Friday, May 8, 2020, marked the 75th Anniversary of VE Day, when the Second World War in the European Theatre came to end.
The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 24 Cranbrook, marked the occasion with a small wreath laying ceremony at the Cenotaph in Rotary Park. Representing the Legion were Larry Miller, Bob Muir and Bill Cnossen. The wreath was laid on behalf of the Legion, the 1813 (Lord Strathcona Horse) Army Cadets and the 552 Key City Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
Legion member Larry Miller recalled the scene 75 years ago to the day in the very same Cranbrook park. The people of Cranbrook, upon hearing the news of the end of the war in Europe, dropped what they were doing and headed down to the park (the cenotaph was in a different location then), for a mass celebration, including an impromptu parade, headed by the Johnson Brothers band.
Canada had been at war for almost six years at that point.