Conflicts far from home have shaped generations of people who have lived in Mississauga. A great number of citizens from historic Toronto Township and from the City of Mississauga have answered the call to serve. Many never returned home.

Some of our earliest settlers were veterans – or the children of veterans – of the American Revolution (1775-83) who settled here as Loyalists and refugees. During the War of 1812 (1812-1814) many residents volunteered to serve in the militia and participated in engagements along the Niagara frontier, as did Indigenous Mississaugas from the Credit River. Two militiamen from historic Mississauga succumbed to illness while serving.

Although conflicts have never breached the borders of Mississauga itself, our residents have been drawn to service in innumerable theatres of war, including the Rebellion of 1837 (1837-38), the Fenian Raids (1866-71), the Red River Rebellion (1869), North-West Rebellion (1885), the South African War (Second Boer War, 1899-1902), the First World War (1914-18), the Second World War (1939-45), the Korean War (1950-53), the Gulf War (1990-91), Kosovo (1998-99), Afghanistan, and countless peacekeeping and humanitarian aid initiatives.

During the First World War (1914-1918), hundreds of “our boys” enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and served in numerous battalions, while others served as clergy, doctors and nurses. 96 soldiers from historic Mississauga lost their lives during service in the First World War. The war effort on the homefront was also significant in terms of conserving supplies and providing labour in wartime industries. During the war, historic Mississauga was home to the Long Branch Aerodrome, which was the first military flight school in Canada and saw 129 graduates serve with the Royal Air Force and the Royal Naval Air Service in Britain.

During the Second World War (1939-1945), once again hundreds of residents enlisted to serve in the Canadian army, the air force, navy, air transit auxiliary, Ferry Command, Bomber Command, and in the medical corps. 89 soldiers, sailors, airmen and members of the medical corps from historic Mississauga did not return home. On the homefront, women were hired in large numbers in wartime industries, such as Dominion Small Arms Limited in Lakeview. At Victory Aircraft in Malton, 422 Lancaster Bombers were built between 1943 and 1945. Malton was also home to the Number 1 Elementary Flying Training School as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Edward John and Winnifred Lilian Brewster

During the Korean War (1950-1953), dozens of soldiers and seamen from historic Mississauga are known to have served, with one known casualty.

Sadly, casualties from service have continued, with Mississauga resident Trooper Marc Diab falling in Afghanistan in 2009. There is a park in the City of Mississauga Ward 6 named in his memory.

93 of our fallen citizens from the First and Second World Wars are remembered at cenotaphs, war memorials, honour rolls, and cemeteries located throughout Mississauga. Many of Mississauga’s war memorials predate the formation of the City of Mississauga and are connected with historic communities that make up our city. Additionally, many places of religious and community assembly have created their own tributes and symbols of remembrance over time.

Today, Mississauga continues to have strong connections to military service. Mississauga has historic ties to the Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment), and is home today to the Toronto Scottish Regiment’s Colonel Samuel G. Beckett Armoury.

Mississauga is also home to several legions and veterans’ associations, including the Colonel Alex Thomson - Royal Canadian Legion Branch 82 in Port Credit, the Streetsville Overseas Veterans’ Club - Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139, the Colonel Tom Kennedy - Royal Canadian Legion Branch 582 in Cooksville, and the ANAF (Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans Association) Unit 262 in Lakeview.

Indigenous veterans from our community and from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation also stepped forward to serve their country in times of conflict, even though Canada did not consider them full citizens. Two Indigenous soldiers are remembered on the Port Credit Cenotaph, namely Rifleman Arthur William Beaver and Sergeant Wilburn “Wibb” Chubb.

Many residents from our city, past and present, have served, and many carry the physical and mental scars from service when they returned home.

On Remembrance Day we traditionally gather for remembrance services, parades, assemblies, tributes, ceremonies and wreath-laying at cenotaphs and war memorials. We encourage you to visit one of our many cenotaphs and war memorials or visit the newly created Garden of Remembrance at The Grange. Pause, reflect, wear a poppy, and give thanks to those who fell, who served and who serve still. We Will Remember Them.

For Remembrance services in Mississauga, there are several to choose from:

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 582 in Cooksville will host it remembrance parade and service at the Cenotaph in St. John’s Dixie Cemetery on Sunday, November 10, with the parade beginning at 9:30 am (meet at 456 Hensall Circle).

The Lakeview ANAF Unit 262 offers its remembrance parade and service on Sunday, November 10 at 10:30 am (meet at 765 Third Street).

The Streetsville Overseas Veterans’ Club - Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139 parade and service take place on Monday, November 11, with the parade departing from the Streetsville Legion (101 Church Street) at 10:20 am, and assembling at the Streetsville Cenotaph on Main Street for 11 am.

The Port Credit Remembrance Day program begins at the Colonel Alex Thomson - Royal Canadian Legion Branch 82 in Port Credit (35 Front Street North) with the parade departing at 9:30 am, followed by a church service at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (24 Stavebank Road North) and then assembling at the Port Credit War Memorial on Stavebank Road for wreath-laying ceremonies 10:50 am.

The Mississauga Civic Centre will also host a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Mississauga Civic Centre Community Memorial, located on the upper portion of Celebration Square, beginning at 10:30 am on Monday, November 11.

There are other local ceremonies as well. Please take a moment to reflect and to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and to honour those who served and who continue to serve today.

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