Inside King's-Edgehill School
The students and staff of King’s-Edgehill School experienced a great day this year for the celebration of Remembrance Day. The weather was beautiful and warm. The students were on the mark. This year, due to COVID-19 circumstances, we did not dress in Highland Dress but rather donned the #1 uniform of King’s-Edgehill School. The Corps could not march downtown to the Windsor Cenotaph. In true School fashion we, once again, ignored the things we could not do and concentrated our efforts on the things we could. We stepped up our game to make this year truly memorable. Our Cenotaph was guarded by 4 Warrant Officers armed with Claymore Swords. They were directed by our Corps Drill Sergeant Major, Master Warrant Officer Jiahuan (Edward) He. The School marched on at 1045 hrs under the direction of the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major, Chief Warrant Officer Sarah Hilborn. Warrant Officers Melanie Bent and Yuxi (Lonnie) Luo shared Master of Ceremony duties for the event. Lance Corporal Lennon Rutledge opened the programme with a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem, “O Canada”. Warrant Officer Noah Szymanis gave us the “Act of Remembrance”. Master Warrant Officer Callum Lovelace then wowed us with his beautiful instrumentation as he rendered the “Last Post”. Master Corporal Sean Hurley played a haunting version of the “Lament” on the bagpipes. Callum then finished this segment off with “Reveille”.
And there was still more to come. Warrant Officer Emma Coughlan gave us the official bilingual version of the incredible poem by Colonel John McCrae, “In Flanders Fields”. This was followed by Master Warrant Officer Grace Gallant and her version of “A Canadian Moment”. Our choir, under the direction of Ms Stephanie Fillman, did an old Corps favorite, “Keep the Home Fires Burning”. This truly became a Canadian classic today as it was accompanied by a flyover of a flock of Canada geese. Thank you, Major Jarvis. The most solemn moment of the service was the reading of the Honour Roll by our Headmaster, Mr Joe Seagram. This is an incredible tribute to these former cadets who paid the supreme sacrifice. Cadets Rylan MacInnis and Isla Dove our youngest Cadets, stole the show as they laid the wreath on behalf of the Corps. Our School and Corps Chaplain, Reverend David Curry provided us with a moving Benediction and Prayer. Thank you, Rev. Lennon Rutledge ended our service with true dignity as she sang the Royal Anthem “God Save the Queen”. Thanks to the wonders of technology, our entire service was live streamed on Facebook.
I must say that I whined and complained this year because we would not be dressed in Highland Kilts and accoutrements. I am sure I thought the sky was falling. In retrospect I stood today, proudly, and gazed at the students of King’s-Edgehill School. I was amazed by their steadiness on parade and by the obvious respect and reverence that they displayed towards Veterans and the Day of Remembrance. What a great day to be a Cadet in the 254 and a student at King’s-Edgehill School!
