Hundreds gather to remember the fallen

Young people like five-year-old Tucker Potoma provided some of the most meaningful moments of the city’s Remembrance Day Service on Saturday.

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Accompanied by his dad Matt, Tucker patiently waded through the crowd at the Brant War Memorial and Cenotaph to place a poppy on a wreath following Saturday’s service.

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“We’ve done this every year since he was born,” Potoma said. “We watch the parade, he really likes the marching bands, and we watch the ceremony.

“Afterwards, we lay a poppy on a wreath to remember all veterans and what they’ve done for us.”

Tucker always picks the wreath and the pair enjoy a special father-son moment in placing the poppy.

“It’s always a good service,” Potoma said. “But I really liked the speech delivered by that young fellow.

“I thought he did a really good job.”

The young fellow who spoke at the service was Noah Holly, a student from Brantford Christian School.

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“What an honor and a privilege it is to be here today as we come together to acknowledge and show our immense gratitude for the courage of those who went before us to serve and protect our glorious country,” Holly said. “I, like all of you here today, wear this poppy with tremendous pride as a symbol of remembrance for those who sacrificed so much to secure the incredible freedoms we enjoy today.”

Holly acknowledged the important work of the Canadian military around the world as peacekeepers and peacemakers. He also made reference to global conflict.

“When we look around the world today and see increasing instability, we are even more clearly aware of the incredible freedoms we hold,” Holly said. “Many people from other countries recognize and value this as well.

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“As conflicts increase globally, we have significant increases in refugees and other immigrants coming to Canada which positively impacts our country and those living here.”

The large crowd that gathered for the ceremony, likely more than 1,000 people, applauded his speech. They also applauded the reading of “In Flanders Fields” by Madison Thompson, a fourth-year student at McMaster University and the singing of “Light a Candle for Peace” by the Braemar House School Choir.

The service also featured the Telephone City Musical Society Band and the Brant Men of Song. Venerable Jim Sutton, padre of Branch 461 Royal Canadian Legion was the master of ceremonies for the event.

“Let us work promise each other to work for the freedom of all who are oppressed today,” Sutton said at the start of the ceremony. “As we gather to sing, to pray and to listen, we remember the past and look to the future.”

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Rev. Christine Hossack, of Harmony United Church also represented the clergy at the event.

The city’s service began with an overnight vigil at the Brant War Memorial and Cenotaph and march featuring local dignitaries, members of the Canadian military, sea cadets and first-responders among others.

The wreath laying ceremony began with the laying of the official wreath by Memorial Cross recipients Helen Zuidema and Richard Cleary, in memory of Capt. Richard (Steve) Cleary and Trooper Larry Rudd. They were accompanied by Master Warrant Officer Grant Philpott of the 56th Field Regiment.

Capt. Leary, of Brantford, was the platoon commander of the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry regiment, based in Shilo, Man. He died on June 3, 2008 of a wound suffered when Afghan and Canadian soldiers came under small-arms fire in the Panjwaii district of Afghanistan.

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Trooper Rudd, of Brantford, was killed in Afghanistan on May 24, 2010, when an improvised explosive device detonated during a route security operation 20 kilometers southwest of Kandahar City.

Wreaths were also ugly to remember those from all branches of the military who gave their lives in Word War I, World War II, the Korean War, and as United Nations Peacekeepers as well as Afghanistan. Representatives of police, fire and paramedic services also laid wreaths during the ceremony.

Petty Officer First Class Ari Henderson played the Last Post and the Rouse while Master Bombardier Pele Kempf performed the Lament.

Remembrance Day services were also held in Burford, Paris and St. George in Brant County on Saturday.

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