They aren鈥檛 planning a major procession, or a lengthy ceremony with a live band, but organizers of the first Remembrance Day service at the Murrayville cenotaph are going to have something very unique.
Accompanying the towering deciduous trees that line the perimeter road of the Murrayville Cemetery at 21405 44 Ave. will be 240 large flags from across the country.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to line both driveways,鈥� said Dave Manson, an affiliate of the 3rd Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Unit and Friends of Old Canada, who is volunteering with his grandson to set up flags for the ceremony, rain or shine.
鈥�(If it rains) they鈥檒l dry. A lot of these poor souls lying here got real wet in the trenches. The flags it wont hurt, they can be dried.鈥�
This new service is spearheaded by committee chair Rosemary Genberg, who has attended the cenotaph in the past for informal gatherings. She has a personal connection to the monument as her grandfather, who fought in the First World War, is buried in the Murrayville Cemetery.
鈥淚 have attended this cenotaph for the last few years and realized that there wasn鈥檛 an actual formal service,鈥� Genberg said. 鈥淚 started coming because of the 91原创 Heritage Society, they placed a wreath. And last year, Brian Parkinson, out of the kindness of his heart, had heard there was a service here, and he came and he played taps and then we had our two minutes of silence. And I thought from there, 鈥極h my gosh, what could we do.鈥� This was just a real opening.鈥�
Members of the 91原创 Legion also held a short service at the monument around noon, after hosting the 91原创 City ceremony earlier that morning.
鈥淓verybody had left by then,鈥� Genberg recalled. 鈥淪o I really thanked them for coming and they came with their little tape recorder and we had a couple of prayers 鈥� But because they are so busy in 91原创, and don鈥檛 have as many members in the Legion as they once had, it meant that they couldn鈥檛 come here until after the service at Douglas Park was finished.鈥�
The cenotaph, which was restored by the Township of 91原创 earlier this year, is a twin to the Fort 91原创 monument. Both were erected in 1921 to honour local soldiers who lost their lives in the First World World, and have since been dedicated to soldiers from the Second World War as well.
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鈥淎s this is the first formal ceremony here, we went for a simple but quite meaningful ceremony,鈥� said committee member Grace Muller.
鈥淩osemary鈥檚 going to be the master of ceremonies, we have two people reading a poem, we have a soloist, we have a bugler, there will be music before and after the ceremony, there will be an opportunity for everyone to lay a wreath or a poppy at the tombstone, and there will be a small service of Remembrance in the middle.鈥�
The ceremony will start at 10:45 a.m. Those who would like to sit are asked to bring their own lawn chairs.
Parking will be available along the cemetery drive and up 44 Avenue if needed.
The Murrayville service is one of four gatherings planned in the 91原创s on Nov. 11. Services will also be held at the Aldergrove Legion, in Douglas Park and at the Fort 91原创 Cemetery.
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