Officers and staff of the Surrey RCMP, along with those who are stationed elsewhere in the Lower Mainland, will attend local ceremonies to honour those who have served and continue to serve Canada.
• Whalley/City Centre – Whalley Legion Branch #229 (13525 106 Ave.)
• Newton – Cenotaph behind the Newton City Library (13795 70 Ave.)
• Cloverdale – Cenotaph next to Surrey Museum (17710 56A Ave.)
• Port Kells – Cenotaph at the Port Kells Community Centre (Harvey Road and 88 Avenue)
• South Surrey – Legion Branch #240 (2643 128 St.)
“This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and few veterans from this war still remain,” said Surrey RCMP Officer in Charge Chief Supt. Bill Fordy. “Surrey detachment encourages everyone to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony or pause to pay respects for those who have served and continue to serve in war zones around the world.”
Many RCMP officers and staff have served or are serving on international peacekeeping missions overseas. In addition, many have personal connections to a veteran.
“My great uncle, Lance Corporal James Matthew O’Halloran, was an infantry soldier in the Army serving as a rifleman from 1942-1946," said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Scotty Schumann. "He received a number of medals including the Italy and France-Germany Stars for his service overseas. My grandmother was also in the armed forces in the Women’s Army Corp. I'm thankful and proud of, not only their service, but of the service of all of our men and women who served this country abroad to ensure the freedoms we all enjoy today.”
Const. Teri Leslie's great-grandfather fought in the First World War.
“Arthur Wigglesworth fought in World War One and was miraculously saved from death when a bullet intended for him struck a Bible that he carried in his breast pocket over his heart," Leslie said. "Unfortunately Arthur was killed later in the war in 1917 when my grandma was only five years old. I will always be grateful to him for his sacrifice. For all of the lives lost too soon in service to Canada, and for those veterans who still remain, who all made possible the life we have the privilege to live: May we never forget.”
Municipal Employee Curtis Harling said his grandfather, William David Curwen, served with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a pilot instructor during the Second World War from 1943 to 1945.
"When the war broke out, he was working in Malaysia and narrowly escaped being a prisoner of war. The journey he had to go through to get back home to Canada was quite unbelievable," Harling said. "I’ll always be proud of his contribution to our country and the sacrifices that he and many others made that allow us to live the lives we have today.”