HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-11-07, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013.Blyth Legion spearheads Cenotaph Day initiative
On July 28 of 2014, the Blyth
Legion Branch 420 will be looking
to mark an important day in the
history of Canada: the first annual
Cenotaph Day.
Branch President Andy Lubbers
said the idea of Cenotaph Day, a day
to celebrate not only cenotaphs but
also the sacrifices made by soldiers,
came from discussions around
Campaign 14/19.
“It all happened when the
campaign was launched,” he said.
“We loved having the parade for the
launch event and we got to talking
about creating something that would
start here in Blyth.”
Cenotaph Day would be a day like
Remembrance Day, Lubbers
explained, but with less of a focus on
ceremony and more of a focus on
remembering the cost that was paid
for freedom in Canada.
“We can do what we do in this
country because of what our troops
do for us,” he said.
Campaign 14/19, which will see
Memorial Hall, Blyth’s cenotaph,
renovated as one of its three phases,
was announced on July 28 this year
and the day has significance beyond
that announcement as well.
“July 28 was the first day of World
War I, the day when the cornerstone
was laid for Memorial Hall in 1920
and the day 14/19 was launched this
year,” Lubbers explained. “A lot of
people think the war wasn’t started
until later, but the first two countries
went to war on July 28.”
In 1914, Austria-Hungary
declared war on Serbia on July 28.
From the conflict between those two
nations, a war that involved soldiers
from across the globe began as many
nations had treaties compelling them
to defend their allies. Canada, as part
of the British Empire, entered the
war later that year and took part in
historic battles like the capture of
Vimy Ridge in the Arras offensive.
Cenotaph Day would honour not
only those soldiers, but all the
soldiers that have served the country
since its inception.
Lubbers explained he has had
limited conversation about the
proposed celebration with The RoyalCanadian Legion’s Ontario
Provincial Command and Dominion
(national) Command, but the few
conversations he has had have been
positive.
While the two commands’
reactions are appreciated, Lubbers
said he hopes Cenotaph Day is
something that starts from the
ground up, as opposed to an order
from the top down.
“We’re going to start locally and
hopefully have it recognized and
celebrated by more and more up the
chain,” he said. “We might invite
other local Legions to the first
annual event, but nothing is in stone
as of yet.”
That extends to the specific plans
of the day as well, Lubbers said,
indicating there will be a parade, and
a wreath will be laid at the Blyth
Memorial Hall (the cenotaph), but,
beyond that, they are still trying to
figure out exactly what will be going
on.
“We’re thinking of having one or
two stories about the life of a soldier,
both young and old,” he said.
“Something that would let people
get to know the soilders both before
and after the war.”
He said the Legion may also call
on students to participate in the
event.
“We might get them to read the
poems and essays that they submit to
the Remembrance Day contests
hosted by the Legion,” he said.
“It won’t be a huge ceremony, but
it has a purpose,” he said. “We want
to try to reach out to the community.
Hopefully people will come out and
get involved in the program.”
While the feedback from both
levels of command have been
limited, Lubbers said the event was
supported by the groups due to it
being in line with their current
awareness campaign.
“They’re focusing on being seen
in public and making every day
Remembrance Day,” Lubbers said,
indicating commercials had been
created to that effect.
Lubbers said a single wreath will
be placed because asking everyonewho normally participates to be
involved could get pricey and would
make the ceremony much longer
than they are planning. He explained
that, of the wreaths presented at the
Remembrance Day Ceremony, the
small ones are rotated out every
month in front of the local Legion
Branch and the same practice is
observed with the larger wreaths in
front of Memorial Hall.
“The event will be held at the end
of the month, and that is normally
when we replace the wreath anyway,
so it will work,” he said.
Having such an event start in
Blyth, with the focus of 14/19 in the
background, is a good move
according to Lubbers because living
cenotaphs are few and far between
and need to be recognized.
“There are approximately half a
dozen memorial halls still in good
order throughout the country,”
Lubbers said. “When you build
something like that, you are
committing to something. A statue is
easier to maintain and costs less, but
it doesn’t have the same presence.”
The drive to keep the hall running
and standing, according to Lubbers,
has been a community initiative that
has seen several different iterations.
Lubbers explained, after the
Women’s Institute pushed to have
the hall created instead of a statue,
that spirit was continued by other
members of the community.
“The hall might not be here if the
theatre hadn’t revived it,” Lubbers
said, referencing the creation of the
Blyth Festival Theatre, which uses
the hall throughout the spring and
summer, nearly 40 years ago.
“It’s the same with the 14/19
campaign,” he said. “They’re doing
what the Blyth Festival did, but for a
new generation.”
273 Hamilton St., Blyth • 519-523-4590
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We will remember them
Members of the Blyth Legion and the Blyth Legion Ladies Auxiliary were on parade on
Sunday as they held their annual Remembrance Day church service, this year at
Londesborough United Church. Members of the Legion have been the driving force behind
Cenotaph Day, a celebration that will take place in July with the hopes that it will catch on
throughout the province and eventually the country. (Vicky Bremner photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
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