Remembrance Day

Planes fly in formation above a large crowd who gathered to honour the fallen during a Remembrance Day ceremony at the War Memorial in Oak Bay, B.C., on Monday, November 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Honouring veterans in a pandemic: COVID-19 put Legions at risk of closure

In many ways, COVID-19 exacerbated issues man Legion branches were already facing

Planes fly in formation above a large crowd who gathered to honour the fallen during a Remembrance Day ceremony at the War Memorial in Oak Bay, B.C., on Monday, November 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
A small, brown diary that once belonged to Lt. Owen Talbot Aspray was donated to the Saanich Archives in 2019 and added to a growing collection of his possessions. (Photo courtesy Suzanne Hervieux)

Wartime diary of early Greater Victoria resident depicts life during First World War

Soldier’s journal ‘a fantastic addition’ to Saanich Remembers World War One project, archivist says

A small, brown diary that once belonged to Lt. Owen Talbot Aspray was donated to the Saanich Archives in 2019 and added to a growing collection of his possessions. (Photo courtesy Suzanne Hervieux)
Veteran Graeme Hafey is looking forward to welcoming veterans and patrons to the U.S Marine Corps tent he’s added outside V2V Black Hops Brewing for tasting, dining, movie nights, and other events. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)

Remembrance Day’s significance not lost on Langford veteran

Dealing with PTSD inspires effort to help others

Veteran Graeme Hafey is looking forward to welcoming veterans and patrons to the U.S Marine Corps tent he’s added outside V2V Black Hops Brewing for tasting, dining, movie nights, and other events. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)
Flying Officer Howard McNamara (Retired) and Cpl. Anne McNamara (Retired) are shown in Veterans Affairs Canada handout photos. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Courtesy McNamara Family

COVID-19 latest bump in Canada’s long road to Second World War remembrance

Royal Canadian Legion will place a special emphasis on marking the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII

Flying Officer Howard McNamara (Retired) and Cpl. Anne McNamara (Retired) are shown in Veterans Affairs Canada handout photos. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Courtesy McNamara Family
Eileen Stolze, 99, holds a picture of herself when she was in her early 20s, serving for the Royal Canadian Air Force in Skidoo, N.B. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

99-year-old Victoria woman felt a duty to serve in the Second World War

Eileen Stolze received the British Empire medal for outstanding service

Eileen Stolze, 99, holds a picture of herself when she was in her early 20s, serving for the Royal Canadian Air Force in Skidoo, N.B. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
Victoria-based artist Paul Archer poses with one of his striking images of a veteran. Completing such paintings has become a November tradition. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
Paul Archer, a Victoria-based artist, tries to paint one Remembrance Day piece each year in November. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

Touching scene with veteran inspires Victoria artist to paint Remembrance Day series

Paul Archer has painted a veteran each November for the past four years

Victoria-based artist Paul Archer poses with one of his striking images of a veteran. Completing such paintings has become a November tradition. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
Paul Archer, a Victoria-based artist, tries to paint one Remembrance Day piece each year in November. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
In 2005, Trevor Whitten (front right) served as an Honor Guard member during the Aboriginal Spiritual Journey at Vimy Ridge, honouring the Indigenous veterans of the First and Second World Wars. (Photo courtesy of Trevor Whitten)

Victoria man follows seven generations of Indigenous veterans

Joining the military at age 20 was a no-brainer for Trevor Whitten

In 2005, Trevor Whitten (front right) served as an Honor Guard member during the Aboriginal Spiritual Journey at Vimy Ridge, honouring the Indigenous veterans of the First and Second World Wars. (Photo courtesy of Trevor Whitten)
(Kelowna RCMP)

Fluke find reunites dog tags of late B.C. veteran with family

Family doesn’t know how the tags were lost, but delighted to have them back

(Kelowna RCMP)
(Black Press Media file photo)

Whole Foods reverses poppy ban for workers following heavy criticism

Veteran Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay tweeted that Whole Foods’ policy is ‘absolutely unacceptable’

(Black Press Media file photo)
Julie Mungall places her painted stones at the Brookside veterans cemetery in Winnipeg, Saturday, October 24, 2020. Mungall is commemorating Remembrance Day by painting poppies and other designs on rocks and hiding them around the city, sometimes in plain sight, for people to pick up and take home with them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

‘It means so much:’ Families thankful for painted poppy rocks on Remembrance Day

Many who set out to find one of her poppy-painted rocks have a close relationship with Remembrance Day

Julie Mungall places her painted stones at the Brookside veterans cemetery in Winnipeg, Saturday, October 24, 2020. Mungall is commemorating Remembrance Day by painting poppies and other designs on rocks and hiding them around the city, sometimes in plain sight, for people to pick up and take home with them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Grace Scarabelli, 97, recalls with fondness her time spent in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Saanich woman recounts service with Canadian Women’s Army Corps

