N.B. Navy cadets honour veterans ahead of Remembrance Day

Blowing in the wind at Fair Haven Funeral Home & Cemetery in New Brunswick is a red and white reminder.

Canadian flags can be seen from every corner of the property as a physical reminder ahead of Remembrance Day.

“We do have roughly just over 1,100 veterans that are resting with us here,” said branch manager Ryan Thorne.

“I think it’s important that we remember everything that they’ve done for us, right? And us placing a Canadian flag at each one of their locations is probably the least we can do.”

While staff at Fair Haven always mark the graves with a flag, this year they had some extra help.

On Saturday, the Navy League Cadet Corps gathered to help carefully place a flag at each and every veteran grave.

“All veterans need to be remembered,” said 11-year-old Petty Officer First Class Annabelle Moore.

“There’s just so many lives that have been lost during all the wars and we need to remember those people because they gave their lives for us and for freedom for our country.”

Lieutenant and Executive Officer Ian Harris says it’s a way to honour past, present, and future veterans.

“We believe that it’s highly important to make sure these cadets, especially being as young as they are, to ensure that they remember the sacrifices that were made so they can have the freedoms that they have today,” he said.

“A lot of people don’t know, but they can actually see by doing this how many veterans are even in one location so hopefully they take away from this realizing that veterans are everywhere and they need to be recognized for the sacrifices them and their families made.”

Harris is a veteran himself, having served 11 years in the Canadian military.

He says this is one way that he can give back by honouring fellow veterans and hopefully encouraging other young veterans to get involved as well.

“I know from when we’ve did this in the past, I noticed a lot of cadets came and said. ‘Now we really understand what’s happening. We have a better idea of why this is happening.’ So I believe they are starting to get that message,” he said.

Following the placing of the flags, a small ceremony was held that drew out a bigger-than-anticipated crowd.

Officials say it’s a way to honour any veterans whose graves might have been missed and a way to pay tribute ahead of the big ceremony on Remembrance Day.

Thorne says they have a retired veteran on their staff who served for 16 years in the military, so events like this hold a special meaning for everyone involved.

“Our country is in a position because of the people who’ve severed for us and I always think that’s important for us to remember,” he said.

The Canadian flags will stay in place until after Remembrance Day.

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