end all wars.” The names of the 10 killed in that armed conflict are etched, along with many others, on the cenotaph on St. Anne Street, where community members will gather on Remembrance Day to pay tribute to the country’s military forces.
During a recent visit to Inglewood Square on Bellerose Drive, the Gazette asked several shoppers about the importance of Nov. 11 and how they plan to honour those who gave their lives to protect our freedom.
“Taking time out of our day on Remembrance Day to honour what they did to ensure we have the freedom we enjoy is the very least we can do,” said Janice Sutherland, 65, who lives in the Pineview area. “We owe them everything. We can never forget that. That’s why I go to the service at the cenotaph. I want to show my appreciation.”
That sentiment was echoed by Lacombe Park resident George O’Dell.
“We have the lives we have today because of what our soldiers did 100 years ago, and in every other battle our troops have ever had to fight in,” said the 72-year-old, who also plans to attend the downtown service. “We have to make sure children now and for years to come appreciate that and never forget what was lost in the fight for freedom.”
It is imperative that future generations understand the importance of recognizing the soldiers who fought and died on battlefields overseas a century ago and in ensuing wars, as well as those who are currently serving in the Canadian Forces.
Their willingness to defend our country and its allies in the face of enemy action, and in peace, must not be taken for granted.
While we owe the fallen a debt that cannot be repaid, it is the duty of every St. Albertan, young and old, to ensure their sacrifices are not in vain.
Lest we forget.
