Leading up to Remembrance Day this year a local military historian will host a presentation which will keep the names on Ladner’s cenotaph remembered for another year.
Peter Broznitsky’s presentation will cover the last two years of the First World War which, according to some historians, saw Canada become a nation. The presentation will look at major First World War campaigns in which Canadians fought in including: Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, and Passchendaele.
Broznitsky will also mention several names on the Ladner cenotaph in Memorial Park, which bears the names of men from Ladner who fought and died in some of those major conflicts.
While there was a memorial service in 2017 at Vimy Ridge, Broznitsky says it was somewhat lackluster and efforts from provincial and municipal governments to honour the First World War centenary were negligible.
While standing in Memorial Park and looking up at the grey stone obelisk, Broznitsky said that although he would like to see the Ladner cenotaph kept in better repair and governments could have remembered the First World War better in his opinion, he is not concerned 'Lest we Forget' has lost any of its meaning.
“I think in 2021, I bet the crowds will return here. I bet people will remember again as they should,” Broznitsky said. “People don't need to remember just on Nov. 11 though.”
Broznitsky went on to explain that if you have a veteran in your family or your COVID-19 bubble you should try to speak with them. You can ask them questions like 'what was the food like?' or 'what sports did you play to keep yourselves busy?'
Broznitsky will be presenting via Zoom to ElderCollege on Nov. 10 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
