THUNDER BAY – As the 11 o’clock hour struck on Thursday morning in Thunder Bay, the already strong winds picked up in force.
Those gathered for the traditional Remembrance Day ceremony at Waverly Park dug in, clasped their hands over their hoods, struggling to hear the tribute to Canada’s fallen, the wind driving a biting rain into their mask-covered faces.
It was almost fitting, said George Romick, master of ceremonies for the event, on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 5.
“It was tough, but it was worthwhile because we’re remembering all the soldiers, male and female, that paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,” Romick said.
“For what the soldiers, the sailors and the airmen had to go through, this was almost like North Atlantic weather. It was brutal, but it was great to see the number of the public out here today in these very trying conditions.”
Rob Cutbush, the Royal Canadian Legion Port Arthur Branch No. 5 president, said the weather was just another obstacle to overcome, in 20 months filled with them.
“With everything that’s been going on for the last year-and-a-half, what else could they throw at us but a gale-forced wind,” Cutbush said. “But I was very impressed to see all the people. It caused a bit of havoc with our live feeds with all the high winds, but it was really great.”
About 200 or so people showed up and braved the weather, the arrival of a storm that is expected to bring up to 70 millimetres of rain to Thunder Bay, while dumping snow throughout much of the rest of the region.
Romick said for the second straight year they were unable to hold the full ceremony, due mainly to COVID-19 regulations and precautions.
The traditional flyover was cancelled because of the wind and rain, while many of the wreaths were already laid by the time the ceremony began, as a way to keep the crowd size down.
“We had to lay a lot of the wreaths in advance and a lot of them are laid up because when we put them on the stands they were blowing all over the park. But hopefully next year it will be much better weather and we’ll have everybody be able to lay their wreaths in honour of their loved ones or all the soldiers killed in action.”
As many as 66,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders have died in Canada’s war efforts.
