The crowds around the Fort Langley cenotaph overflowed onto nearby sidewalks and yards on Wednesday during the Remembrance Day ceremony.
Among the thousands who came to remember veterans and those who died in warfare were Jim and Andrea Hagen.
Jim brought a bouquet of flowers for the grave of his father Lorance Hagen, interred in the veteran’s section of the cemetery.
Lorance served during the Second World War but was still in training when the war ended.
“His brother George served from, I believe 1939 to the end of the war, and his other brother Gar was overseas,” said Jim.
Jim comes every year to visit his father’s grave and see the ceremony.
“It means a lot, what these guys fought for and the horrible things they had to endure,” Jim said.
His uncles never talked about what they experienced during the war, Jim said.
The Fort ceremony included a greeting by master of ceremonies Warren Sommer, who read out the names of several Langley veterans who passed away in the last year.
There were a number of prayers, hymns, and poetry readings.
“As we travel the road of uncertainty, give us the wisdom to realize that the journey towards peace begins with us – for You have called us to peace and You are peace itself,” said Rev. Eileen Nurse.
Student Taylor Carlson read In Flander’s Fields and RCMP Const. Cody Rempel read Lawrence Binyon’s poem For the Fallen.
After the laying of wreaths by local dignitaries, clubs, unions, service organizations and children’s groups, individuals placed their poppies on the cenotaph.