Passing of the Torch in Baie Verte

When Portraits of Honour arrived in Baie Verte Newfoundland it certainly garnered attention in the small, quiet community. Escorted into town by several RCMP and RNC vehicles, and a marching band of young sea cadets, the Portraits of Honour drew a large crowd on the chilly afternoon.

During a short ceremony, a legion member spoke to the attentive crowd saying,

“ All those who served in Afghanistan are heroes, just as those who served in the World Wars and other conflicts are heroes. We should be proud of these young people, for courage in the face of this new evil is the same as courage in the face of the evils of the past. “

Hearing this gentleman speak of our new veterans and those currently serving with the same admiration and respect he has for his peers and those who served before him was incredibly powerful. It represented a sort of passing of the torch, a moment of recognition that these young veterans and service people, and those fallen heroes on the mural, will be the heroes we cheer at the Remembrance Day ceremonies of the future, those our children and grandchildren will read about in history books.

He spoke the word, but the whole town of Baie Verte echoed the message:

“ These Canadians are heroes, and they shall not be forgotten ”