Melanie Murray

Day 5, Saturday, April 7

Today we departed for Vimy.  We got there at lunch time.  When I first saw the monument, I was awed.  It was so massive, and extremely beautiful.  Then we had a rehearsal for the lighting presentation, and left for dinner.  Then we returned to the monument for the Sunset Ceremony and the lighting presentation.  The monument was so beautiful at night, and the view of the city below was surreal.  The lighting presentation was very powerful and it left you with so much to think about.  When I looked out over the lights in the plain below it struck me that each of those tiny sparkling lights could represent someone who died in the First World War.  After we finished singing, they presented the new lighting that was installed on the monument.  It was amazing and it really accentuated the key features of the monument.  Once we got back to the bus through the crowds, we headed back to the hotel.

Day 6, Sunday, April 8

Today we drove to Vimy Ridge for the full dress rehearsal of the official Rededication Ceremony.  It went pretty well.  Afterwards we ate lunch and departed for Arras to take part in the Freedom of the City Parade.  It was so unreal to hear and see all those people cheering for us as we walked by.  They loved us so much and I was so proud to be Canadian at that moment.  Afterwards we went back to the hotel and had supper.  Over dessert, Tracy came to our table and told us the true significance of the parade and why the people of Arras had cheered so much for us.  I had tears in my eyes by the time she had finished.  I felt such a strong sense of gratitude towards the Veterans of the wars.  They have done so much for us and it is because of them that we have so much today.

Day 7, Monday, April 9

Today we headed to the Vimy site for the day.  We looked at all of the tents and saw so many things.  Then, after lunch it was time to go to the stage!  This was the moment we’d been working up to all year, and it was finally the moment of truth.  The ceremony impacted me on so many levels.  It was a beautiful sunny day outside, and very warm.  It was so crazy to see the tens of thousands of people watching the ceremony.  It was very surreal being so close to the Queen and Prime Ministers.  They each made a speech and they were all extremely moving.  The end of Stephen Harper’s speech was the one that got to me most.  When he said that if we closed our eyes and listened closely enough we could hear the soldiers saying, “I love my family.  I love my comrades.  I love my country”.  I thought I was going to cry.  I can’t imagine what it would be like for them, being so far away from home and everything they have ever known, fighting for their country and for their lives.  So many of them never returned, paying the ultimate sacrifice.  After many more things, it was time for our song.  I had to take some deep breaths before singing because the true magnitude of the event was hitting me.  We sang very well and I was fighting back tears as we sang “I’m Dreaming of Home”.  I couldn’t help it because the lyrics in that song stir up such powerful emotions.  It was so unreal to watch all of those thousands of people stand up and give us a standing ovation.  The ceremony today was something that I know I will never forget.