Grace Scarabelli, 97, one of first women to attend Royal Military College of Canada

Grace Scarabelli, 97, recalls with fondness her time spent in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
Saanich’s Remembrance Day ceremony will look a little different this year with no in-person audience. (Black Press Media file photo)

Saanich Remembrance Day ceremony goes virtual

No audience at ceremony but livestream will allow community to watch

Saanich’s Remembrance Day ceremony will look a little different this year with no in-person audience. (Black Press Media file photo)
Norm Scott, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch no. 91 in Lanford, pins the first poppy to launch the annual Poppy Campaign on George Baker, who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1953 to 1989. Baker said it was an honour to be chosen for something so significant for veterans everywhere. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)

Poppy campaign launches in Langford with pinning ceremony

The poppy campaign is officially underway with the first of the pins…

Norm Scott, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch no. 91 in Lanford, pins the first poppy to launch the annual Poppy Campaign on George Baker, who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1953 to 1989. Baker said it was an honour to be chosen for something so significant for veterans everywhere. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)
Pilot Kevin Maher participated in a flyover of a ceremony at the Cobble Hill cenotaph on Oct. 22 in a 1940 North American (Noorduyn) Harvard aircraft. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Cobble Hill remembers lost military members with ceremony, flyover

Annual event commemorates those who died in non-combat roles

Pilot Kevin Maher participated in a flyover of a ceremony at the Cobble Hill cenotaph on Oct. 22 in a 1940 North American (Noorduyn) Harvard aircraft. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
The Royal Canadian Legion kicked off its annual poppy drive in Sooke on Wednesday with the first poppies presented to Mayor Maja Tait and T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordie Planes. Legion representatives included legion president Richard Steele, second from left, and poppy fund chair Al Stuart, right. (Kevin Laird – Sooke News Mirror)
The Royal Canadian Legion kicked off its annual poppy drive in Sooke on Wednesday with the first poppies presented to Mayor Maja Tait and T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordie Planes. Legion representatives included legion president Richard Steele, second from left, and poppy fund chair Al Stuart, right. (Kevin Laird – Sooke News Mirror)
Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of B.C., was presented with the first poppy of the Royal Canadian Legion’s 2020 Poppy Campaign on Wednesday. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

PHOTOS: B.C. Lieutenant Governor receives first poppy to kick off 2020 campaign

Janet Austin ‘honour and a privileged’ to receive the poppy

Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of B.C., was presented with the first poppy of the Royal Canadian Legion’s 2020 Poppy Campaign on Wednesday. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
The Royal Canadian Legion in Sooke will be holding a virtual ceremony on Nov. 11 without a parade. (Black Press Media file photo)

Sooke to hold virtual Remembrance Day ceremony, cancels parade

President asks for local businesses to support by buying wreaths

The Royal Canadian Legion in Sooke will be holding a virtual ceremony on Nov. 11 without a parade. (Black Press Media file photo)
Apted sisters Maylin, 6, Everly, 3, and Brylee, 9, show off some of their Remembrance Day paintings. The Metchosin girls sell their paintings locally and around the country to raise money for Canada’s veterans. (Courtesy of Dani Apted)

Metchosin sisters paint pictures for veterans

Girls donate proceeds from painting to Langford Legion

Apted sisters Maylin, 6, Everly, 3, and Brylee, 9, show off some of their Remembrance Day paintings. The Metchosin girls sell their paintings locally and around the country to raise money for Canada’s veterans. (Courtesy of Dani Apted)
The Royal Canadian Legion is doing what was once the unthinkable: Discouraging people from attending Remembrance Day ceremonies in person this year. The 2019 National Silver Cross Mother, Reine Samson Dawe, middle left, and Governor General Julie Payette, middle left, watched the parade during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Remembrance Day planners scrambling as COVID-19 upends traditional ceremonies

Legion branches are scrambling to plan stripped-down versions of the annual sombre ceremonies

The Royal Canadian Legion is doing what was once the unthinkable: Discouraging people from attending Remembrance Day ceremonies in person this year. The 2019 National Silver Cross Mother, Reine Samson Dawe, middle left, and Governor General Julie Payette, middle left, watched the parade during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A woman pins her poppy on a cross after a Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph in New Westminster, B.C., on Monday November 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Royal Canadian Legion adjusts to pandemic with electronic poppy sale pilot

You likely won’t be seeing volunteers with poppy tables out front stores this year

A woman pins her poppy on a cross after a Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph in New Westminster, B.C., on Monday November 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck