We Will Remember Them ...

On the eve of Remembrance Day, Wellington County Museum and Archives holds a tribute where candles are lit an placed at the base of white stakes bearing the names of the fallen from Wellington County.

This year I decided to attend and document the occasion and it was cool and windy when I arrived just as sun was dropping below the tree line. Covering the front lawn there were row after row of tributes to the fallen. I made this image as the last remnants of sunlight kissed the poppy adorned name cards, each placed on it's white stake.

At the going down of the sun ... We will remember them.

I walked along each row, reading the names, the ages, locations of burial and came across the name William A. McLean, not familiar to me but William died the same day as my grandfather and they are both buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery, Holland.

As darkness fell, I stood off to the side watching people arrive. Some came in groups, some in pairs and others alone. All were given candles and made their way out onto the lawn to place them at the base of a white stake as the moon rose in the sky.

Slowly the rows began to glow with candles. I imagined that some who came were family members, other simply those who cared to remember and pay tribute. It was good to see a variety of ages, some families coming with children. As time passed and darkness blanketed the lawn, the volunteers assisted and began to fill in the each of the rows to complete the tribute.

 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. 

DJE