Humboldt took more than just a moment of silence to honour fallen veterans during the Remembrance Day service at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 11.
Presided, once again, by Rev. Al Hingley, the beautiful service was a way that local citizens could remember loved ones who served in the military.
As a child growing up, Hingley says he remembers wondering how he can remember war when he had never been through one himself. He has come to think of remembering as thanking in regards to participating in Remembrance Day.
“The only way we can thank those folk who paid that price for our freedom is to remember them.”
The best way to thank those who died is to make it a more peaceful place, says Hingley, and we have not been doing a good job of that.
For the numbers that filled the church, the crowd made organizing the event all worthwhile, says Hingley.
“It was beautiful and the cooperation of everybody and so willing to come and sing, and play, and usher, I just can’t say thank you enough.”
Hingley was also very appreciative of this year’s guest speakers, members of the Humboldt Independent Travel Club to speak on their trip to France at the beginning of the year to participate in the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Heidi Phillips, accompanied by fellow club members Margaret Nagy and student, Joel Zimroz, spoke as a member of the club as well as the granddaughter of someone who fought at Vimy Ridge.
Being the youngest daughter of Clinton Alexander MacPhee, one of 15,000 Canadians who stormed Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917, Phillips had never got to meet him, but she certainly grew up hearing about what he went through at the Battle of Vimy.
“He was always reluctant to talk about the war years as he would remember the fellow soldiers who died overseas. In war, they became comrades and friends, so returning soldiers never forgot the ones who didn’t make it home alive.”
Numbers from Vimy were staggering with 10,000 Canadians killed or wounded, the worst day of fighting for the Canadians throughout World War I.
Because of Vimy Ridge, the Canadians were invited to sign the Treaty of Versailles to end World War I, however, there was also some negative impacts from the battle as well, says Phillips.
“There was no stopping now, as Canada had proven itself on the battlefield. Because of this, Canada entered into the deeply dividing policy of conscription, which is forcing young men, by law, to serve, versus the previous voluntary enlistment.”
On April 9, 2017, Phillips, Nagy, Zimroz, as well as 27 fellow students attended the service to mark the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, which included speeches from Canadian and French dignitaries.
For Phillips, it was an overwhelming experience.
“To stand there, on French soil, the exact same ground that my grandfather stood on 100 years earlier, was an experience that I am unable to put into words.”
To think, says Hingley, that they were in the presence of someone who has been to Vimy and who are willing to share their stories, is an incredible feeling.
Lunch and supper was served after the service at the Humboldt Legion.
Visit humboldtjournal.ca/photos for pictures from Remembrance Day services across the city.
