Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Lest We Forget

It is Remembrance Day here in the Great White North: a day when very solemn observances are held to remember and honour and those who have died in wars. In Carleton Place, soldiers, veterans and even serving police officers will march the short distance from town hall to Veterans Memorial Park where the Cenotaph* is located. Many wreaths will be laid, and a deafening gun salute will sound.

We have attended these ceremonies more than once, but we stay home now, and this post becomes my observance. However, last week we did visit the new memorial crosswalk leading to the park and cenotaph.

Sue removes a leaf for a photo

We took a few more pictures while we were there: most include the Cenotaph. 




The Ontario and Canadian flags fly at the Cenotaph

*A cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost.



23 comments:

  1. I love the maple leaves through the photos, AC. Lest we forget.

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  2. I heard a news story describing the difference between Memorial Day (sad day, remembering the dead) and Veterans (or in your world, Remembrance) Day, describing it as a happy time of celebrating veterans with parades and such. I don't agree with that. I think it should be a time of reflection on the service of those who went to war and served the countries, and while a parade can be a good thing, I find the Cenotaph or laying a wreath on the unknown soldier more somber and appropriate.

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    1. No joy today, just thankfulness and respect.

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    2. By the way, you are quite correct about 'parade.' This is a very solemn march.

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  3. Let there be peace on earth...those who fight against each other because politicians disagree are pawns in the system of warfare.

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  4. I have started out as I usually do, reflecting on my ancestors who served in various wars. I wish that WWII records were available for the many of my ancestors who served so I could honor them in some way online but alas, almost all those records were destroyed in a fire. Fortunately I have lots of WWI and Civil War records to refer too.

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    1. Sue was able to obtain her father's military records, but they made her jump through hoops to get them.

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  5. My daughter was part of the organization of the ceremony in London. I think the world should have more solemn remembrances such as these. My country lives in a time when our leader threatens to send in troops somewhere, whether it be inside the country or outside of it, almost weekly it seems. Cult members celebrate that as a show of strength, and trumpet 'we are respected once again'.

    Lest we never forget. AC, here, I can tell you that where I live, we have forgotten.

    PS, thank you for definition of cenotaph. I meant to look that word up yesterday.

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  6. I like the pedestrian crossing as a permanent reminder, a part of daily life to those who use it.

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  7. I hadn't heard the word cenotaph before. Your photos are ver good, fitting.

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  8. There was the annual veterans day parade on Main St in Nashua, NH, and as is our tradition, we went to watch it today.

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  9. I like the quiet remembrances of those who have fought in wars. Even when they survived, they didn't come away unscathed.

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  10. Beautiful photos and post honouring our veterans on Remembrance Day! Thank you so much for sharing, dear friend. Lest we forget...

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  11. It is a solemn day.

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  12. I've never seen a Remembrance crosswalk before.

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  13. Really wonderful photos. Remembering them all.

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  14. I’ve never heard that term before, thank you. We went to a Veterans Day parade one year, and they had a horse with an empty saddle that brought tears to my eyes.

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  15. Love that crosswalk! Beautiful. Linda in Kansas

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  16. Our town quite overdoes the Veterans Day celebration, in my view. Big parade with children carrying names and pictures of veterans, military vehicles, speeches, lots of praying, politicians playing up how much they value vets,etc, etc. Larry is a vet but he finds it just too much. I know the intentions are good. We have attended a few times, but not this year.

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    1. Here too. My sister's family always makes a big deal of the day, and you are thanked over and over for your service. I don't get it, really. It needs to be focused on the folks who never had the great good fortune of becoming veterens.

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  17. We watch the ceremony on TV. With our backs, we'd be in pain for days!

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  18. The demeanor of Canadians on Remembrance Day...it's everything and I often can't hold back a few tears.

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