52nd ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR FALLEN PARATROOPERS

by | Apr 21, 2020 | Events, News | 0 comments

Memorial Cairn - 8 May 1968 2 Airborne Signal Troop

2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
Headquarters and Signal Squadron
Garrison Petawawa
PO Box 9999 Station Main
Petawawa, ON K8H 2X3

1000-1 (CO)

20 April 2020

Dear Families, Friends, past and present serving Canadian Armed Forces Members

52nd ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR FALLEN PARATROOPERS

The 52nd annual memorial service for the fallen paratroopers was scheduled to be held on Sunday, 3 May 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 threat, in consultation with Mr. Dennis Stow who has been faithfully organizing the memorial event for more than a decade, we regret to inform you that this year’s fallen paratroopers memorial service will be cancelled. Cancelling this service is not something we have taken lightly given the importance of remembering those who served and sacrificed in days gone by, but we must protect our soldiers, communities and families by contributing to slow down the progression of COVID-19.

Although we cannot convene as a group at the new cairn location near the Memorial Park, the Regimental Sergeant-Major, Chief Warrant Officer Tanner, and I will conduct a small ceremony with a view to lay a wreath at the cairn to honour the seven paratroopers from 2 Signal Squadron and the Royal Canadian Regiment who lost their lives in the Ottawa River on 8 May 1968. Images and video of this ceremony will be made available through social media and other communication platforms, including our 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron’s Facebook page.

We would like to take the opportunity to inform you that, with the support from the 4th Canadian Division Support Group, the cairn was recently refurbished and moved from the Wegner Point to the hill overlooking the Ottawa River, near and to the left of the Afghanistan Forest. This new location is closer to the garrison main entrance and will remain easily accessible by visitors all year round once the restrictions due to COVID-19 are lifted. The cairn in its new location will continue to serve as a memorial to remind the public and the garrison of this tragedy.

Please forward this letter to any interested community members. If you have any questions, comments, or if you would like to add points of contact to the distribution list for next year’s memorial service, please do not hesitate to let me know. Any questions on how to access this year’s ceremony photos or video on social media, or to request individual copies, can be directed to our unit Public Affairs Representative, Lt Natasha Germain, at [email protected].

Reflect, reconnect and never forget. We will remember them.

 

P.J.G. Perron
Lieutenant-Colonel
Commanding Officer

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