For the first time since the National War Memorial was first unveiled in July of 1924, there will be no Memorial Day Parade in St. John’s.

In recent years, attendance at the annual ceremony marking the Battle of Beaumont Hamel has increased, but this year people are being asked to stay home.

Some 800 members of the Newfoundland Regiment went “over the top” on July 1st, 1916. Only 68 answered roll call the following morning.

The Memorial Day service looks a lot different this year but there’s a small group still gathered at the war memorial in downtown St. John’s.

The virtual ceremony took place earlier. https://t.co/f5yfRhB7sy@VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/MTbLmeJfaD

— Victoria Battcock (@VicBattcockVOCM) July 1, 2020

While a ceremonial wreath-laying will occur at the National War Memorial, residents are being asked to stay away, and instead watch the video on the Royal Canadian Legion’s Facebook page which is also posted below.

Woodrow French is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 50 in CBS.

He says July 1st is an important day for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, the impact of which is still being felt deeply, even today.

He says members of the Newfoundlander Regiment bravely moved forward against a hail of gunfire. French says a lot of people lost their lives that day, and it’s been said by many historians in the province that it nearly wiped out an entire generation of young men in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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Memorial Day Service
11am, July 1

Join the Newfoundland and Labrador Command of the Royal Canadian Legion at https://t.co/UdNCU1rtJp for a Memorial Day Service from the National War Memorial, to honour the fallen members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. pic.twitter.com/LDh99SU47D

— City of St. John's (@CityofStJohns) July 1, 2020