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A common bond
Thursday November 6 2008
 
“The (captain) came on the loudspeaker and told us we’d done all we could, but it was going to come down to luck. He suggested that if anyone onboard was religious, that they should pray.”
— Morley Barnes
“I know Canadian soldiers have died over there, but we can’t stop that— that’s war and it happens.”
—Michael McNeilly
The above quotations were taken from interviews with two Georgetown men in the past several weeks and while there may be a huge gap in their ages— Barnes is 83; McNeilly 21— they share a common bond of bravery and a desire to fight for freedom.
Barnes, a Second World War navy veteran related his time in the navy in our special Remembrance Day section on Wednesday. McNeilly, a private with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, 2RCR Golf Co., shared his thoughts in September as he was set to begin his eight-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Two men, two generations apart, fighting two different wars.
This weekend three Remembrance services will be held in Halton Hills. Tomorrow (Saturday) the Acton Legion holds its major Remembrance Day Parade and Ceremony at 10:15 a.m. Veterans will march from the olde Hide House to the Cenotaph on Mill St. The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m.
On Sunday, Nov. 9, the Georgetown Legion will hold a parade in Glen Williams. Veterans will gather at Glen Williams School at 10:30 a.m. and march to the Cenotaph at the corner of Confederation and Main Sts. for an 11 a.m. service.
Later veterans will march at 1:30 p.m. from the Georgetown Legion on Mill St. to the Cenotaph in Remembrance Park. The service will begin at 2 p.m.
We hope local residents take the time to attend one or more of these services, thank a veteran, or at least buy a poppy.
We owe these brave men and women— of both past and current generations— a debt of gratitude we can never repay.