The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 188, gathers annually at Greenhill Cemetery in Kingsville every first Sunday in June to honour the legacy of our local Veterans who served overseas since the beginning of WWI and have since passed.

This year on Friday and Saturday several of us will be placing approximately 800 Canadian flags on the graves of all our local Veterans throughout the seven cemeteries within the town of Kingsville (including Olinda and Cottam cemeteries).

On Sunday, June 4th, our Legion colour guard will march on the flags at 2:00 p.m. to begin the service. It should be a spectacular sight.

Prayers will be offered, God Save the King and O Canada will be sung, traditional military musical trumpet and bagpipe pieces will be played (Lament, Last Post, and Rouse).

The names of our Veterans will be read aloud, wreaths will be placed at the monument, and the colours will be marched off.

We have invited all the members of our Town Council and their families to join us.

Our intention is to educate local residents about the service because we know there are many residents who have relatives on our list of Veterans who have passed.

Mary-Maureen mentions it is always so meaningful and touching to hear read aloud in the silence her Grandfather’s and her Great Uncle’s names from WWI and her Dad’s name from WWII.

She would like other people to feel that pride. So, we hope many families will hear about this service and join us on Sunday.

Another initiative underway for years which can also be witnessed is the placement, at each of our Veterans’ graves in all of Kingsville’s cemeteries, of metal maple leaves set in cement with the inscription “He served his country,” or “She served her country.”

This project has been handed down several times by now deceased Veterans and is currently under the guidance of Billy Kwasnycia and Sandy Percy.

In the last few years an ongoing project has been underway to clear, clean, level, and reset the cement blocks and paint the maple leaves red. It is a wonderful way to honour our Veterans.

Photos provided by Jay Atkin