Remembrance Day – November 11

Remembrance Day – November 11

Toronto – November 7, 2017 – This Remembrance Day, let us honour our brothers and sisters in military service by acknowledging their courage and sacrifice, and by cherishing the peace that we live in.

“Well I'm still alive and well but we have had a few exciting times. Our Sergeant got wounded. He was next man to me. I was sorry for he was a fine fellow. I don't know how I escaped. A big shell burst beside us and knocked Peter Ross' helmet off and he hasn’t found it yet and it buried another soldier all but up to his head. We tease Peter about it. I will now close. Hope you are all well.”

It is testament to courage that even when faced with the terror of war, a soldier can remain upbeat. Like in the letter above, sent by Canadian soldier David Mclean to his wife and their newborn son in Toronto. The letter was one of 150 that he sent during the First World War until he was killed at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 20, 1917.  

On November 11, 1918 at 11am, the First World War came to an end with the signing of the Armistice.

Each year since, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, we stand together as a community to remember and honour the more than one million Canadian men and women who went to war, ready to make the supreme sacrifice. More than 115,000 Canadian soldiers have died in action since 1914.