A candlelight tribute ceremony to recognize the ultimate sacrifice of Canadian soldiers is being organized this week and all veterans and their families are invited.
The annual tribute, this year marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the start of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France, will be held at Cranberry Cemetery on Saturday, June 7.
Fourteen thousand Canadian infantry landed at Juno Beach during the operation, one of five Allied landing sites in Normandy, on June 6, 1944. Ferried across the English Channel by the Royal Canadian Navy, the soldiers were supported by the Royal Canadian Air Force’s bombers and fighters during the offensive.
James Anglin, Gus Eckman and George Ethofer, all from Powell River, were among the 340 Canadian soldiers killed on the beach that day.
Tribute organizer Karen Crashley from Royal Canadian Legion branch 164 said she does not know how many World War II veterans are left in Powell River, but said she thought there were quite a few. Not all veterans are Legion members, she added.
“We have 276 veterans interred in the Cranberry Cemetery that we know of,” said Crashley. She asked that if anyone has a relative interred in Cranberry or at Holy Cross Cemetery at Kelly Creek, who the Legion does not already recognize with a candle, to please let them know so they can be added to their list. This includes RCMP officers who have passed on as well, she said.
The bus up to Cranberry Cemetery leaves the Legion at 2:45 pm, for the ceremony and so candles can be placed. Entertainment and a dinner is planned from 5 to 7:30 pm and at 8:30 pm the bus will take the veterans back to the cemetery to see the candles at dusk.
For more information or to purchase tickets, readers can contact Crashley at 604.485.5176.
