The Cloverdale Cenotaph will be the focus of Surrey’s largest Remembrance Day service and ceremony, getting underway after 10 a.m. Nov. 11 in Surrey Museum Plaza.
At 10:35 a.m., a colour party from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 6 will lead a parade from the legion to the Cenotaph.
The parade forms at 10 a.m. at 17567 57 Avenue. RCMP and emergency responders, Cadet corps, and local Scouts and Guides will join local veterans in marching to the square.
The plaza will be crowded with spectators. The service and ceremony will feature the Cloverdale United Church Choir, and the RCMP ‘E’ Division Pipe Band, along with prayers led by Branch 6 padre, Ian Wemyss.
There will also be a flypast of Harvard Canadian Warbirds in formation in Second World War aircraft.
After the playing of the Last Post, there will be two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. to remember the sacrifices of Canada’s fallen servicemen and servicewomen, followed by the laying of wreaths in remembrance at the Cenotaph.
The colour parties will lead the parade back to Branch 6, where members and guests will gather for refreshments and entertainment. It’s one of Cloverdale’s warmest community traditions. This year, there will be entertainment featuring Susie Francis and the Versatiles from 1-3 p.m.
Surrey Remembers
Adjacent to Surrey Museum Plaza and the Cenotaph, the Surrey Museum and Archives presents a day of special programming, starting at 9:30 a.m., and running to 1:30 p.m. At the Surrey Museum (17710 56A Ave.) find peaceful crafts, Second World War documentaries, and send thank you notes to veterans and their families. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., join former Canadian Navy Wren Gwen Settle as she talks about the challenges faced while serving in the early 1960s and reveals Cold War Secrets.
At the Surrey Archives, check out wartime newspapers, documents and photos or enjoy a slideshow on experiences in Surrey during the First World War, when more than 700 men from Surrey signed up for military service. Nearly one in 10 didn’t return. The oral history section will also feature local voices of veterans.
Both of those events are drop in, and admission is by donation.
New this year is a family-oriented event at Surrey Centre Cemetery (16671 Old McLellan Road), where military experts will be on hand to answer questions and vintage WWII vehicles on loan from the Canadian Military Education Centre will be on display.
The gathering runs from 12-3 p.m. There will be an opportunity to place poppies on the 500 historic and contemporary graves of veterans.
Among the hardware on site for the day will be a World War II BMW motorcycle sidecar, a 1.5-ton troop carrier truck, a Dodge command car, 17-pounder Howitzer and a two-piece transport truck. The military experts will be on hand to answer questions, plus snacks and hot chocolate.