Darlingford and its surrounding community held its 104th annual Memorial Service, honouring community members who served and lost their lives in World War I and World War II. Held in the Darlingford Memorial Park and in front of the accompanying memorial building, the morning offered reflection and reverence for not only the lives lost in the past, but also as a reminder for our current state of affairs.
Chairperson for the park Brian McElroy shared that the service reflects the community’s histories: “Really, there isn’t a family that [the wars] didn’t affect in this community... we’ve got four generations that are coming to this service now. It is just part of us.” The service is unique in Canada, as it is one of the few that has children participate by placing flowers on crosses. For McElroy, their participation serves as a solemn reminder. “I don’t want to be a grandparent and get a notification that my grandchild has been killed. That’s what happened regularly back during World War I and World War II.” said McElroy. “We don’t need to go back to that.”
For McElroy, his participation in the committee began with his father, whose father had fought in WWI and whose brother lost his life in WWII. Inheriting this role in the community from his father, McElroy’s own connections to these wars via his grandfather and uncle carry into the present day.
Guest speaker and community member Larry Selby reflected these sentiments in his address, centering around the popular phrase “Lest We Forget”. “That term, ‘Lest We Forget’, is also a warning that we need to pay attention to what’s going on.” shared Selby. “I had a father and father-in-law who both served overseas... I think it’s a very good thing to honour their memories and respect their service.”