Before the Remembrance Day service began at the Fort 91原创 cenotaph, Brian Elidoros paid his parents and grandparents a visit.
His father, Theodore Elidoros, was a veteran of the Second World War, an RCAF flying officer who piloted the giant Canso Catalina flying boats, and so was his mother, Frances Mary, a private who performed in the army shows.
So too was his grandfather, John Harry Bleakley, a lance corporal with the 107th Infantry, who served in the First World War until a poison gas attack by the enemy sent him home.
His grandmother, Cathrine Mary, was not a soldier but lost her brother in the fighting.
His parents and grandparents share a carved headstone in the Fort 91原创 military cemetery.
As he does every year, Brian Elidoros put up photos of his relatives and laid out his dad鈥檚 flight jacket, with military medals, on the headstone.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little thing I can do for them,鈥� he told the 91原创 Advance Times.
Formerly a 91原创 resident, for the last few years Elidoros has made the trip from his new home in Salmon Arm along with some family members, and his dog, Zoey, who waited patiently by the headstone while he arranged the photos and jacket just so.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very, very proud moment to come down here,鈥� Elidoros observed.
鈥淭hey were great people, all of them. They served their country, [they] volunteered. Lots of their friends didn鈥檛 come back.鈥�
At the service, a piper and colour party led a group of veterans, active members of the Canadian Armed Forces, clergy, RCMP, Air Cadets, firefighters, elected officials, Kwantlen First Nation elders, and Scouts and Guides to the cenotaph on Glover Road.
There was a flypast by members of the Fraser Blues formation flying team around the time two minutes of silence were observed.
Among the dignitaries who laid wreaths were 91原创 Township Mayor Jack Froese and local MLA Rich Coleman.
This year, according to a 91原创 RCMP rough estimate, about 6,500 people attended the service at the cenotaph, 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� up from the previous year, when an estimated 5,000 turned out, said RCMP Cpl. Craig van Herk.
鈥淚t was a wall of people,鈥� van Herk commented.
Volunteer Russell Townsend observed that 鈥測ou used to be able to see grass,鈥� previously, while it was 鈥渁ll people鈥� this year.
Among them, 94-year-old Willoughby resident Michael Holley, who is not inclined to say much about his Second World War experiences as a member of an RAF air-sea-rescue vessel, the crews that would rescue downed pilots from the channel at considerable risk of being attacked by German fighters.
He came back with four medals, that he never wore, and shrapnel in one arm that he shrugged off as the result of an 鈥渁ir raid accident.鈥�
His son, Andre, said 鈥渉e鈥檚 never worn them, ever. I don鈥檛 know why.鈥�
He finally convinced his father to wear his medals this Nov. 11, even getting them professionally polished for the occasion.
鈥淭hey came back on the Friday [before the Monday ceremony],鈥� Andre related.
Remembrance Day organizers arranged to have a golf cart transport Holley and another older veteran to a reserved spot at the event. Applause rippled through the crowd as the vehicle passed.
READ MORE: VIDEO: One man鈥檚 quest to know 91原创鈥檚 fallen soldiers
A serious three-year-old from Willoughby, Tavian Crouch, was in the first row of viewers, watching the event unfold.
His mother, Donna Hancock, explained that her son appears to understand the significance of the cenotaph, which he refers to as 鈥渢he cross.鈥�
鈥淗is uncle is in the army,鈥� mom added.
Master of ceremonies Jonathan Meads informed the audience that it was now 20 years since veteran Gord Gillard revived Remembrance Day in Fort 91原创.
鈥淸Gillard] walked into the Fort Gallery upset that nothing was happening here,鈥� Meads related.
鈥淸Gallery owner] Brenda Alberts joined him for an impromptu service of two that set about the resurrection of the service we attend today. Both Gord and Brenda have passed, but their efforts live on.鈥�
Meads鈥� scout troop once again led a clean-up of the veterans headstones a few days before the ceremony.
READ MORE: 鈥楾hese kids are jumping at the opportunity to help out in their community鈥�
There were considerably more volunteers this year, he noted.
鈥淲e were done in two hours.鈥�
More Remembrance Day photos can be viewed .
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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