The eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month is a time when we pause in silence to honour those who fought for Canada in the First World War (1914-1918), the Second World War (1939-1945), and the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as for those who have served and still serve in our Canadian Forces. Over 118,000 have sacrificed their lives serving Canada in war – 61,000 in the First World War; the Second World War took 42,000 lives and the Korean War claimed the lives of 516. Many of those who lost their lives were dual citizens, but nevertheless served in the Canadian Armed Forces. More than 2.3 million have served our country in many conflicts.
The Ode of Remembrance is delivered on Remembrance Day followed by the phrase “Lest we forget.”
The Ode of Remembrance
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.
The second Monday in November marked Armistice Day to a large portion of the British Empire. In 1921 Canada, an Armistice Day Bill was passed by Parliament to have the ceremonies take place on the first Monday during the week of November 11th. Sadly, Thanksgiving fell on the same weekend, so only a small number of Canadians observed this new date other than Veterans assembling in churches and at local memorials with their families.
Veterans and some well-known Canadians pressed Parliament to alter the Thanksgiving holiday date to allow for increased appreciation for the wartime sacrifices that had taken place. Canada’s Parliament pronounced in 1931 that Thanksgiving would be moved to an alternative date and November 11th would remain and be known as Remembrance Day so the soldiers who had fallen would be honoured more prominently.
This new day of remembrance renewed the relevance of Remembrance Day by drawing thousands of Canadians to cenotaphs and memorial services in towns and cities across the country to remind and share recollections of the war and the sacrifices made. To this day, it has a strong and meaningful presence.
On November 11, 2024, the Stittsville Legion, Branch 618, invites Stittsville residents to join them at the Stittsville Cenotaph on Warner Colpitts Lane (Johnny Leroux Arena) for Remembrance Day ceremonies. A parade of veterans will march from the Stittsville Legion on Stittsville Main Street to the Cenotaph at approximately 1:30 p.m. After the ceremony residents are invited back to the Legion Branch for a reception.
