On Wednesday, November 11, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM) held a solemn Remembrance Day ceremony to honour the men and women who have served our country. With David Pridham as master of ceremonies, museum chaplain the Rev. Stewart Carolan-Evans led the gathering in a formal service of remembrance.
The morning began as Pipe Major Gord Black and the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band led veterans and CWHM members into the ceremony for the Presentation of the Colours.
Pridham welcomed and thanked the veterans, serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and first responders in attendance. He also highlighted the life-saving work of 424 (City of Hamilton) Squadron. He encouraged everyone to remember all those who lost their lives in both wartime and peacetime, drawing attention to significant milestones and recent tragedies, including the 20th anniversary of Operation Medusa, the more than 900 RCAF lives lost during the Cold War, and last month’s training tragedy in Wainwright, Alberta.
In his welcoming remarks, David G. Rohrer, CD, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the museum, paid tribute to the 2.3 million Canadians who have served in uniform and the more than 118,000 who have made the ultimate sacrifice. He spoke about the human cost of war and Hamilton’s remarkable contribution on the home front during the Second World War. His reflections included the September 1939 sinking of the SS Athenia, which claimed the life of young Hamilton resident Margaret Hayworth, and the heavy losses suffered by the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry during the Dieppe Raid. Rohrer reminded everyone that freedom and peace should never be taken for granted. He closed by encouraging us to honour those who served, both past and present, and whose sacrifices have helped safeguard our way of life.
Following a moving rendition of In Flanders Fields and the sounding of The Last Post, attendees observed two minutes of silence at 11:00 am. At 11:02 am, the silence was respectfully broken by the sound of aircraft approaching overhead. The Avro Lancaster, piloted by John McClennan and Leon Evans, flew alongside the B-25 Mitchell, piloted by Mark Bayley and Liam Pearson. It was a powerful moment, with the aircraft serving as an airborne tribute to the Canadian service members who fought and gave their lives in the cause of freedom.
Later in the ceremony, guest speaker Major-General (Retired) Colin Keiver, MSM, CD, a former Royal Canadian Air Force officer with more than three decades of service, shared a personal reflection on what Remembrance Day truly means to him. Drawing on memories of his Second World War veteran grandfather, a moving experience standing alongside a former prisoner of war captured at Dieppe during a freezing Remembrance Day ceremony in Winnipeg, and his own overseas deployments, Keiver reflected on how his understanding of remembrance grew throughout his life and military career.
He reminded everyone that military stories are ultimately about people, friendship, camaraderie and the sacrifices made not only by those who serve, but also by the families who remain at home. He encouraged Canadians to honour those who served not just through ceremonies, but by living out the values they defended through service, compassion, unity, respect and a commitment to peace. He also reminded us that remembrance means learning from the past and recognizing our responsibility to build a stronger, fairer and more united Canada.
“That is the task they have left us,” Keiver concluded. “That is the standard they have set for us, and that is why we gather here today. Lest we forget.”
Following the laying of the wreaths, Pridham led a special tribute to veterans connected to the museum community. He began by remembering Randy Harrison, a former wireless operator with No. 518 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who passed away in January at the age of 103.
The gathering also applauded several Second World War veterans who were present, including RAF airframe mechanic John Edwards, who continues to share his knowledge with museum volunteers working on the de Havilland Vampire restoration.
Pridham also recognized five centenarian veterans in attendance: 102-year-old Royal Canadian Artillery signaller Doug Iverson, who has not missed a Remembrance Day service since 1946; 101-year-old U.S. Navy veteran Ron Zabrocki, who wore his white sailor’s hat in memory of his shipmates and the service they shared in Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa; 102-year-old Royal Canadian Navy veteran Walter Decker; 102-year-old Canadian Women’s Army Corps cook Mary Thompson; and 108-year-old radar operator Lucy Joan Fuller, who finally received her long-overdue 1939 to 1945 War Medal earlier this year.
Warm wishes were also extended to centenarian veterans who were unable to attend this year’s ceremony, including 102-year-old Royal Canadian Navy veteran John Mitchell.
Pridham also read a heartfelt message from the family of longtime museum member and wartime ground-support pilot Malcolm Andrade, who was not in attendance. The family shared a touching story of Dutch civilians who once waved so enthusiastically at his aircraft that they fell off their bicycles. To them, his aircraft represented freedom.
The ceremony concluded with an invitation for other veterans and serving members to stand and be recognized. This included those who served in the Merchant Marine, the Korean War, United Nations Peacekeeping missions, NORAD, NATO, and the Canadian Armed Forces, both regular and reserve. Recognition was also extended to veterans of operations in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Latvia, members of the Royal Air Force Regiment, and anyone who served with Allied Forces or under the Crown.
Our sincere appreciation goes to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, along with its dedicated staff and volunteers, for organizing such a respectful and well-coordinated ceremony. We also extend our thanks to CHCH-TV for once again broadcasting the service live, allowing Canadians near and far to take part in this important moment of remembrance from home.
As the ceremony came to a close, those in attendance were left with a renewed sense of gratitude for the veterans, serving members and families whose dedication and quiet strength have helped preserve our way of life. Their service and sacrifice remain an important part of the peace and freedom we enjoy today.
Through every story shared and every name remembered, their legacy lives on. It is up to all of us to carry that remembrance forward and ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.
Lest we forget. We will remember them!
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