The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 28 Humboldt hosted their Decoration Day on Jun. 5.
The day began at the Veterans’ Section of Humboldt Public Cemetery where a small service was held.
After a small service that included the usual aspects including the Pledge of the Royal Canadian Legion, O’ Canada, and the Last Post, members of the legion placed Canadian Flags in the ground in front of veterans’ grave markers.
Padre Rev. Al Hingley says every year he likes to try to remember soldiers for various acts during the many wars. This year Hingley remembered soldiers who were used in the testing of chemical warfare.
“Imagine being showered by mustard gas and then have them march three miles back. Your body turns into burns and blisters. Horrendous,” says Hingley.
Decoration Day works in conjunction with Remembrance Day. Where Remembrance Day uses the poppy and is designed to remember those who lost their life in duty, Decoration Day uses the Canadian Flag and is designed to recognize any veteran who has served at any time but has since passed on.
Hingley presided over the event and says that the Canadian Flag is reflective of the redness of the poppy, which is the colour of sacrifice.
“We owe a debt to our veterans, which we can only acknowledge we can never repay so rather than lose that sense of obligation to them for what they did for us we have to have these observances,” says Hingley.
Hingley was pleased with how the afternoon went despite the crowds not being as large as he would have liked.
“At least it wasn’t raining. A lot of years it rains on Sunday,” he said.
Hingley says that despite the event being hosted by the legion, it is not a legion only event and encourages everyone to attend in future years if they can.
