On Saturday afternoon, a ceremony took place at Heroes Park in Beaconsfield to honour first responders and others who have served Canada during global conflicts. 

One of the honourees was 97-year old Harry Hurwitz, who had a plaque dedicated in his name. 

He was on the HMCS Athabaskan Ship that sunk near the French coast after being torpedoed. 

Hurwitz made it out alive, but was then held as a prisoner of war. 

Over seven decades later, he still thinks of others who were on the ship with him, including Raymond Meloche, who survived the attack and died last year. 

"I felt sorry for the relatives of the ones that went down," he said. "I'm the last one still around."

Rick Cartmel served in the armed forces and was also honoured. 

For him, a career in the military was a family endeavor. 

"My father was in the second world war, my uncle, they were both wounded," he said. "My daughter's serving (right now)."

The ceremony comes a week before National Peacekeepers' Day on Aug. 9.

In June, Canada started another peacekeeping mission in Mali. 

Veterans at the ceremony felt that the Canadian legacy should be continued. 

"Take the place and go in Syria," said Jean Gallagher, a retired navy veteran. "You'll come back happy in Canada and Quebec."

 

Since this article was originally published, CTV has been contacted by Catherine Maurice whose father Bernard Laurin was aboard HMCS Athabaskan, and is still alive.