On Sunday, 15th October, 2023, the 2nd Annual Latin American Remembrance Day Ceremony was held at the National Military Cemetery within Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. The day was coolish, but not unpleasantly so, and overcast with the threat of rain. Notwithstanding, the ceremony took place outside and was co-hosted by the Embassy of the Argentine Republic (along with Beechwood Cemetery and the Latin American Soldiers Committee). Each year, a different Latin American country co-hosts the remembrance, with last year’s host being Mexico and this year Argentina. The ceremony is many things including a celebration of the contributions of Latin Americans to Canada (and the world), a remembrance of those who gave their lives to Canada, some being Canadian citizens and some not, and a recognition of the greater Latin American community within Canada.
To see all the pictures, CLICK HERE
Now, to be clear, when one talks of Latin Americans, it’s not just people with Spanish heritage or Central/South American/ Mexican indigenous lineage but because of European immigration to those areas over the centuries, many Latin Americans sport European heritage. And while one thinks of Latin Americans as coming from traditional Latin American countries, one mustn’t forget the first generation Latins who emigrated to other countries (many in Europe) as well as those considered European even though they were born in the Latin American country (jus sanguinis)
This year it was the Ambassador to Canada from the Argentine Republic, Her Excellency Josefina Martínez Gramuglia, who addressed the audience of well over 100 people about the Latino contributions to Canada’s Armed Forces from WWI up to the present day. She spoke of the combatants from Argentina who fought in WWI (4,800 in the British Army, 5,800 in the French Army and 32,400 in the Italian Army) and specifically mentioned the 90 that enrolled in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In WWII Argentina was a neutral country and still had over 5,000 volunteers serve, including 400 women, none who received a war pension nor asked for one.
Many fought as aircrew such as Juan Conran, the first Argentine to bomb Berlin, and Bernardo Noel de Larminat who carried out 345 combat missions destroying three and damaging two enemy aircraft, 50 cars and 5 trains becoming the most decorated Argentine pilot flying with the RAF and RCAF. There was Maureen Dunlop who, along with 164 other women as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary of the RAF, flew aircraft from manufacturers to bases and flew 38 different types of aircraft eventually becoming a trainer and flying for the Argentine Air Force after the war. More than 550 pilots from Argentina fought in WWII with 122 paying the ultimate price and only 300 returning. All this and more from only a single Latin American country.
Wreaths were laid on behalf of Canada (Robert Lӧken – Veterans Affairs Canada), the Argentine Republic (Ambassador Martínez Gramuglia), the Canadian Armed Forces (VCDS, LGen Frances Allen), Veterans of All Wars (Capt. Terry Hunter), in Memoriam (Capt. Garcia-Salas), the Latin American Community, and the Maple Leaf March.
As part of the end of the ceremony, MGen Michel-Henri St. Louis, Canadian Defence Attaché to the United States, got to open the envelope that designated next year’s co-host of this event. The winner was Peru, there was no first runner-up. After group pictures were taken, it was back to the main building at Beechwood for the reception where the Latin American Soldiers Committee presented a plaque bearing the names of the Argentine soldiers who died during WWI to the Argentine Ambassador.
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