Soldiers, veterans honoured at Kapyong 75th anniversary parade

CFB SHILO — Soldiers, veterans, dignitaries and community members gathered Saturday afternoon at Korea Parade Square in Canadian Forces Base Shilo to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Kapyong.

The parade was a defining moment in Canada’s military history during the Korean War.

The event paid tribute to the 25,540 Canadians who served in the Korean Theatre of Operations between 1950 and 1953 to defend the freedom of the Republic of Korea. Of those, 516 died, 1,211 were wounded and 33 were taken prisoner.

Among those in attendance was Korean War veteran Edward Ryan, who reflected on his experience serving overseas and the lasting bonds formed in uniform.

“It was a situation where I got to know my fellow man better,” Ryan told the Sun. “They’re a great bunch of guys. I was really proud to serve … It’s a camaraderie that you acquire when you join the army, with people from the East Coast, the West Coast — places I’d never been before.”

Ryan, who had never left Winnipeg before deployment, recalled travelling through British Columbia en route to Korea and being struck by the beauty of the Canadian Rockies. But more enduring, he said, were the relationships built in service.

“You don’t experience it unless you live it,” he said.

Ryan said watching the anniversary parade decades later carried deep meaning.

“It was another indication of how good it is to be associated with these kinds of people,” Ryan said. “It’s soldier to soldier … a great feeling to know that you have been backing up other people from other parts of Canada.”

Master Warrant Officer Lewis Forbes, who served as parade sergeant major for the ceremony, said the event marked the milestone anniversary of the battle fought in April 1951.

“For the past two weeks, it’s been a whirlwind,” Forbes told the Sun.

Soldiers of the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI), conducted 14 drill practices alongside uniform preparations and a full-dress rehearsal, he said.

“It is literally one of the greatest honours,” he said. “I stepped into the role in place of the regimental sergeant major, who was in Korea for parallel commemorations.”

Despite windy conditions, Forbes said the parade unfolded as planned.

“The soldiers’ execution was sharp … exactly what you would like,” he said, adding that the return to large-scale parade formations offered valuable lessons in discipline and co-ordination after years of operational commitments.

The ceremony featured remarks from dignitaries, including former governor general Adrienne Clarkson, who serves as colonel-in-chief of the regiment, MP Grant Jackson, Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett, and Barry Cooper, among others.

Clarkson shared a deeply personal story tied to the war, recalling a childhood friend whose brother, Alec Gray, joined the Second Battalion and was killed in Korea.

“He never came home,” she said. “He personified the sacrifice … particularly the sacrifices of the Second Battalion in Korea.”

Clarkson said Canada’s contribution helped shape modern South Korea into a thriving nation.

“We can be happy that our sacrifices did that,” she said. “That will always be something that we can remember and cherish.”

Reviewing officer John Errington emphasized the enduring legacy of Kapyong within the regiment and the Canadian Armed Forces.

“The bond between this battalion and Kapyong is immediate, unique and enduring,” he said. “It is part of the battalion’s living identity.”

Errington drew parallels between the soldiers who fought in 1951 and those serving today.

“They relied upon their training, their leadership, their trust in one another,” he said. “When the moment came, they did what was required of them without hesitation.”

He added that the values demonstrated at Kapyong — resilience, discipline and commitment — remain essential in today’s complex and unpredictable security environment.

Also addressing the crowd was Jae Kim, president of the Korean Society of Manitoba, who highlighted the global significance of the battle and its lasting impact.

“Despite facing overwhelming odds, UN forces … successfully held their ground,” Kim said. “Their defiance halted the enemy’s advance and shifted the tide of the war.”

While many veterans have passed on, their legacy endures, he said.

“They live on, deeply rooted in the hearts of all of us,” he said. “Koreans around the world continue to honour the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers.”

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