Canada's Merchant Navy Commemorated

The contribution of Canada's Merchant Navy will be marked through a memorial being unveiled at Bedford's DeWolfe Park during a ceremony Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The memorial, which will be unveiled in a ceremony beginning at 11 a.m., is one of several legacy projects sponsored by Democracy 250 to commemorate the efforts of those who helped the evolution of Canadian democracy.

The Bedford Celebrates D250 Committee and Immigration Minister Len Goucher came up with the concept for the memorial.

"The 250th anniversary of democracy in Canada is an ideal time to honour members of Canada's Merchant Navy -- 2,200 of whom died during Second World War convoy attacks," said retired colonel Bruce Gilchrist, co-chair of the Bedford committee.

"We wanted to have some type of event that would bring out the entire community, but rather than simply host a celebration, we thought it would be more fitting to leave a legacy in Admiral Harry DeWolfe Park."

DeWolfe Park commemorates the memory of Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolfe, one of Bedford's own, whose efforts in the English Channel, as part of the 10th Flotilla, ensured the success of the D-Day landing in 1944 and ultimately restored democracy to Europe.

"I am so pleased that as we mark 250 years of Canadian democracy, we are using the occasion to honour the men and woman serving in today's Canadian Forces; our veterans and, through this memorial, those who served in the Merchant Navy," added Democracy 250 co-chair Russell MacLellan. "Long after the celebrations are over, the memorial, an anchor donated by the Canadian Navy, will serve as a visual reminder of our military history.

"Above all, it is a way of showing our gratitude to those who helped the Merchant Navy play a vital role in the Allied Forces that brought an end to the Second World War. It is a chance for us to say that We Will Never Forget."

Canada's Naval Memorial HMCS Sackville, a veteran of the Second World War, will make a historic trip to the Bedford Basin from the berth downtown to participate in the commemorative ceremony. Merchant and naval veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic will be onboard. HMCS Goose Bay, a Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, will be on station in the basin, to represent Canada's modern navy. Entertainment will be provided by the Stadacona Band Maritime Forces Atlantic.

People are encouraged to attend the commemoration and unveiling ceremonies. DeWolfe Park is on the basin off Waterfront Drive, at the foot of Convoy Run, in Bedford.

For more information, visit www.democracy250.ca .