Past Event
Remembrance Day Ceremony 2019
Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery and Cenotaph, 587 Route 105, Chelsea, Quebec - November 11, 2019
The Gatineau Valley Historical Society welcomed the community to its 34th annual Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Pioneer Cemetery in Chelsea. This year's Master of Ceremonies, Chelsea Councillor and former UN Peacekeeper, Greg McGuire, invited various military, federal, provincial and municipal government levels, community groups i.e., churches, Scouts, elementary school students and special guests to lay their wreaths at the grave of Private Richard Rowland Thompson. Private Thompson was the only Canadian recipient of one of the 8 scarves hand-knitted by Queen Victoria for extreme acts of bravery in the South African War and who is buried in Chelsea. Bugler Andrew Baker performed the last post and Reveille and Andrew Moore, Piper with the RCAF Pipes & Drums, Ottawa performed the Lament at the end of 2 minutes of silence. The crowd was pleased to see a flyby by the CF-18 fighter jets right at 11 o'clock. The ceremony also included the Chelsea Youth Choir, directed by Stephanie Sewell, whose choristers performed with local composer and artist, Ian Tamblyn a very moving piece called 'Soldier Down' co-written by him and student Simon Gillean-Brady. The ceremony concluded with Mayor Caryl Green reading John McCrae's 'In Flanders Fields' and French translation 'Au Champ d'honneur'. Youth choir singer Ellie Lemieux lead everyone in O Canada just before troops dismissed to lay their poppies on Pvt Thompson's tombstone. See also videos below.
Remembrance Day 2019 ceremony at the Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery
Video by Wayne Anderson
Ian Tamblyn with the Chelsea Youth Choir at Remembrance Day 2019
Video by Wayne Anderson