Remembrance Day in Victoria is an impactful and fulfilling day for many citizens, military personnel, and Veterans. Victoria holds ceremonies that include members from the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt, The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s), The Royal Canadian Legion, non-commissioned-members (NCM) plus Officers of The Royal Canadian Navy, Army, Air-force, including Cadets, and Veterans. Remembrance Day honours those fallen and tributes those dedicating a life to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). There are many events in and around Victoria every year, such as parades and ceremonies in downtown Victoria, Langford, Esquimalt and Sidney that include wreath laying, speeches, marching, and a two-minute moment of silence at 11 am. There is a lot that happens on Nov. 11 and knowing about all the parts of the ceremonies and parades is what I’m here to inform readers about!
Remembrance Day Ceremony
Every year, the Victoria B.C Legislature holds the largest ceremony and parade on Vancouver Island. Members of CFB Esquimalt, The Canadian Scottish Regiment, and members of the Air Force partake in the parade. The traditional ceremony at the B.C. Legislature Cenotaph starts hours before the parade with four members standing guard all around the memorial 48 hours prior. A cenotaph is a monument honouring service members who have passed. The B.C. Legislature Cenotaph has a bronze war memorial statue on top of it. Members of the CAF start their parade marching at 9 am from Bay Street Armoury then down Government Street towards the Cenotaph at the edge of the legislature building on Belleville and Government Street. This includes the Navy, Infantry, Air Force, and Veterans. The Navy wears a black dress uniform, the Air Force wears blue, the Infantry wears forest green, and the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) will be dressed in their traditional red coat uniform. There are many members of service included each year and knowing who’s who is great information to have for attendees.
Wreath Ceremonies
A wreath-laying ceremony is a symbol of eternal life, protection, and love used to honour and remember those who have served. Wreath ceremonies happen at all cenotaphs in and around Victoria. Langford Veterans Memorial Park, Oak Bay War Memorial, Saanich Municipal Hall, Sidney Town Hall, and Esquimalt Memorial Park all hold ceremonies starting at 10:30 am on Nov. 11. Langford, Sidney, and Esquimalt all hold parades while the other locations with cenotaphs have wreath ceremonies. At 11 am, two minutes of silence is honoured to commemorate those lost in service, and at the Legislature a 21-gun salute is held just before with Artillery members fire cannons. For those who have never gone to a ceremony, be warned—the 21-gun salute tends to set off car alarms, so the moment of silence isn’t so silent. After this, speeches commence from parliament members, Veterans, and those in active service, telling stories of their experiences or of those passed, this honours their memories. Once the ceremony concludes the members of the parade typically march back to their starting points.
UVic Student-Focused Activities
There are many activities and ceremonies happening this upcoming weekend that UVic students can partake in. This year the RMC men’s rugby team will be taking on our very own UVic Vikes men’s rugby team on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Wallace Field (subject to change) starting at 1 pm, this exhibition game doesn’t happen often and is a great way to commemorate Remembrance Day! The RMC team will be the ones marching in Esquimalt Memorial Park in the red-coat uniforms on Nov. 11.
Attending a Remembrance Day ceremony is important since it honours the sacrifices made by those who served in the military and gave their lives through their service. These ceremonies allow people to come together to reflect on the impact of war and remember the courage and dedication of past and present CAF members. By participating, we show respect for their legacy and express gratitude for their service.