WILLIAMSTOWN, Ontario – Over 100 residents of South Glengarry attended the 11 a.m. Remembrance Day ceremony at the Williamstown Cenotaph on Saturday, Nov. 10.
After the morning ceremony, lunch was offered at the Lancaster Legion before the 2 p.m. ceremony in Lancaster.
The South Glengarry pipe band led in past and present members of the regular and reserve forces at 11 a.m. in Williamstown.
According to organizer and speaker Pierre Roy, who has assisted with the South Glengarry Remembrance Day Parade for 15 years, the municipality has hosted annual parades since the Lancaster Legion began approximately 65 years ago.
“This year marks the 100-year anniversary since the signing of the Armistice, which ended the First World War,” explained Roy. “In recognition of that, we will march the parade from the Lancaster Legion to the Cenotaph, which we normally don’t do…so we will have a real parade.”
Roy reminded attendees that over 110,000 Canadians have lost their lives while fighting for our country. He said that 166 Glengarrians perished in the First World War, amongst 65,000 Canadians.
Guest speaker Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Horner discussed his eternal gratitude for our troops and recognized the various hardships that they face, including reintegration into Canadian society after years of service.
Roy said that in honour of 100 years since the signing of the Armistice, at sunset tomorrow night (5 p.m. on Nov. 11), church bells will ring out across Canada, 100 times. St. Mary’s Church and St. Andrew’s United Church in Williamstown will be participating, along with eight other churches in South Glengarry.
