Bells to toll on 100th anniversary of First World War end

Torontosun.com
November 5, 2018
Jane Stevenson

When the sun sets on Nov. 11 there will be an audible and moving reminder across the country of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

The Royal Canadian Legion-Veterans Affairs Bells of Peace campaign will see legion branches, spiritual centres and community locations throughout Canada ring their bells 100 times during the setting sun.

“As well as on naval ships, they’ll be tolling bells 100 times,” said Patsy Bolger-Gallant, Veterans Affairs’ Director of Learning, Web content and Special Projects.

“Because at the end of the armistice, of course, it was quite a celebration and the bells tolled all across the globe really. The Legion is reaching out to communities right across the country to have this happen.”

Back on Nov. 11, 1918, when news of the end of the war broke Canadian churches spontaneously rang their bells.

One hundred years later, the Bells of Peace will honour the more than 66,000 Canadians killed and the over 172,000 wounded in the First World War.

Patsy Bolger-Gallant, Veterans Affairs Director of Learning, Web content and Special Projects

The idea is that the bell ringing will begin in St. John’s, Nfld., and Labrador, and end on Vancouver Island, B.C., as the sun sets in different time zones across the country.

Poppy Chairman Robert “Buck” Buchanan, for The Royal Canadian Legion’s Ontario Provincial Command, says they also want kids to get involved on Nov. 11.

“Different communities will do different things,” said. “We would want our children that can place a flag on any World War One veteran’s grave. All the legions have been asked to partake in that and I don’t know of any that’s not in some way shape or form but the bell ringing is going to be across the country. That’s the biggest event.”

In Ottawa, the Peace Tower bells will ring as will those in Mons, Belgium, the final town freed by the Canadians at the end of the First World War.