Thousands of Maritimers gathered at legions, arenas and cenotaphs Tuesday to mark Remembrance Day and honour the veterans who have fought for our country. Nova Scotia Hundreds attended a service at Grand Parade in Halifax, with many laying wreaths in memory of fallen soldiers. Among those was Silver Cross Mother Ellen Pitcher, who laid one on behalf of her son Sgt. David Pitcher, who was killed in the line of duty. “We got to see him the year before he passed away because we drove to Alaska and we got to see him and my memory is very strong of him,” said Ellen Pitcher. “I’m very proud of my sons and of my oldest son, which was Dave.” Robert Pitcher, president of the Bedford legion, says his brother was a protector and a significant influence on him joining the military. “It’s always painful to remember the sad times, but we also remember the great times that we had, and he was always a very good inspiration for others,” said Robert Pitcher. George Dellavalle, president of the Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command with the Royal Canadian Legion, said he reflects on his fellow soldiers during Remembrance Day. “Getting to come up here to Grand Parade and go to other communities up in the mainland is unbelievable,” he said. The Halifax ceremony included moments of prayers, reflections, and The Last Post. Mayor Andy Fillmore noted the day is especially important in Halifax, which is home to the largest military base in Canada. “This is a military town and for us to honour and pay tribute to those who have served, those who continue to serve, it’s really important,” said Fillmore. “It’s in our DNA here.” Among those attending a service at the cenotaph in Truro, N.S., was 100-year-old Second World War veteran Lloyd Coady. Coady served as a medical orderly on military ships that crossed the Atlantic Ocean and transported wounded veterans back home. Born in Sheet Harbour, N.S., on Nov. 16, 1924, he enlisted into the Canadian Armed Forces in 1942 at the age of 20 and served in the Medical Corps until 1947. Coady, a beloved member of the Truro community, will be marking his 101st birthday on Sunday. Believed to be the oldest living veteran in the area, Coady says he’s never missed attending a Remembrance Day ceremony so close to home. “It brings back all the memories and some not-so-good memories too, but it all comes back to me,” said Coady. There was a big crowd on hand and Coady said he appreciated the turnout, with many people stopping to thank him for his service and to wish him a happy birthday. “When I see all the people here it just makes me feel wonderful,” said Coady. “I appreciate it.” He enjoys the chance to stand with veterans of all ages. “I don’t know of any other World War Two veterans here in the area but if there are, I’d like to meet them,” he said. In Lunenburg, N.S., 94-year-old Korean War veteran Peter Wilkins said he was pleased with the turnout, and the efforts people are taking to remember our fallen soldiers. “Things have come around; it looks good right now,” said Wilkins. “It was pretty grim to start with, but now it’s getting to be very good.” For the third year in a row, 23-year-old Samuel Nowe laid a wreath in memory of his great-grandfather at the Lunenburg cenotaph. “It’s been a very important tradition in our family and I’ve just been glad to be the next one to keep it going because I think that family traditions are probably the most important thing you can have,” said Nowe, who wants to keep the memory of his great-grandfather alive. “Over the last couple of years I’ve done a lot of genealogy history, studying my family, and I want to be able to keep those stories alive for family members like myself, who won’t get to know him but will get to know his story, which is what matters most.” Hundreds gathered at the Sullivan’s Pond cenotaph in Dartmouth, N.S., including Leslie Huska, who says she was overcome with emotion thinking of her own family. “There’s so many faces that I will never see. And I was just filled with gratitude that I just wept. It was really beautiful to be reminded that freedom does come at a cost,” she said. “I have a lot of family members who have fought in World War Two. It’s a part of my family history that I don’t know much about.” Originally from Winnipeg, Huska moved to Nova Scotia on her own. “I’ve noticed such a strong military presence in Nova Scotia, especially in Halifax. And I wanted to just pay honour to those who just support our nation and allow me to be free today,” says Leslie. “It’s been really eye-opening and humbling, and a good reminder that reflection is a really important part of life.” New Brunswick Thousands gathered at the annual ceremony at the Moncton Coliseum. Presented by the Royal Canadian Legion, Moncton Branch #6, those in attendance watched and listened to the RCMP Pipes & Drums as they marched onto the coliseum floor along with military units, cadets, Mounties, members of the Moncton Fire Department and Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. The Moncton Gentlemen of Harmony Barbershop Chorus sang “O Canada” before bugler Ray Doucet performed “The Last Post” and “Rouse.” Afterwards, many in attendance, including service men and women, spoke about what the day meant to them and who they took a moment to remember. Retired Lt.-Col. Allan Boileau was thinking about his father and several uncles who served during the Second World War and all the youth at the ceremony. “There was a lot of young people that served during the wartime that never came back. They never had a life to live. So much talent that just got lost because of a terrible cause, war,” said Boileau. Cpt. Stephanie Reid is the commanding officer of the 101 Air Cadets in Moncton. “Having this ceremony and being able to gather together and show the younger generation the importance of coming out and remembering our soldiers is what we’re doing,” said Reid. Her son Marcus is also a member of the Air Cadets. “We’re out here representing the Air Force and it’s special because we’re remembering all the people who sacrificed their lives for our liberty here in Canada,” said Marcus. Bill Kudla was thinking about his uncle and his uncle’s cousin who fought and died on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944. “My uncle went to war underage. He lied about his age and his cousin did the same thing so they both went over and fought in the army and lost their lives in the D-Day attack,” said Kudla. Merle Hawkes and his wife Carol have two grandsons in the cadets and came to support them, as well as some former military men that are no longer with them. “I have a number of uncles that, they’re now passed , but in remembrance of them and respect of the service that they have given to our country,” said Hawkes. In Fredericton, more than 1,000 marked Remembrance Day at the provincial cenotaph. There were moments of rain and sunshine, but the president of Fredericton Legion Branch No. 4 said she was happy to see so many people attend the ceremony in New Brunswick’s capital. “I look out into the crowd as I stand and speak, and it just, it overwhelms me. Especially the younger generation, I’m just so pleased to see these young people out at our ceremony,” said Joanne Gibson. She believes there were slightly more people that came to pay their respects this year, compared to last. The 3rd Field Artillery Regiment fired a 22-gun salute from Carleton Park, which could be heard during the ceremony. A Remembrance Day ceremony in Oromocto, N.B., included two flyovers of helicopters from nearby 5th Canadian Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown, which is the second largest military base in Canada and the largest military facility in Eastern Canada. Kevin McCarty, acting president of Royal Canadian Legion Branch #93, says 5 CDSB plays a big role in the Oromocto ceremony, along with local schools and businesses. McCarty says the Oromocto ceremony is well-attended each year, in part, because of the area’s strong military connections. “It’s not just a family thing,” says McCarty. “It’s a community thing; we’re all part of the community. Everybody supports it.” McCarty estimates about 2,000 people attended Oromocto’s ceremony on Tuesday. With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Emma Convey, Jesse Thomas, Callum Smith, Derek Haggett, Laura Brown, Vanessa Wright and Nick Moore.
