Transcona Legion

Historic Occasion

November 30^th, 1872 marks the 150^th anniversary of the birth of Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He was born in the Guelph Ontario.

He established his medical career at McGill University was appointed a professor of pathology at University of Vermont in Burlington. He was also an author and a poet.

In 1910 he accompanied the then Governor General Earl Grey, as the expedition Doctor, on a month-long canoe trip from Norway House on Lake Winnipeg to Hudson Bay.

He first served in the Boer War and returned home to pursue his medical career.

He returned to battle at the age of 42 in 1914 at the start of WWI. In 1915 he was given the rank of Major and while stationed in Ypres, Belgium he was brigade-surgeon to the First Brigade of the Canadian Forces Artillery. He earned the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel. He treated soldiers from the battles of Somme, Vimy Ridge, Arras and Passchendaele.

During the battle in Ypres, McCrae composed the famous and most recognized poem, In Flanders Fields. He was surrounded by Poppies and graves with simple wooden crosses.

The poem was first published in December of 1915 and is the inspiration for Canada adopting the poppy as Canada’s official Flower of Remembrance.

John McCrae suffered from asthma as a child and in December 1917 his health had declined. He lost his life to pneumonia and meningitis January 28^th 1917. He is buried in Wimereux France.

We continue to remember and honour each year wearing a poppy the symbol to remember all those who gave their lives as well as those that continue to serve for us. When we recite the poem, “In Flanders Field we give a voice to those who are no longer with us.

November 7^th, 2022

Please join us as we participate in the annual event held at the centre court in Kildonan Place. The Transcona Musuem will be unveiling their Exhibit in honour of our Military personal.

Time: Noon at Centre Court

Our Branch is participating with our President and Colour Party

Nov 7th to end of Exhibit at shopping mall Honours Fallen Transcona soldiers

During Remembrance Week we encourage everyone to go to Kildonan Place and see the Exhibit

that the Transcona Museum has on display honouring the Military personel from our Community

“Join us as we participate in this joint Venture with the Transcona Biz, Museum and our Branch”

BRANCH # 7 POPPY CAMPAIGN

Our campaign starts Friday October 28^th to November 11. There will be boxes placed in our Branch, Businesses throughout our community and you will see canvassers at different business.

The Poppy is distributed freely to all who wish to wear one, we gratefully accept donations to the Poppy Fund. The donations collected during the Poppy Campaign are held in trust at our Branch to directly support Veterans and their families within our community.

We join the millions of Canadians wearing a Poppy as the pledge to honour Canada’s Veterans both past and current for the sacrifices made on our behalf for the freedoms we enjoy today.

The Poppy should be worn on the left breast, close to the heart. Poppies may be worn throughout the Remembrance period, including in the evening after Remembrance Day Ceremony. Some choose to remove their Poppy at the conclusion of our ceremony and place their Poppy on a wreath or at the Cenotaph, as a sign of respect.

We thank our community for supporting the Legion’s Poppy Campaign, honouring Canada’s Veterans.

No Stone Left Alone – Ceremony

Comrade Peter Martin, Manitoba coordinator of the No Stone Left Alone (NLSA) Ceremony, invites the community to witness and experience the ceremony.

Date: Monday, November 7^th 2022

Time: 10:00 am for actual ceremony (school buses arrive at 9:30am)

Where: Transcona Cemetery-Field of Honour (on Dugald)

Who: Grade 6 Students from Transcona School (RETSD)

The Ceremony involves over 500 Transcona Grade 6 Students who will stand at the foot of the grave of a Transcona Soldier. After a brief ceremony they will place their poppy on the top of the headstone.

Any Veterans are asked to attend and stand by the podium. The students will offer a “silent salute” of appreciation to those Veterans for their service and the Veterans will return the salute.

This ceremony is about getting students out of the classroom to stand in front of the headstones of Veterans and silently reflect on their service and to acknowledge the service of Veterans still alive.

After the ceremony, each student will receive a hand painted (painted by Tova Anderson) stone of Remembrance as a keepsake for their participation in this ceremony.

Peter encourages all Veterans from any part of the city to attend and hopes to have a large contingent of Afghanistan Veterans.  This is the sixth year for this ceremony and in past years, Veterans are moved to tears when they are offered a salute of appreciation from so many youth.