YORKTON - The Royal Canadian Legion General Alexander Ross Branch No. 77 - Yorkton held a candlelight ceremony which took place at the cenotaph on Smith Street Friday.
Candlelight ceremonies began in 1995 when the people of the Netherlands held a special ceremony to commemorate their liberation by Canadian forces fifty years earlier, explained local Legion member Ken Gordon.
Dutch children placed lit candles on the graves of Canadian soldiers and the candles remained lit overnight in silent tribute, he read.
Residents were drawn to the cemeteries by the soft red glow of the candles burning in the dark.
As a result, commemorative candlelight tributes have now become annual ceremonies in the Netherlands and other European countries.
Similar tributes take place in Canada.
The ceremony was initiated in Yorkton several years ago by Richard Gibson, and is one of the candlelight ceremonies now hosted by the Legion annually, said Gordon.
