[Alta_redneck]

Dumb civilian question coming.

I see this year we have Cadets guarding our Cenotaph again. Last year was the first time I ever saw it. I can't remember what time it was that I saw them then, but it was dark, so I'm not sure how late they stay there. So I'm just wondering what this is called, is it a tradition, is there a name for it? I wanted to go and ask them about it but it doesn't seem like the right thing to do.

There's 4 of them there at all times and they seem to change every hour.

Can anybody clue me in?

[Guy_Fawkes]

Alta_redneck Alta_redneck:

Dumb civilian question coming.

I see this year we have Cadets guarding our Cenotaph again. Last year was the first time I ever saw it. I can't remember what time it was that I saw them then, but it was dark, so I'm not sure how late they stay there. So I'm just wondering what this is called, is it a tradition, is there a name for it? I wanted to go and ask them about it but it doesn't seem like the right thing to do.

There's 4 of them there at all times and they seem to change every hour.

Can anybody clue me in?

They are called the Honor Guard. (not to be confused with 'the guard')



The picture was taken at Juno Beach in 03.

Im not a very good war buff, so I hope one of the other military gurus on the form can answer you question better. All I know is that it can be a pretty bad tasking since you are stuck in that one position for a very long time, usually the entire service. Its usually at times like that when I get a wicked itch or my nose starts to run.

[Alta_redneck]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

usually the entire service.

That first picture was taken an hour after the service and these kids relieved the Honour Guard, from the service. So I guess their still an Honour Guard, but gezzz their still out there. Sorry for the crappy picture, this one was taken at 7:30pm my time.

[Guy_Fawkes]

Ya It depends on the unit, on how long they want an honor guard at the cenotaph. Good on the cadets for being out there so long though.

[Alta_redneck]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

Good on the cadets for being out there so long though.

I'll second that, she's a little chilly out there.

[Tricks]

Good for them.

[ShepherdsDog]

I had a discussion with my Taiwanese students who were curious about our commemoration of Remembrance Day. Some were surprised to find out that Taiwan had been bombed by the Americans, during WW II because it was a Japanese colony. They've got a slightly skewed view on how the Second World War was conducted and won.

[SprCForr]

Alta_redneck Alta_redneck:

That first picture was taken an hour after the service and these kids relieved the Honour Guard, from the service. So I guess their still an Honour Guard, but gezzz their still out there. Sorry for the crappy picture, this one was taken at 7:30pm my time.

Some units provide a Cenotaph guard for 24 hours. We used to mount the guard a couple hours early and keep them there a couple hours after the service.

(BTW, it would have been A-OK to ask the Guard Commander after the change was completed.)

Was there an issue with vandalism before?

A fine gesture of respect in any case. Well done.

[EyeBrock]

Alta_redneck Alta_redneck:

Dumb civilian question coming.

I see this year we have Cadets guarding our Cenotaph again. Last year was the first time I ever saw it. I can't remember what time it was that I saw them then, but it was dark, so I'm not sure how late they stay there. So I'm just wondering what this is called, is it a tradition, is there a name for it? I wanted to go and ask them about it but it doesn't seem like the right thing to do.

There's 4 of them there at all times and they seem to change every hour.

Can anybody clue me in?

In the UK we did this as Cadets and it was called the "Remembrance Vigil". We did it from 2300 hrs up until Reveille the next day at the parade. I saw that the Air Cadets did the same in Burlington this year too.
They usually do it in Ottawa with Navy, Army, Air Command and RCMP vigil guards.

[Alta_redneck]

SprCForr SprCForr:

(BTW, it would have been A-OK to ask the Guard Commander after the change was completed.)

Good, I sure didn't think it would have been appropriate to ask well they were on.

SprCForr SprCForr:

Was there an issue with vandalism before?

Not that I know of. Small town, if there had been any, everyone would have known about.

SprCForr SprCForr:

A fine gesture of respect in any case. Well done.

Yeah I was impressed by it, especially at night seeing their silhouettes in the dark. I'll send off a letter to the paper and give them some recognition on a job well done.

Thanks everyone for the info.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

We have a pic of the temporary grave of one of my wife's uncles killed 9-12-43
He is now buried at the Moro Cemetery in Italy. Her other uncle is buried at Calais and was killed in July 1944.
Seeing the temporary grave site sure brings it home tho. No nice, neat, clean orderly rows and crosses. Just a lump of earth with a rough wooden cross, hastily etched with his information.

[martin14]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

We have a pic of the temporary grave of one of my wife's uncles killed 9-12-43
He is now buried at the Moro Cemetery in Italy. Her other uncle is buried at Calais and was killed in July 1944.
Seeing the temporary grave site sure brings it home tho. No nice, neat, clean orderly rows and crosses. Just a lump of earth with a rough wooden cross, hastily etched with his information.

I am hoping to go to Moro next year.

If you want, pm me his details and I can get you an updated pic.

Last year, I bought Regina's uncle a beer, that was an adventure in itself.
He is in Normandy

[acidcomplex]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

They are called the Honor Guard. (not to be confused with 'the guard')

Funny i thought we had this discussion on the word "Guard" to describe military already?? hmmmmmmmmm

[Guy_Fawkes]

Yes and you were schooled on it. Which is why I had put the comment on there just for you. So you could see that even though the term has the word guard in it, you also need to word Honor.

I still dont know where you got the notion that the word guard is synonymous with military.

[BartSimpson]

Two things:

1. In what is now a tradition at my church, this past Sunday a special offering was taken and the receipts will be split between the Canadian Legion and our local Rotary Club (the vets in our church prefer Rotary as a charity to the American Legion). Our treasurer tells me the offering brought in $196.00

2. The US equivalent of the Cenotaph is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and it serves as a memorial to all fallen American soldiers in all wars. The "Old Guard" (3rd U.S. Army Infantry Regiment) guards the tomb 24/7/365 in all weather including hurricanes. What is touching is when you visit Arlington you can often see the funeral of a veteran taking place and, in some circumstances, the same caisson that bore John F. Kennedy is used to take an honored sailor or soldier to their final rest. The weight of the obligation that many Americans feel to protect our liberties is never felt so deeply as it is when you see the row-on-row of men and women who served with valor to protect those same liberties.