Crowds gather to mark Remembrance Day in Quinte

Approximately 200 people were at the local Remembrance Day ceremony in Belleville and about 100 gathered at the Brighton Cenotaph. Those ceremonies were just two of many across the Quinte region. 

Bill Robertson says he has come to many Remembrance Day ceremonies saying, “To be there is very important.” Photo by Shira Rubinoff, QNet News

At the Belleville ceremony, Bill Robertson, who was born 100 years ago in 1921, came to honour those who served.

“It’s the same as every year; I’ve attended many,” Robertson said. “To be there is very important.”

Wreaths are placed at the foot of the Belleville Cenotaph to represent all areas of the community respecting those who have served in the Canadian military. Photo by Charlotte Oduol, QNet News

Robertson served in the airforce during World War Two as part of a Halifax bomber crew.

Wreaths are also an important part of Remembrance Day ceremonies and the vice chairman of Belleville Veterans Council, Steven Shirk, explained the significance of the wreaths to QNet News Reporter Charlotte Oduol.

“The wreaths are laid to represent the people’s recognition of their services. People and their organizations or families,” said Shirk.

“As you can see from the many wreaths that are here, they are from all aspects of our community.”

After the Belleville ceremony, QNet News Reporter Jake Willis spoke to city councillor Chris Malette, who was in attendance, about the importance of Remembrance Day.

“This isn’t some cliche old thing that we do every year – the old fellows have a poppy and cry into their beers – they really did actually protect freedom for all of us today,” he said.

“One only needs to look at the volume of names on the cenotaphs here to show that this community has sacrificed a lot of many men and women.”

Maxine Trudeau was one of the first two female aircraft controller officers in Canada. Photo by Shira Rubinoff, QNet News

One of the first two women to obtain officer status as an aircraft controller, Maxine Trudeau, reflected on how these ceremonies are being remembered by upcoming generations to QNet News Reporter Shira Rubinoff.

“I think it’s a very sad thing in this day and age that the 11th of November aren’t remembered everywhere,” Trudeau said.

“As a school child, we were out of school for the day and we marched with our class to the cenotaph in Haliburton. Children aren’t doing that (now),” she says, “I think that that is a sad part of our history.”

After the ceremony in Belleville, reporter Charlotte Oduol  spoke with  Steven Shirk about the significance of the day.

At the ceremony in Brighton, the trumpet carried across the air as The Last Post was played to those standing in silence to respect those who have served in the Canadian military.

After the ceremony, Mayor Brian Ostrander who was raised in an air force family talked to QNet News Reporter Rhythm Rathi about the service held at the Brighton Cenotaph.

“It’s an incredibly emotional day when we come together and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we could celebrate and come together and just be.”

He says he was not surprised by the large turnout saying, “We are a military town.”