Lest We Forget
Katee Pederson
My Grandfather, Leonard Thompson. Member of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. Age 17.
In 2014 I attended the National Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa just across from Parliament Hill. This was also the sight where just weeks earlier Corporal Nathan Cirillo was tragically killed by a lone gunman while standing on Ceremonial Guard at the Tomb for the Unknown Soldier. It was a surreal experience living in Ottawa during this time, but it was encouraging to see the way the city and our nation came together to support Cirillo's family and one another. The 2014 Remembrance Day Ceremony was one of the most attended in Ottawa, as citizens gathered to pay tribute to soldiers past and present. While the police presence was also noticeably large, any sense of fear in the crowd was greatly overcome by respect, honour, hope and pride. Respect for soldiers present, honour for those passed, hope for the future of this country, and a pride of our past. Of course Canada is not perfect and not everything in our past is to be proud of, but it is home and I'm grateful for that.
Following is a photo essay of the 2014 National Remembrance Day Ceremony.
