Warriors at Coe Hill on holiday weekend
By Jack Evans, For The Intelligencer
Signs of interest, even affection for classic and antique vehicles abound in the Quinte area with street meets and show and shine events throughout the area.
North Hastings’ Coe Hill community offers something completely different with its annual Warriors Day Parade on the Labour Day holiday weekend. It is billed as “the largest Second World War military vehicle parade in Ontario.”
The parade includes the rumble of authentic tanks, Jeeps, bren gun carriers, period ambulance and other service vehicles. It has been drawing huge crowds in recent years, those who weren’t there and wonder what it was like and those who were and want to relive memories.
While Quinte area veterans, especially from The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment and many Royal Canadian Legion branches in the region are among key supporters, the Coe Hill weekend now attracts people from across Ontario and beyond because of its unique parade, which again will include the restored bren gun carrier normally on display in the Belleville Armouries.
The parade includes The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment Pipe Band, veterans, cadet groups and motorized equipment. It begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2, and runs along Coe Hill’s Main Street to the fairgrounds. It is the highlight of the weekend, but there are other associated events, including, this year, a “drop-in” by the famed Canadian Forces Skyhawks Parachute Team at 1 p.m. preceding the parade.
Activities actually begin Saturday with displays and demonstrations of military vehicles at the fair grounds and a military re-enactment show at 1:30 p.m. Coe Hill Legion Branch 581 will host a dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a social evening.
Following Sunday’s parade is a military church parade at the Memorial Cenotaph with wreath layings and a closing dinner at the fair grounds.
A farewell breakfast open to all for $5 each will be served Monday morning at the Legion. The Legion Dinner Saturday evening is also open with a cost of $12.
Chairman for the event is Lt. Col. (Ret.) John Sherry, of Belleville, who noted: “Our mission is to introduce our younger generation to Hastings’ and Prince Edward’s military history in the interest of preserving our Canadian military heritage.”
Full Article
North Hastings’ Coe Hill community offers something completely different with its annual Warriors Day Parade on the Labour Day holiday weekend. It is billed as “the largest Second World War military vehicle parade in Ontario.”
The parade includes the rumble of authentic tanks, Jeeps, bren gun carriers, period ambulance and other service vehicles. It has been drawing huge crowds in recent years, those who weren’t there and wonder what it was like and those who were and want to relive memories.
While Quinte area veterans, especially from The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment and many Royal Canadian Legion branches in the region are among key supporters, the Coe Hill weekend now attracts people from across Ontario and beyond because of its unique parade, which again will include the restored bren gun carrier normally on display in the Belleville Armouries.
The parade includes The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment Pipe Band, veterans, cadet groups and motorized equipment. It begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2, and runs along Coe Hill’s Main Street to the fairgrounds. It is the highlight of the weekend, but there are other associated events, including, this year, a “drop-in” by the famed Canadian Forces Skyhawks Parachute Team at 1 p.m. preceding the parade.
Activities actually begin Saturday with displays and demonstrations of military vehicles at the fair grounds and a military re-enactment show at 1:30 p.m. Coe Hill Legion Branch 581 will host a dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a social evening.
Following Sunday’s parade is a military church parade at the Memorial Cenotaph with wreath layings and a closing dinner at the fair grounds.
A farewell breakfast open to all for $5 each will be served Monday morning at the Legion. The Legion Dinner Saturday evening is also open with a cost of $12.
Chairman for the event is Lt. Col. (Ret.) John Sherry, of Belleville, who noted: “Our mission is to introduce our younger generation to Hastings’ and Prince Edward’s military history in the interest of preserving our Canadian military heritage.”
Full Article