First World War vet to pass torch in ceremony

[PMedMoe]

Remembrance Day event to mark 90 years since war's end
Jennifer Campbell, Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, November 06, 2008

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"Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you, from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields."

In Flanders Fields,

Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae

Inspired by that verse, Tuesday's Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial will have a unique feature for a unique anniversary. To mark the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, the date for which Remembrance Day was chosen, veterans, a cadet, a peacekeeper and an active soldier will take part in a "passing of the torch" ceremony.

"There's only one (First World War) veteran left, and so we felt it's time that the torch be passed on," explained Bob Butt, spokesman for the Royal Canadian Legion, which organizes the ceremony each year.

At the ceremony, there will be recent video footage of 108-year-old John Babcock, Canada's last surviving First World War veteran, from his home in Spokane, Washington. He will hold out the torch to symbolically pass it to Canadian cadet in Ottawa, who will offer the same torch to Second World War veteran George Dunlop.

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[Michael OLeary]

"There's only one (First World War) veteran left, and so we felt it's time that the torch be passed on," explained Bob Butt, spokesman for the Royal Canadian Legion, which organizes the ceremony each year.

At the ceremony, there will be recent video footage of 108-year-old John Babcock, Canada's last surviving First World War veteran, from his home in Spokane, Washington. He will hold out the torch to symbolically pass it to Canadian cadet in Ottawa, who will offer the same torch to Second World War veteran George Dunlop.

Mr. Dunlop, of Carleton Place, served in England and Scotland with the 17th Duke of York Royal Canadian Hussars and landed in France six days after D-Day. He fought in France and was involved in the liberation in Holland.

Mr. Dunlop will then pass the torch to Korean War veteran Wilbert Alwin (Al) Tobio, who went to Korea in 1951 as a stretcher bearer and ambulance attendant. He then joined the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps and served in Canada and abroad before joining the cadet instructors list. The Arnprior resident, who has been national president of the Korea Veterans Association since 2007, retired in 1994 as commanding officer 2677 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps.

Mr. Tobio will pass the torch to Ottawa's James Robert O'Brien, who joined the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps in 1960 and subsequently served one year in the Sinai Desert with the United Nations Emergency Force 1, and was commander of the Canadian contingent in the Middle East in 1983.

The torch then goes to Sgt. Randy Gordon Keirstead of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, who served three times - Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan - in a reconnaissance squadron.

It's too bad that the story managed to identify the regiment or corps of all participants, except John Babcock.

John Babcock served with The Royal Canadian Regiment.

 

[vonGarvin]

It's too bad that the story managed to identify the regiment or corps of all participants, except John Babcock.

John Babcock served with The Royal Canadian Regiment.

VERY interesting!  I wonder if he knew my great uncle, also of The Royal Canadian Regiment?

 

[PuckChaser]

What a truly touching initiative!!!

 

[gun runner]

I'm just glad that somebody had the initiative to make this a reality before Mr. Babcock rejoins his comrades, it is truly an act of patriotism we should all be proud of. Ubique