Royal CanadianLegion Branch 147 Barrie to host Battle of Vimy Ridge in a commemoration ceremony

The residents of Simcoe County can learn about local history and the county’s World War One effort while honouring the Battle of Vimy Ridge in a commemoration ceremony put on by the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) Branch 147 on Sunday April 9.

“We’re going to focus in on a number of individuals that we’ve learned about that came from Simcoe County and we’re going to talk about this soldier’s story and that soldier’s story, as well, but with the keynote speaker we’ll look at it all and put it in perspective,” said Steve Glover, Public Relations Officer for Branch 147, located in Barrie, ON.

The event will feature an exhibit with a number of displays from local World War One collectors. Visitors can check out war memorabilia, uniforms, weapons and badges from the era.

The official ceremony will kickoff at 1 p.m. with a parade and a wreath laying ceremony. A contingent from the nearby CFB Borden and a contingent from the Grey and Simcoe Foresters will be a part of the parade and wreath laying ceremony along with Army and Navy cadets, Barrie police and other local organizations.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, a number of politicians, retired military members, and historians will be speaking. Speakers will hit on topics including the contributions of Grey and Simcoe Foresters during the war, British home children and the Legion’s role in aiding those with Operational Stress Injuries today.

The keynote speech of the day will be delivered by history professor Dr. Andrew Iarocci. Iarocci will be giving an overall account of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The Legion is welcoming residents of Simcoe County to come and be a part of this significant milestone.

“It’s just important to remember our military history. To me it’s important to remember not because we had the occasional victory, it’s all important because the whole nation came together and fought and supported the war effort and knew it was, more or less, life or death for Britain and France.  We pulled our weight and we did it well,” said Glover.

The Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Vimy Ridge will be held on April 9 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the RCL Branch 147 in Barrie.