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w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , N ov em be r 1 2, 2 01 0 4 Among the wreaths laid was one in memory of Oakvilles Colonel Geoff Parker, 42, who was killed in Afghanistan on May 18, when a sui- cide car bomber blew himself up beside the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) convoy Parker was traveling with. Parkers mother Edna laid his wreath. A poem, written by Parkers nine- year-old daughter Alexandria, was read during the ceremony. Many years have passed, Since World War I and II, The purpose was for freedom, For me and for you. Many lives were lost, That we recognize today. The soldiers deserve our respect, Our honours and our praise. Today we face another WAR, Which no one understands, Why cant we get along, Why cant we just hold hands? So wear your Poppy Proudly, Show dignity and respect. For the many lives weve lost LEST WE FORGET Pro Patria Daddy. Canadian Forces Major Fraser Auld, his parents Doug and Donna and grandmother Marg also laid a wreath to remember Frasers grand- father George and all Canadian Hong Kong veterans. This is important because my grandfather was captured at Hong Kong in 1941 and was a prisoner of war until 1945, said Fraser. Unfortunately he passed away before I was born, but this is an important way to remember his con- tribution during World War II. Marg, who came all the way from Winnipeg to participate in the wreath laying ceremony, said she felt honoured to be able to lay a wreath for her husband and all Canadian Hong Kong veterans. She said her husband never really talked about what he went through as a prisoner after Hong Kong fell to the Japanese. They werent big talkers those boys. They never really talked about the horrors they went through, said Marg. We just know they did. Most of them were not well when they came back. Doug, who has laid a wreath for Hong Kong veterans for the past 10 years, said he was proud to finally lay this wreath with his family. Were very excited to have my mom and Fraser here. Fraser has been a part of the Canadian Forces since 1992, hes been deployed to Bosnia and to Afghanistan twice. This is the first time weve all been together to celebrate my father and his contribution to Canada, he said. They talk about Hong Kong vet- erans as being the forgotten heroes. They sufferedwe have no idea how much Hong Kong war vets suffered. They were prisoners of war for the entire war. With the ceremonys conclusion Canadian Forces Captain Stephanie Smith, former Oakville resident and veteran of two tours in Afghanistan, phrased what she saw as a fitting tribute Canadas fallen soldiers. The ceremony was beautiful. There were tons of people here and it was really beautiful that there were so many children, she said. The choir was wonderful, its really great they incorporated the entire community. Its not just the veterans who are here, theres also the younger people and really people of all ages. So its great to see that everyone was involved. A former student of T.A. Blakelock High School, Smith served as a nurse at the main NATO base in Kandahar, Afghanistan where she saved and lost both Afghan and coalition patients, endured Taliban rocket attacks and was confronted daily with the horri- ble consequences of war. For Smith, Remembrance Day has taken on a whole new signifi- cance. It obviously makes it a lot more emotional. I find I can get a lot more teary eyed on Remembrance Day than I once did. I think it also just reminds you how lucky we are to live in such a safe environment, said Smith. I went for a run the other day and I thought to myself about how lucky I was to go running in the woods and feel safe the entire time while in so many other countries it would be dangerous to go outside your home. Service attracts all ages from near and far Continued from page 1 PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SIU / OAKVILLE BEAVER THEY REMEMBER: Attending the Oakville Legion Branch 114 Remembrance Day service at the Oakville Cenotaph in Georges Square on Thursday were (top) Master Corporal Jon Stuart of the "A" Company Lorne Scots (sec- ond row, (l-r) John Harvey, Jim McGill, William Holbrook, (third row, l-r) Marg Auld laying a wreath for the Hong Kong veterans of the Second World War, Captain Bean (left) and Warrant Colter (right) of The Lorne Scots, and (bottom) Pipe Major Allan Eaton. I find I can get a lot more teary eyed on Remembrance Day than I once did. I think it also just reminds you how lucky we are to live in such a safe environment. Canadian Forces Captain Stephanie Smith, veteran of two tours in Afghanistan