On Monday of this week we awoke to news that vandals had done significant damage to the cenotaph, the monument in my town that honours our veterans and serves as the central focus for Remembrance Day ceremonies.  This just two days before Remembrance Day itself.  In a smallish, close-knit town next to a large military base, this was a significant event.

I don’t have a significant record of military service to honour within my own family, but my wife’s father (deceased) and her mom were both involved in the war effort – her dad as a Canadian servicemen in WWII and her mom working on the home front as a young lady in her native England. She later met her husband to be and immigrated to Canada as a War Bride.

Today, because I am travelling, I missed the service.  In retrospect, if I had of been thinking, I would have attempted to be in Ottawa earlier for the national service – something I have always wanted to do.  With the damage to the cenotaph, it seemed particularly important to show my respect and express my thanks.  Now comes news of the tremendous outpouring of support for the veterans as the community rallies to repair the cenotaph.  I am always proud to be from Fredericton, but even moreso today.

To all of you out there, past and present, from Canada and other democractic nations from around the world, who fought for our freedom, thank you.  We will remember.

Photo Credit: Fredericton Cenotaph, Uploaded to Flickr on August 15, 2009 by Ed Corey