Remembrance Day pays tribute to the fallen soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and II. Dominica together with the League of Commonwealth Nations and other non-Commonwealth nations marks Remembrance Day on the second Sunday of November. It recalls the end of the First World War hostilities on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11 am when the armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany.
The famous poem written by a Canadian medical officer “In Flanders Field” popularised the poppy as a symbol of remembrance. The poppy grew extensively on the battlefields where millions of soldiers died. Today we use local floral wreaths in lieu of poppies.
The occasion was marked by the laying of wreaths by the President and government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and other officials. The President of the Dominica Christian Corps and the Bishop of Roseau both officiated at the ceremony. Units from the Dominica Music Lovers Band, Dominica Legion Contingent, Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force, Dominica Cadet Corps, Dominica Scouts Association, and the Girl Guides Association all took part in the occasion.
The cenotaph pays tribute not only to the Dominican men who lost their lives in battle but our cenotaph distinguishes itself as also having a monument to honour the fallen French dissidents who sought refuge in Dominica when Hitler occupied France during the Second World War.
Many left Guadeloupe and Martinique in small boats in the dead of night and came to Dominica from where they made their way to North America and later North Africa and onto the battlefields of Europe. Sadly they were never honoured in their own countries.
All photos by Cecil Clarke.
America’s interference everywhere on planet earth to maintain their global hegemony will soon spark WW111; but this war will be very short, because many countries have nukes.
We remember the sell outs – those who fought with our slave masters/oppressors/colonisers to win their war (no ours). Our so called leaders make sure we remember the sell outs, even honouring with big ceremonies and plaques to appease the masters!
But we conveniently forget about those who fought so we could be free. The slave rebellion leaders don’t have any plaques, niether do they have ceremonies so we can remember them and teach our young generations about them.
This barely a week after we celebrate ‘independence’. We is a speacial set of people wi, us in that caribbean there!