Burma Star Association - B.C. Chapter
Vancouver and its surrounding cities and municipalities worked for months planning a suitable remembrance and celebration to signify the 60th Anniversary of VE Day. The whole thing was being arranged by a group of bureaucrats who planned and planned but took very little notice of the input from various veterans groups that attended their meetings. The planning committee (which did not have a single veteran aboard) kept on moving all the goal posts. They insisted on determining which veterans groups would be permitted to participate and whether they should be allowed to present wreaths etc. ad infinitum. The entire handling of it was a glorified fiasco. Ultimately it was cancelled and the reason given was that there was no general support for it, or interest in it. No wonder!
So instead, many of our BSA, British Columbia Branch chose to attend an event in the City of Coquitlam which was hosted jointly by the city and Branch 263 of the Royal Canadian Legion. It proved to be exactly the right mix of sadness and remembrance along with jubilation and thankfulness that the horrors of war were now behind us all. I give a tip of the hat once more to the dedicated efforts of RCL Branch 263 for a job well done.
Sunday, May 8th. several members of our branch attended a fitting VE Day ceremony organised by Branch 263 of the Royal Canadian Legion (where we hold our meetings) in Coquitlam.
First we gathered close by their cenotaph then marched to it. The remembrance service was short but meaningful as always and in spite of the conflict of Mother's Day there was quite a large crowd to cheer us on. The march back to the Legion was about ten blocks long, preceded by a terrific pipe band plus a cadet band - and we all managed to stay on our feet and 'swing those arms' even in a slight drizzle.
Tables were reserved for us at the Legion which then supplied us with drink tickets and a lovely soup/sandwich and dessert lunch. This was followed by entertainment given by Linda Jones. She was the lady who stirred the blood of all 500 members and guests who attended our last Burma Star Reunion in Vancouver and many of you will remember her fondly.
She knows all the songs we love, even those with lyrics not generally know to the public. She has charm and energy in spades. Unstintingly, Linda gave a long concert divided into two parts, then the floor and stage area were cleared for dancing until the late hours – not the wee hours as we once used to do - but still late for us oldsters! Altogether it was another of those memorable days which brighten up our lives.
Joe Arblaster, Webmaster