The Rotary Club of Nisku-Leduc will once again take part in the Remembrance Day ceremonies taking place at the Leduc Recreation Centre on Friday. Nov. 11th. at 10:30 am.
Gary Sandercock will be heading up our delegation and would like anyone interested in joining him to give him a call at 780- 940-1544
There will also be a coffee gathering (Baileys and lunch optional) after the ceremony at the Leduc Golf Course - Hackers Grill.
This year of Remembrance we need to pay tribute to a truly great veteran that we lost a few months ago. She served in the 2nd World War and went on to serve another 70 years as our Queen.
The following story will lighten your day and prove just how great a Royal she really was throughout her years of service.
Subject: A QUEEN ELIZABETH TALE
We'll always remember her sense of humour and that beautiful smile.
I was on Guard of Honour, waiting for the King of Saudi Arabia, on Horseguards.
On the right flank; Scots Guard (100 guardsmen) a gap, HM The Queen, mounted in uniform; alongside her the CO Colonel Gerald,
another gap, then on the left flank, the Queen’s Company Grenadier Guards (100 guardsmen).
We’re stood at ease waiting.
We’re stood at ease waiting.
Suddenly the silence was broken by Colonel Gerald’s charger erupting
with horse farts at full volume for two minutes.
Embarrassed and staring straight ahead Colonel Gerald says,
with horse farts at full volume for two minutes.
Embarrassed and staring straight ahead Colonel Gerald says,
“Sorry about that your Majesty!”
She replies, in a wonderful voice,
She replies, in a wonderful voice,
"That’s alright Gerald, . . .I thought it was your horse!”
200 guardsmen silently cried with laughter, and tapped their rifle butts on the gravel.
From that moment, every man there adored her!
200 guardsmen silently cried with laughter, and tapped their rifle butts on the gravel.
From that moment, every man there adored her!
For a history of Remembrance Day, click on the READ MORE icon.
Remembrance Day History
On November 7th, 1920, in strictest secrecy, four unidentified British bodies were exhumed from temporary battlefield cemeteries at Ypres, Arras, the Asine and the Somme.
None of the soldiers who did the digging were told why.
The bodies were taken by field ambulance to GHQ at St-Pol-Sur-Ter Noise. Once there, the bodies were draped with the union flag.
Sentries were posted and Brigadier-General Wyatt and a Colonel Gell selected one body at random. The other three were reburied.
A French Honour Guard was selected and stood by the coffin overnight of the chosen soldier overnight.
On the morning of the 8th November, a specially designed coffin made of oak from the grounds of Hampton Court arrived and the Unknown Warrior was placed inside.
On top was placed a crusaders sword and a shield on which was inscribed:
"A British Warrior who fell in the GREAT WAR 1914-1918 for King and Country".
On the 9th of November, the Unknown Warrior was taken by horse-drawn carriage through Guards of Honour and the sound of tolling bells and bugle calls to the quayside.
There, he was saluted by Marechal Foche and loaded onto HMS Vernon bound for Dover. The coffin stood on the deck covered in wreaths, surrounded by the French Honour Guard.
Upon arrival at Dover, the Unknown Warrior was met with a nineteen gun salute - something that was normally only reserved for Field Marshals.
A special train had been arranged and he was then conveyed to Victoria Station, London.
He remained there overnight, and, on the morning of the 11th of November, he was finally taken to Westminster Abbey.
The idea of the unknown warrior was thought of by a Padre called David Railton who had served on the front line during the Great War the union flag he had used as an altar cloth whilst at the front, was the one that had been draped over the coffin.
It was his intention that all of the relatives of the 517,773 combatants whose bodies had not been identified could believe that the Unknown Warrior could very well be their lost husband, father, brother or son...
THIS is the reason we wear poppies.
We do not glorify war.
We remember - with humility - the great and the ultimate sacrifices that were made, not just in this war, but in every war and conflict where our service personnel have fought - to ensure the liberty and freedoms that we now take for granted.At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
Every year, on the 11th of November, we remember the Unknown Warrior.