April 9th marks the 100th Anniversary of the start of the Battle of Vimy Ridge which took place in France from  April 9-12,, 1917.

Since 2003, April 9th has been declared a National Day of Remembrance and flags are flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset.  This year at  7:00AM, as part of our flag lowering there was also a single wreath placed by MWO (ret'd) Burton White in memory of George Willard Kirk, William Charles Cooke, William Elias White, Robert Gray Miller, Edward Leslie Hughes, Henry Clifford Merritt, Harry Colpitts Cochran, Wentworth Havelock Tabor, Frank Herbert DuVernet, Chester O'Dell Johnson, Frederick George Smith, Richard Henry Arnold, James Alfred Gaulton and John Frederick Millar.  Followed by a short prayer, 14 candles were placed  by sons, daughters,  grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews at the cenotaph.  Followed by a formal Remembrance Service at  11:00AM inside the branch a brief history on each Vimy Veteran being honoured was read and family members were presented with a Certificate of Remembrance. 

These 14 Vimy Ridge Veterans were born and raised in the area, lived in the area at time of enlistment , were related to a Legion/Auxiliary member or related to someone who lives on the Peninsula were among the 100,000 Canadians who participated in the Battle of Vimy Ridge.  George Willard Kirk and William Charles Cooke were killed on April 9, 1917 and William Elias White, Chester O'Dell Johnson and Frederick George Smith were wounded on April 9th.   All three recovered and returned back to the field in 4-6 weeks to continue fighting in the area.