Remembrance of Fallen
A Remembrance Day ceremony was held at Toronto police headquarters with officers who served on peacekeeping and training missions joining war veterans for the observance marking the 106th year of the first Armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
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.
Toronto police officer and military veteran Constable Dave Donaldson had many people who served Canada on his mind. His great grandfather and grandfather served in World Wars I & II respectively.
“The sacrifices they made are immeasurable and I remember them on this day and always,” said the Public Safety Response Team member who recited the war poem In Flanders Fields. “This is also a day for us to reflect and remember those who did not get to enjoy their youthful days because they were serving overseas and those who lost their lives defending our freedoms. They made that sacrifice to ensure we can live as we do now.”
A police officer for 17 years, Donaldson served during Operation Medusa in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007 as a member Queen’s York Rangers, a reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment.
“I lost some soldiers who I served with, who had become my friends,” said Donaldson.
Constables Aaron Dale and Jeremy Burns, who served in the Canadian Armed Forces, developed the Service’s Military Veterans Wellness Program, the first of its kind in law enforcement to enhance the wellbeing of veterans and prevent suicide and homelessness.
“On this Remembrance Day, we honor those who have served, reflecting on their sacrifices and unwavering commitment,” said Dale. “Through the Military Veterans Wellness Program, we aim to continue that legacy of service by supporting veterans in need, ensuring they have access to the resources, compassion, and respect they deserve. This program isn’t just about assistance, It’s about acknowledging the courage of those who stood for our freedoms and building a future where every veteran is valued and supported within Toronto and the rest of the Canada.”
Chief Myron Demkiw, Toronto Police Services Board Chair Ann Morgan and TPMVA Past President and World War II veteran Jack Reid laid wreaths in honour of the fallen.
Joining Toronto Police in 1941 as a Clerk in the Chief’s Office, Reid 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, he rejoined Toronto Police and was sworn in as a Constable.
Rising to the rank of Staff Superintendent, Reid – who turned 99 earlier this year – retired in 1984.
Retired Staff Sergeant Gord Barrett paid tribute to family member and close friend Frederick Topham by laying a wreath in his honour. Topham was Barrett’s great-great-uncle.
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.
In the benediction, Toronto Police Chaplain Daniel Saugh told Reid he is Toronto Police’s Military Veterans Association living memory.
