RCMP honour fallen comrade

E. Division Pipe Band leading procession. (Photo courtesy 24Hrs)

Langley, BC – Thousands of RCMP officers from around Canada, along with colleagues from police, fire and sheriff departments throughout BC, Washington and Australia paid their last respects to a fallen comrade at an RCMP regimental funeral in Langley on Tuesday, November 20.  Cst. Adrian Oliver was killed in a vehicle accident while on-duty in Surrey, November 12.

The RCMP E. Division Pipe Band, under Pipe Major Hugh Peden and and Drum Major Rob Smith led the procession into the Langley Events Centre. Both PipeMajor Peden and bandsman and active RCMP officer Frank Townsley provided pipe solos during the ceremony. The Vancouver Police Pipe Band, Delta Police Pipe Band and the Seattle Police Pipe Band also participated in the ceremony honouring Cst. Oliver’s life.

We were honoured to play a part in this solemn occasion and felt immense pride to be the pipe band representing the national police force of Canada.

Hundreds expected at Remembrance Day ceremony in Cloverdale, BC

(The following is a reprint of a story from The Cloverdale Reporter, by Jennifer Lang.)

Cloverdale Remembrance Day ceremony, photo courtesy The Cloverdale Reporter.

Surrey, BC – A colour party from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 6 and a parade of local veterans will lead off this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony in Cloverdale.

At 10:30 a.m., the parade will enter Surrey Museum Plaza, where they’ll be joined by members of the Surrey RCMP, the RCMP E Division Pipe Band, and serving members of the military, along with Surrey firefighters, emergency services personnel, and army, navy and air cadets, local Guides, Scouts, Sparks and Cubs.

The massive ceremony is held at Surrey’s World War I Cenotaph, beside the Surrey Archives building at 17671 56A Avenue. Bleachers will be set up to accommodate some of the crowds expected.

“It’s been growing every year,” Branch 6 president Frank Redekop said.

The ceremony includes a service, prayers, two minutes of silence observed at 11 a.m and “The Lament” from an RCMP bagpiper. Flypasts featuring Harvard military aircraft and another by the Fraser Blues will soar overhead.

After the laying of wreaths of remembrance, the RCMP pipe band and veterans will lead the parade back to the Cloverdale Legion.

There, participants, friends and family will gather for food and refreshments.