Image from  past Military Church Parade   marks start of Veteran’s Week in Prince George – photo  250News archive

Prince George, B.C.-   For the past  five years, on the  Sunday before Remembrance Day,  the Military Church Parade  has taken place at the Prince George Cemetery  and this Sunday is no exception.

The history of the Military Church Parade  is a non-denominational  service  where military corps members would march to church on Sunday  for a special  service  to  honour  all veterans.  The practice fizzled out after World War II, but was revived in Prince George in 2011. Since then  it has  taken place  on the Sunday  before Remembrance Day  to  officially start  Veteran’s Week. Members of the public are   welcome to attend.

Set to  start at 10:30 on Sunday morning, the Military Church Parade  involves  members  of the Royal Canadian Legion, Sea Cadets, Air Cadets, Rocky Mountain Ranger Cadets, Navy League Cadets and the RCMP who march  to the Veterans section of the Prince George  Cemetery  for a special service.

The march starts at the cemetery gates to the Veterans Memorial (on the west side of the Cemetery). The non-denominational ceremony is performed  and a prayer offered  for veterans interred in the cemetery.

This Sunday’s  Military Church Parade will be followed by a gathering at the  Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43  at 12:30 where members of the Rocky Mountain Ranger Army Cadets will make a presentation to mark the 100th anniversary of the battles of he  Somme and Beaumont-Hamel