Local residents gathered at the Estevan Comprehensive School's gymnasium on Sunday for the annual Remembrance Day service, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion's Estevan branch.
This year's service had added significance, since it was held on the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.
The armistice that ended the Great War was signed on Nov. 11, 1918.
A large crowd filled most of the bleachers inside the gymnasium. The ceremony, and the cenotaph service that followed, were held in the gymnasium this year due to what was expected to be a larger crowd.
Seventy-two crosses were at the front of the gymnasium, surrounding the cenotaph, paying tribute to the 72 Estevan soldiers who died during the First World War.
This year’s service featured many of the traditional components, such as the two minutes of silence, the reading of the Roll of Honour - the names of the soldiers from Estevan who died in the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War and the Afghanistan War – and the placing of a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
This year's service had a guest speaker as well: Capt. Craig Bird, who is also a military historian. He discussed Canada's contributions to combat missions, and the role Estevan played in the Frist World War.
He noted that many people wanted to enlist right away after Canada joined the war in August 1914, because they thought the war would be short and they would be home by Christmas.
Bird also discussed the history of the poppy, and gave background on the famous poem In Flanders Field by Lt.-Col. John McCrae, a Canadian physician, during the First World War.
A cenotaph service saw representatives from governments, protective services agencies, service groups and youth organizations place wreaths around the cenotaph, which was guarded by members of the No. 2901 Estevan Army Cadets and the No. 30 Wylie-Mitchell Air Cadets.
Once the cenotaph service was over, people were invited to drop their poppies off at the foot of the cenotaph.
This week's edition of the Mercury will have much more on this story.
