In the United States of America, World War 2 veterans are called the
greatest generation because the sacrifices they made defined the current shape
of geo-political affairs. And for both world wars, Belize was right in there.
And while the number of veterans are fading fast as old age advances, that doesn’t
mean we should forget the Belizean Vets who are still alive and those who died
in battle and thereafter. Today was observed as Remembrance Day and according
to the Belize Ex Services League President Bernard Adolphus, even after the
last veteran passes away there are plans to keep their memory alive.
Bernard Adolphus, Belize Ex-Services League President
“We have in record about 55 and we have twenty scattered around the
country that have not come in as yet. The door is opened, for some reason or 
the other they don’t want to, maybe they cannot as the case may be. But
what will happen is when they are very sick or when they are about to die, then
the families will make contact with us. But I am hoping that the families will
make contact before, long before, so we can record them.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Those who remain are elderly gentlemen, what happens after they pass on? The
Remembrance Day will always be there.
Bernard Adolphus,
“You will always have an Ex-Services League and you have young generation
of officers, soldiers now, and it is hoped that one day we will hand over this
whole business to the Belize Defense Force and if and when the last man is laid
to rest, we will hand over this place to the Ex-Services League, that’s
our long term plan.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Hand it over to the Belize Defense Force?
Bernard Adolphus,
“Hand it over to the Belize Defense Force.”
And in honour of the occasion this past Sunday wreaths were laid at
the Lord’s Ridge Cemetery and the Memorial Park. Among those laying the
wreaths were the Governor General and the Prime Minister.
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