Marine Institute honours veterans with Remembrance Day ceremony

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland honoured veterans of World War I and World War II on Tuesday, Nov. 10 with a Remembrance Day ceremony

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The service took place at the Merchant Navy Memorial that sits in front of the Marine Institute, a fitting location for a ceremony honouring veterans from Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada.

“Remembrance Day is special to us all at the Marine Institute. We take great pride in honouring our veterans, the brave soldiers who protected our freedoms while putting their own lives at great risk,” said Glenn Blackwood, executive director, Marine Institute. “The freedom fought for and earned by our veterans has been enjoyed by all of us and will continue for the generations that follow. For this, I say thank you to all the veterans who served and sacrificed.”

War veterans and their families attended the ceremony at MI and were joined by several family members of deceased veterans. Marine Institute faculty, staff and students were also on hand as were representatives of Memorial University.

During the Remembrance Day ceremony, wreaths were laid at the Merchant Navy Memorial by representatives of a number of groups, including the Marine Institute; Memorial University; the Company of Master Mariners; the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineers; CF-Naval Engineering School (St. John’s detachment); the Canadian Merchant Navy Veterans Association – NL Branch; HMCS-Cabot; CFS-St. John’s; the Marine Institute Student Union and the Crow’s Nest Officer’s Club.

“We very much enjoyed having the veterans and their families come to the Marine Institute. In was an honour to host them,” said Blackwood. “We always hold our veterans close to our hearts and it is only fitting we publically pay tribute to them each year at this time.”

Also taking part in Tuesday’s ceremony were Canadian Naval cadets who are members of the Marine Institute’s Marine Engineering Technical Training Program and the Naval Combat Systems Technical Training Program. The Marine Institute is one only two post-secondary institutions in Canada that trains naval cadets in this fashion.

“These fine young men and women are our soldiers of tomorrow and future leaders in the Canadian Navy,” said Blackwood. “They are following in the footsteps of the extraordinary veterans who have served before them and we are confident our young cadets will display similar bravery and valour throughout their careers.”

A reception inside MI followed the Remembrance Day ceremony. Afterwards, veterans and their families were offered tours of the full-motion, full-mission bridge simulator in the Marine Institute’s Centre for Marine Simulation.