War veterans to be remembered on Sunday
Remembrance Day is a day set aside to give thanks to all those men and women around the world who served in the two world wars. Belizeans and residents of other Caribbean countries joined the allied forces and served as the British West Indies Regiment. Though observed internationally on the eleventh, locally a service to honor all those who fought in the wars will be held at the Memorial Park at nine a.m. on Sunday. After the ceremony, wreaths will be placed on the graves of those who have since passed away. Bernard Adolphus, President of the Ex-Services League, says that the prime minister, chief justice, other government officials, veterans and the uniformed services will attend and take part in the parade that follows.
Bernard Adolphus, President, Ex Services League
“Remembrance Day is remembering the sacrifice that all our veterans did, not only in Belize, but the Commonwealth allies because it was a team effort countrywide, worldwide that contributed to the downfall of Hitler’s ruling. Our Belizeans along with other West Indians did their job that was expected in different capacities. Some were Air Force men, some were sailors, some were ammunition workers in factories; some were soldiers; some even were woodcutters. A number of people don’t realize that it was from the Mahogany tree that most of these props were made for the airplane propeller. So we made a lot of contribution towards that.”
“We’re having a visitor, a gentleman by the name of Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Warren who is the financial controller of the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League. Normally there is a team who visits the Caribbean every three years. He’s coming here to speak to the Ex-Services veterans, have an interview with the executive. He particularly was interested to be here on Remembrance Day. He’ll participate, he’ll sit with us, with the ex-service men, he will have a chat with them at the park and when we are finished from the memorial park we are going to the cemetery where wreaths will be laid.”
Many of those who served in World War one and two were buried in countries such as France and Iraq. Mesopotamia is one area in Belize City named after a place visited by the British West Indies Regiment. Basra, Bagdad, Mosul, Tigris and Euphrates are several Belize City streets which carry the names of places visited by Belizeans on their tour of duty.
