Barrie hosts nighttime ceremony commemorating 80th anniversary of D-Day

A member of the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers participates in a nighttime ceremony on the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thurs. June 6, 2024 (Steve Mann/CTV News Barrie).

A large group gathered along Barrie's waterfront Thursday night for a special sunset ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

On Thursday, at 8:30 p.m., soldiers from the Grey & Simcoe Foresters gathered at the General John Hayter Southshore Community Centre. From there, they marched the short distance to the adjacent Military Heritage Park.

"The Grey & Simcoe Foresters participated in the D-Day landing; however, our unit had been disbanded and broken up," said Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Lacroix, the commanding officer for the group.

Thursday's nighttime ceremony also included members of the 400 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force, an actual D-Day fighting unit, and other members of the army and supporting military units.

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Lacroix said that the sunset gathering has historical significance.

"The sunset ceremony is in place for after a military unit would have posted their guards for the night, and it allows the soldiers who are not on guard duty for the night to rest peacefully while they wait for the next day's task," Lacroix said.

"So the night ceremony is part of a very old tradition where the guard commander would go around checking all the posts, making sure all…are on post and alert. The sound of the bugle calls reminds the soldiers that are going to bed that the camp is secure and safe overnight," Lacroix added.

At sunset, the navy, army and air force lowered three flags in a joint effort. All 13 fallen local soldiers were named.

The evening gathering was one of many commemoration ceremonies held throughout Simcoe County to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.