Media Advisory - Veterans honoured with musical tribute

TORONTO , Oct. 2 /CNW/ - The Town of Ajax will conclude 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate celebrations with a musical tribute to all veterans. The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, The Honourable David C. Onley, will attend and speak at the ceremony. Other attendees will include Mark Holland , MP, Ajax-Pickering; Joe Dickson , MPP, Ajax-Pickering; Roger Anderson , Regional Chair; Mayor Steve Parish and members of Ajax Council.

    
    Date:      Sunday, October 4, 2009
    Time:      9:30 a.m. to Noon
    Location:  Veterans' Point Gardens (Intersection of Lake Driveway and
               Harwood Avenue)
    

Highlights of the event will include a Fly Past by a C 130 Hercules of the Canadian Air Division, musical performances, and the dedication of the Ajax Legacy Obelisk.

The event is a timely one, and reminds us of the reality and risks that our military personnel are facing in Afghanistan and throughout the world as they carry out their missions with an extraordinary sense of duty and dedication.

The Town of Ajax has the distinction of being the only town in the world to take its name from a ship - the HMS Ajax, who in December 1939 , along with HMS Achilles and HMS Exeter, routed the powerful German pocket battleship Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate. The battle was the first major naval success of the British Allied forces during WWII.

The veterans of HMS Ajax, HMS Achilles and HMS Exeter, including their family and friends, have been in Ajax to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate since September 26, 2009 . This occasion has also allowed the Town to recognize all Canadian service members who have served and are currently serving.

For further information: Media Contact: Christie McLardie, Manager of Communications, [phone], ext. 3362, [phone] or [email protected]