Media and the public are invited to the annual Candlelight Tribute that will take place at God’s Acre Veterans Cemetery in Esquimalt. This year’s guest speakers will be the Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia and Rear-Admiral Gilles Couturier, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific/Joint Task Force Pacific who will speak about the Battle of Britain.
After the ceremony they will be joined by military personnel from Maritime Forces Pacific, veterans, federal representatives, municipal, provincial leaders, and members of the public who will place candles of remembrance on the gravesites in the 148-year old cemetery.
What: Thursday, May 26, at 6:45 p.m. After the ceremony the candles will remain in place until midnight.
Where: God’s Acre Veterans Cemetery, Colville Rd, Esquimalt, B.C.
What: The Canadian Scottish Regimental Association Pipe Band will lead a marching contingent and colour party, after which representatives from veterans’ organizations, Cadets, Brownies, Guides, and Scouts, as well as members of the public will place over 3,000 candles on the graves in the historic cemetery. Music will be performed by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Victoria Children’s Choir. The Act of Remembrance will be read by Air Force veteran Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Allan Campbell and there will be a small flypast by the Vintage Wings of Canada. After the formal ceremony, the Admirals Walk Thrifty Food store will provide complimentary hot dogs and soft drinks for children, and coffee and cake for the adults in attendance.
Historians now define the intense air activity between 10 July and 21 October 1940 as the Battle of Britain. During the Battle, Canadians worked as part of a coalition air operation and were agile and integrated, employing reach and power to achieve victory. Of the more than one hundred Canadian pilots who flew in the Battle of Britain, twenty-three gave their lives that summer and autumn of 1940. About thirty-five more died before victory was won in 1945
For more information about the ceremony, please contact
Mr. Bob Haldane, organizer at the Royal Canadian Legion at 250-386-7635.