Caledon Remembers: Remembrance Day services held in Caledon East, Bolton and Alton

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Caledon residents took time over the last week to remember those who served our country in times of war. 

Remembrance Day services were held across Caledon on and around Remembrance Day, November 11. 

On November 10, the Alton Legion hosted its annual ceremony, and on the same day another ceremony was held in Bolton at the cenotaph in Laurel Hill Cemetery. On November 11, a ceremony was held at Town Hall in Caledon East. 

Local politicians, volunteers, cadets, Legion members, religious leaders, the Caledon Fire and Emergency Services Honour Guard, and school communities were all involved in making these important ceremonies happen.

At the Bolton ceremony, a wreath was laid by 96-year-old former prisoner of war Vilma Howe, who lives in Caledon. 

Howe was 12 and living in Singapore during World War II. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Japanese invaded Singapore. Amid intense bombing, Howe and her family attempted to evacuate by boat, but their ship was hit in Sumatran waters. 

She and others on board were taken captive and brought to internment camps at Muntok and Palembang in Sumatra — many other evacuating ships were sunk along with all on board. Later in the war, Howe was transferred by sea to Singapore's Changi Jail. She spent time as a captive there, and at the Sime Road camp, until the camps were finally liberated in August of 1945.

“There are not many survivors left alive and not very many talk about it,” said Howe. “All you had was the clothes on your back when you got captured… I had an 88-year-old-grandmother, I don't know how she made it, she was tough.”

Howe said conditions in the camps were very bad, with Changi Jail being an especially horrible place.

Howe believes strongly in the importance of Remembrance Day and participates in ceremonies and lays a wreath each year. Previously, she's laid wreaths at Queen's Park in Toronto and in Singapore.