Remembrance Sunday Celebrated

Dignitaries and attendees, donned in poppies, gathered together in honour of fallen seafarers and veterans this morning.  

Following tradition, the Remembrance Sunday events, which took place at the Elmslie Memorial Church on Grand Cayman and the War Memorial Cenotaph on Cayman Brac, fell silent precisely at 11 a.m. for two minutes in quiet reverence of those who valiantly fought.

Both ceremonies began with a parade fitting to honour these brave men and women. On Grand Cayman contingents included: The Royal Cayman Islands Police Band, a Detachment of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, a Detachment of the Cayman Islands Fire Service, a Detachment of Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service, a Detachment of the Girls’ Brigade Cayman Islands, a Detachment of the Cayman Islands Scouts and Cub Scouts, a Detachment of the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, a Detachment of Seventh Day Pathfinders, and for the first time Detachments of the Cayman Islands Coast Guard  and the Cayman Islands Regiment joined the official marching order. 

In a smaller, but spectacular display of honour, Cayman Brac contingents included the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Cayman Islands Fire Service, the Cayman Islands Regiment and the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps. 

Premier Wayne Panton JP, MP, reflected: “It is always a humbling moment to gather to remember the courage, sacrifices, and acts of heroism taken by those involved in both World Wars and later conflicts; many of those being our local veterans and seafarers,” he said.

“By remembering, we are paying much-deserved tribute to those who not only served to defend our values and freedoms, but paved the way for the Cayman Islands to be what it is today. We honour those who are still with us today, and the valiant contribution of citizens of the Cayman Islands, who fought and died for the British Crown during the First and Second World War. We are honoured to pay tribute and are proud to continue wearing our poppies,” he said.

For the first time in Cayman’s history, visiting senior judges from His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council also laid wreaths in honour of local veterans and seafarers. 

Various churches throughout the islands also took part in the ceremonies. 

Ceremonies included the sounding of the Last Post and the laying of wreaths at the cenotaph as well as at the Seaman’s Memorial. 

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Photo captions:

GC Photos by Bina Mani, DoC

Brac Photos by District Administration Staff

1. His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper lays the first wreath to signify remembrance and respect for fallen war service personnel at this year’s Remembrance Day observance at Elmslie Memorial Church Sunday, 13 November 2022.
2. His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper leads the two-minute silence. 
3. Deputy Premier Hon. Chris Saunders lays a wreath.
4. President of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Lord Reed of Allermuir, who laid a wreath at the Cenotaph, also pays his respects at the Seafarers Monument.
5. Chief Justice Hon. Margaret Ramsay-Hale, lays a wreath at the Cenotaph at Elmslie Memorial Church.
6. Speaker of the House, Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, after paying respects at the Cenotaph, lays a wreath at the Seafarers Memorial.
7. Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Roy McTaggart pays respects laying a wreath at the Cenotaph.
8. A wreath from Mr. Loxley Banks of the CI Veteran’s Association at the Cenotaph
9. A tribute from the CI Seafarers’ Association President Mr. Denniston Tibbetts
10. CI Coast Guard Commandant, Cdr. Robert Scotland lays a wreath at the Cenotaph during the CICG’s first participation in the Remembrance Day observance.
11. CI Regiment Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Simon Watson lays a wreath also at the Seafarers Memorial.
12. Deputy Commandant Lt. Cdr. Leo Anglin lays a wreath at the Seamen’s Memorial 
13. Members of the CI Coast Guard in their first Remembrance Day Parade
14. Members of the CI Regiment participate in their first Remembrance Day Parade.

Cayman Brac captions:

1. Minister Hon. Juliana O’Connor Connolly lays the first wreath at the Cayman Brac Remembrance Day observance.
2. Mr. Moses Kirkconnell, MP pays tribute to fallen service personnel on the Brac.
3. The parade salutes during the march past on Cayman Brac.
4. Cayman Brac association members in attendance.