Southwold Keeps the Stories of Service Alive
That personal connection also guides the annual Silver Cross tribute, which honours a fallen service member from South- wold and connects their story with surviving family. This year’s tribute will remember First World War soldier, Guy Clarke. Diane’s research has uncov- ered letters and family details that help reveal the person be- hind his military record, includ- ing his motivation to enlist after his younger brother joined up. The ceremony’s approach was shaped by veterans who
Author and historian, Ted Barris will return to Shedden this November as Southwold Remembers gathers the community to honour military service, sacrifice and the stories that connect them to home. Shedden’s 2026 Remembrance Day ceremony takes place Sunday, November 8, at the Southwold Keystone Complex located at 35921 Talbot Line, Southwold. The indoor service begins at 9:30 am, with the procession to the outdoor memorial service beginning at 10:45 am. Barris’s presentation, ‘Women on the Homefront’, will highlight a part of wartime history. His books include The Great Escape: A Canadian Story, Dam Busters: Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid Against Nazi Germany, and more. His return continues a longstanding relationship with Southwold Remembers, where his storytelling has become a much-anticipated part of the an- nual gathering. “We have a speaker, and there’s nobody better than Ted Barris,” says organizer, Len Lynch. Len and fellow organizer, Rev. Diane Macpherson are helping prepare the 27th ceremony, continuing a tradition that began in November 2000. The memorial grew from a community landscaping project at the Keystone Complex, eventually becoming a lasting tribute to local veterans. At the inaugural service, a plaque was unveiled bearing the names of 66 Southwold men who died in the two World Wars. For Len, remembrance means helping people recognize those names as neighbours who once lived, worked and enjoyed life in their community. “You’ve got to humanize,” he says, “Because they were people.”
Featured speaker and author Ted Barris
From Courage in Combat to Compassion in Care We Remember. By combining Barris’s historical storytelling with Southwold’s own wartime experiences, the gathering offers a meaningful opportunity for families to learn together, reflect together and remember the people whose service continues to shape their community. It is a tradition built by neighbours, sustained by volunteers and grounded in the importance of keeping these stories alive for future generations. served on the organizing committee, including Lorne Spicer and Noble Tufford. Their presence gave the work a personal purpose. “Whatever we do, we do to honour these two men,” Diane points out. Their influence continues as the committee works carefully to pre- serve local history and present it respectfully. For Len, one question still helps guide decisions: “How would Lorne handle this?”
“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”
Thomas Campbell
Nurse Next Door
www.williamsfuneralhomeltd.com 45 Elgin Street, St. Thomas (519) 631-0850 Allan, Matt and Ali Hughson & Staff
519-203-2003 nursenextdoor.com
“The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their story for them.” Czesław Miłosz
We Remember. We Honour. We Thank You.
1026 Talbot St, St Thomas • 519-631-8428 www.elgincarpetonesaintthomas.com
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Hometown St. Thomas • November 2026 • Page 29
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