Remembrance Day

Heroes Remember

Remembrance Day

Transcript

Interviewer: Every November, we celebrate Remembrance Day on November 11th, as a Veteran now, what does that mean to you? I'd , this was the first time and obviously a member of the Legion and I participated in the Poppy Campaign and was really surprised at the number of people, especially young people that do buy poppies, and do recognize the service that our Veterans, especially from First World War, Second World War and Korea gave. The sacrifices that they made and the number of people that were lost, amazing to read in the local paper on people remembering their grandparents. Some people their parents, but more amazing that people remember their grandparents from it. So that the youth have not forgotten the Veteran's, I don't, I don't think they have totally, I don't think they have very much at all actually. But the poppy day, the Veteran's Day, bring that back to all Canadians, not just the, not just the youth. I think there's, as much per capita participation by the youth as there are people that are of the age when the First World War, Second World War when it did happen, and I think they are paying just as much attention as the older people are to it. And I think it's important that we keep that going, through the poppies, through Remembrance Day. I think it's very important for them to be able, and I think it helps them define as Canadians what Canadians are, and should be, and can be, and what our country is.

Description

Having recently experienced his first Remembrance Day as a retired servicemen and Veteran, Mr. Johnston recalls being impressed by the spirit of remembrance displayed by youth.

Alonzo Johnston

Mr. Johnston first served with the HSR cadets in Sussex, NB, and joined the regular forces before finishing high school. He joined the air force, but transferred to the navy after his trade as a data processor was closed and contracted out to civilians. In 1981, Mr. Johnston returned to the air force as an air weapons controller, commissioned from navy ranks. After a promotion, Mr. Johnston was posted in Bangor, then Oklahoma with a joint Canadian/American AWACS force. This force was eventually posted in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, where Mr. Johnston served as a mission control commander on Northern Watch and Provide Comfort missions. In 1996, Mr. Johnston was reassigned to North Bay, Ontario, where he remained until his retirement in 2002.

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