Traditional and unique Remembrance Day services in Regina

Remembrance Day commemorations were held right across Regina on Tuesday. Sierra D'Souza Butts reports.

The city of Regina fell silent for a few moments Tuesday morning, as Remembrance Day was observed through ceremony right across the Queen City.

People were busy attending traditional events at the cenotaph and other memorials in addition to new ones, which even included a wartime tribute concert.

With a military career spanning 37 years, retired Major Brad Hrycyna said the national day of remembrance carries a personal meaning for him.

“I always remember my great uncle. He was a farm boy from Carrot River around Germany. He joined the army in the First World War,” said Hrycyna.

“On the 19th in July, about 2:45 a.m. he was in a trench with one other soldier, and a German artillery round landed in trench with them and killed them both. I always remember him. I’d been to his grave site in France.”

On Tuesday, Hrycyna joined hundreds of people at Victoria Park, paying tribute to Canadian soldiers who gave their lives in times of war.

A ceremonial parade surrounding the cenotaph was held, along with the laying of wreaths.

“[The day] remembers the veterans who served in the wars, the ones that didn’t come home, and the ones that did and weren’t quite the same as when they left,” Hrycyna shared.

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War where more than one million Canadians served, and 45,000 were killed.

“Now that World War II veterans are no longer amongst us in the southern Saskatchewan, it’s very important that we maintain the legacy that they’ve left for us,” said Aaron Kaytor, Commanding Officer for HMCS Queen Regina’s Naval Reserve Division.

Wartime concert

In another part of the city, people honoured the day listening to a heart-warming production.

A wartime tribute concert by The Nightingales returned to the city. The group of local artists sang well-known songs from the First and Second World Wars, showing residents another quality of the eras being remembered for conflict and sacrifice.

“They’re a visiting group at Darke Hall. They’ve rented the space to be here, they’ve programed it themselves,” explained Megan McCormick, business development manager for the Darke Hall Society.

“It’s celebration music by the Andrews Sisters and kind of time’s gone by.”

The concert is usually held at the Artesian Theatre. However, the group changed its venue to the Darke Hall which led to a sold-out show of almost 400 people.

“They sold out very quickly, which is really exciting to see people support a local group of singers,” said McCormick.

“We’re just thrilled to have a sold out event at Darke Hall. We’re a charity that’s really excited to be a destination for the arts in the city, and a sold-out room is a great way to celebrate that.”