Lest we forget
This afternoon I went for what I thought would be a typical walk through downtown and along the waterfront. That thought, however, came to an end when I arrived at Dieppe Gardens and saw an unusual sight: three elderly men in dress uniforms.
I chose to investigate, and noticed a few more men, plus some in regular suits, gathering near the Korean War Veterans Memorial. It turned out they were holding a remembrance service for the fallen and the survivors of that war--explaining why most of the men in suits were Asian. I had nowhere pressing to be, so I stayed behind to help them set up and pay my respects. It was a modest service; low turn-out and only a lone Windsor Star photographer for press coverage. Rather a shame, considering those who came. Not only were surviving vets there, but they got the Korean Consul-General to come down from Toronto for the occasion.
One thing seems to unite all remembrance ceremonies in smaller cities: poor sound systems. The Remembrance Day service in Preston was heavily attended and featured a parade of veterans from the Legion hall to the cenotaph, but nobody outside the cenotaph square could hear anything that was going on--aside from the costumed War of 1812 re-enactors giving a 21-gun salute with muskets. Same with this assembly; a couple of the Koreans brought large speakers, a microphone, and a CD player, but the sound did not work properly. Their track of the last post was inaudible and anyone speaking was hard to hear over the interference. If there's one thing I wish on these gatherings, it's better sound equipment.
One further downside for me especially was the generator they brought to power the sound system. I helped carry it behind the war memorial so it did not drown out any other sounds; in doing so I must have accidentally gotten some fumes or dregs of gasoline on my coat. I hung it up in my spare room to air out. Here's hoping it isn't damaged. Still, it was nice to do something helpful for those who warrant it.
I chose to investigate, and noticed a few more men, plus some in regular suits, gathering near the Korean War Veterans Memorial. It turned out they were holding a remembrance service for the fallen and the survivors of that war--explaining why most of the men in suits were Asian. I had nowhere pressing to be, so I stayed behind to help them set up and pay my respects. It was a modest service; low turn-out and only a lone Windsor Star photographer for press coverage. Rather a shame, considering those who came. Not only were surviving vets there, but they got the Korean Consul-General to come down from Toronto for the occasion.
One thing seems to unite all remembrance ceremonies in smaller cities: poor sound systems. The Remembrance Day service in Preston was heavily attended and featured a parade of veterans from the Legion hall to the cenotaph, but nobody outside the cenotaph square could hear anything that was going on--aside from the costumed War of 1812 re-enactors giving a 21-gun salute with muskets. Same with this assembly; a couple of the Koreans brought large speakers, a microphone, and a CD player, but the sound did not work properly. Their track of the last post was inaudible and anyone speaking was hard to hear over the interference. If there's one thing I wish on these gatherings, it's better sound equipment.
One further downside for me especially was the generator they brought to power the sound system. I helped carry it behind the war memorial so it did not drown out any other sounds; in doing so I must have accidentally gotten some fumes or dregs of gasoline on my coat. I hung it up in my spare room to air out. Here's hoping it isn't damaged. Still, it was nice to do something helpful for those who warrant it.