November 11, 2022 at 1:49 pm
For the first time since 2019, London has celebrated Memorial Day with a ceremony free of COVID-19 restrictions.
A large crowd gathered in front of the monument on Friday morning to pay tribute to those who served in our armed forces. Although the sky was grey during the ceremony, the rain stopped and veterans, active duty soldiers, cadets and police marched from the Delta Armory on Dundas Street, heading north towards Wellington Street and continuing to the monument.
The Memorial Day service includes a performance by The Salvation Army Jubilee Brass, a land confirmation, a performance by the Last Post, and a two-minute silence. The wreath-laying took place after the reading of the poem “Flanders Fields”.
The 2022 service marks a return to normalcy after two years of service changes due to the pandemic. In 2020, COVID-19 restrictions meant only a few dozen veterans and dignitaries could attend, while the public was asked to stay home to watch the service live. Last year, the spread of the virus made the ceremony an invite-only event.