Lest We Forget – thousands of Calgarians gather for Remembrance Day

The Canadian, Albertan and military flag will be lowered for the last time this long weekend during a sunset ceremony at the Field of Crosses on Memorial Drive.

It’s one of many Remembrance Day events observed by thousands of Albertans around Calgary.

One of the highest attended events in the region took place on the grounds of the Military Museums where its estimated thousand gathered for a morning service.

There were 11 kinds of wreaths laid, in the 11th hour, of the 11 month at the service by various members of the community including Ret. Col. the Honourable Donald S. Ethell and families of fallen comrades.

Jim Welsh, with the Canadian Army Veteran Motorcycle Unit, laid a wreath and came with some words of wisdom as well.

“If we don’t remember and respect our past we are doomed to repeat it,” said Welsh. “My predecessors went to war and died.”

“I was a cold war vet and nobody shot at me, but we did stuff that was semi-scary, but chasing a Russian sub out of our waters isn’t the same as standing in a trench in a foot and a half of mud.”

Something that stood out this year to a many was the turnout of young people and young families.

Many parents used the day to teach their kids about their own family involvements and to show their children Remembrance Day is not just a day off school.

This year’s services had a special remembrance of the Korean War.

The armistice was signed 60 years ago, when 516 Canadian’s lost their lives in that conflict.

Other services in Calgary included events at the Southern Jubilee Auditorium, a wreath laying at the Calgary Aerospace Museum, a ceremony the Calgary International Airport’s main terminal and the Queen’s Park Cemetery.

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