Remembrance saves the brave from anonymity, said the Chaplain during the Cecil J. Kinross Victoria Cross Grave Marker Re-dedication Ceremony held at the Lougheed Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The WWI hero from Lougheed will be remembered for years to come, thanks to a new and special grave marker.

The ceremony was held by the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, and included a stacking of the drums and colours, as well as the official unveiling of the new marker for Kinross, Lougheed native who received the Victoria Cross for his acts of bravery during the Battle of Passchendaele, at age 19.

Kinross returned to Lougheed after the war. He passed away in 1957, and was buried with full military honours, but it was recently noted that his grave marker did not reflect his VC status.

Family member nephew John Kinross Kennedy, representing the family, was considering loaning the medal to the City of Edmonton, resulting in Captain Rick Dumas, of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, visiting the cemetery and noting the lack of a proper VC marker.

The ceremony on Saturday included words from the Regiment Deputy Commanding Officer, Major John McCully, and from family, represented by Kennedy.

A special colour party, wearing uniforms and weapons representing a number of important Canadian battles, draped the drums with the Regimental flags during the unveiling ceremony.

A lone bugler stood at attention during the entire ceremony, dressed in the same uniform that Kinross would have worn
during his time in the service.

Read more in the October 27 edition of The Community Press, on newsstands now and via E-Subscription!

Leslie Cholowsky
Editor