The Royal Canadian Legion and its branches are the Guardians of Remembrance.

Although our main focus is on the annual Poppy Campaign every October and November and the Remembrance ceremony on Nov. 11 at the National War Memorial, our branch takes time to remember the fallen on other key dates in Canadian military history. Our Remembrance Day, Battle of The Atlantic Sunday, and Battle of Britain memorial services all take place at 2 p.m. at the Westboro Cenotaph.

Westboro Cenotaph
This memorial, erected by the Westboro War Memorial Association, was dedicated on June 8, 1985 to honour the fallen members of Westboro and surrounding areas. It’s located near Byron Avenue between Golden and Broadview avenues.

On the National Day of Remembrance, our branch also holds a ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Carlingwood Mall and conducts a number of services for shut-ins at local institutions.

The Battle of the Atlantic
More than 4,600 courageous service men and women in the Canadian Merchant Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force lost their lives at sea during the Battle of the Atlantic. This battle lasted from September 1939 to May 1945, making it Canada’s longest military engagement of the Second World War.

The Battle of Britain
Sunday, September 15, 1940 – a day chosen to mark the high point of this battle, is now celebrated as Battle of Britain Day. During this engagement, the first major campaign to be fought primarily by air forces, more than 100 Canadians served valiantly with the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force.

Remembrance Day
Every year, leading up and on Nov. 11, Canadians show their gratitude to and respect for those who sacrificed so much as they so bravely fought for their country. We wear poppies produced and distributed by the Royal Canadian Legion, and we honour the fallen at a Remembrance Ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. We also gather for smaller but very moving ceremonies organized by Legion branches in thousands of neighbourhoods.

Books of Remembrance
These seven books, with the names of Canadians who fought in wars and died either during or after them, lie in the Memorial Chamber in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. If you want to obtain a copy of a page, you can order online.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.