Remembrance Day Close to Hearts
Toronto Police Service officers who served on peacekeeping and training missions joined war veterans at a Remembrance Day observance, marking 107 years since the first Armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
The ceremony was held at police headquarters.
For retired Sergeant Doug Surphlis, Remembrance Day carries special meaning as many members of his family have served in the military. Two of his great uncles are commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, his grandfather was wounded at Vimy Ridge in World War I, and his father served at Dieppe in World War II. In addition, his son serves in the Canadian Armed Forces.
“It is important to remember because my family has served this country since 1915. I honour my family and those that served with my family,” said Surphlis, who briefly served with the Royal Regiment in the late 1980s before becoming a Cadet Instructor Cadre officer, a position he held for 15 years.
While serving with the Royal Regiment of Canada, Surphlis’ father, Charles Surphlis, was captured at Dieppe and held as a prisoner of war for three years. He was liberated on May 2, 1945, and returned home. Seeking work, he joined the Toronto Police Force in September 1945. Remarkably, he was reunited with three other Dieppe veterans who were also prisoners of war who all joined the same class of police constabales.
James Donald retired as Staff Inspector and William Olver and Campbell Brown retired as Staff Sergeants. Charles Surphlis himself retired from TPS as a Staff Inspector in 1985.
Reflecting on his own experience serving in Afghanistan during 2013-14 as part of the European Union Police Mission, Superintendent Tyrone Hilton emphasized the importance of honoring and remembering those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives.
“It is also vital to keep their names alive as that reminds us of the sacrifices they made so we can enjoy the freedom that we have today,” he noted.
The Toronto Police Military Veterans Association (TPMVA) ceremony took place in front of the Wall of Honour where the names of Toronto Police Service members who served in World War I & II are etched on plaques.
Chief Myron Demkiw, Toronto Police Service Board Chair Shelley Carroll and TPMVA President Dana Gidlow laid wreaths in honour of the fallen.
Retired Staff Sergeant Gord Barrett paid tribute to his great-uncle Frederick Topham by laying a wreath in his honour.
A medical orderly who parachuted with his battalion into a strongly defended area east of the Rhine during World War Two, Topham was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry. He died in 1974.
Constable Matt Scarlino and Sergeant John Lo Bianco read the names of the fallen members in the two World Wars and Gidlow did the ‘Ode to the Fallen’.
Retired World War veteran Jack Reid attended the event.
Joining Toronto Police in 1941 as a Clerk in the Chief’s Office, he took leave two years later to enlist with the Royal Canadian Navy and serve aboard the HMCS Longueil during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Receiving his discharge after the War, Reid rejoined Toronto Police and was sworn in as a Constable.
Rising to the rank of Staff Superintendent, Reid – who turned 100 earlier this year – retired in 1984.
