Dave Munro of Chemainus Legion 191 represented the branch in the commemoration of a military tragedy that occurred 52 years ago on May 8, 1968.
Munro laid a wreath at the Chemainus cenotaph on his own amid the COVID-19 restrictions for crowd gathering.
“This is the first time we haven’t been able to have the celebration of life for these guys in ‘68,” he said.
Ceremonies are held annually in Petawawa, Ont., put on by the Signal Corp Canadian Airborne Forces Association, and on Vancouver Island by the Canadian Airborne Forces Association Branch No. 8 Drop Zone Vancouver Island.
Paratroopers were blown off course during a training exercise at the Canadian military base in Petawawa and wound up in the frigid waters of the Ottawa River.
Seven of the 22 blown off course drowned in the worst peacetime parachute accident in the history of the Canadian Armed Forces. Three of the men were from the Royal Canadian Regiment and four from Royal Canadian Signals Corp.
The brave wives and their children had to start a new life after the tragedy. Two of the families had nine children under the age of seven while one woman had two sets of twins and was pregnant with another child.
Munro was among those from the Royal Canadian Legion who took a moment to acknowledge the spouses of Canadian Forces members who kept their families together through great sacrifice and minimal assistance.