90-year-old veteran draws tears at Remembrance Day

Some ex-servicemen could not help but shed tears as the Binyon’s verses were read at the 2018 Remembrance Day celebration at the Cenotaph square, Kumasi.

The recitation read by 90-year old Ex-Sergeant Samuel Kwabeng, formerly of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), was the climax of the occasion and saw a number of the veterans who participated in World War II in tears as they recounted some of their difficult moments in the line of duty.

“They went into battle; they were young, straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and glow”.

“They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted. They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall not grow old. Age shall not weary them. Nor the years condemn”.

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember them,” Ex-Sergeant Kwabeng noted.

At exactly 11:11 a.m., the siren was sounded to mark the end of hostilities of the World War I.

The Day is commemorated every year to remember the fallen heroes who perished in the War, and also soldiers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.

Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, laid a wreath on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, while Brigadier-General Cosmos Alhassan, General Officer Commanding the Central Command of the GAF, also laid one on behalf of the security services.

Ex-Warrant Officer (WO) 1, George Appiah, the Regional Chairman of the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG), laid a wreath on behalf of the veterans as the Bantamahene, Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatia, also laid one on behalf of the chiefs and people.

Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), as well as priests from the various faiths took turns to pray for the fallen heroes.

The Day saw a total of eight (8) officers and 175 men drawn from the GAF, Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Prisons Service and other security agencies mounting a parade under the command of Captain Nicholas Mensah of the Fourth Infantry Battalion (4BN).