Media Release: Kitchener Rangers Reveal 20th Edition of Remembrance Day Jersey
Kitchener, Ont. – The Kitchener Rangers’ 20th Annual Remembrance Day Ceremony and Jersey Auction returns this season, continuing the team’s proud tradition of honouring the Canadian military and supporting local military charities.
Each year, the Rangers pay tribute to members of the Canadian Forces by wearing commemorative jerseys that reflect moments of courage and sacrifice in our nation’s history. The Rangers are proud to have raised over $400,000 since the program inception in the 2005-06 season.
This year’s special edition jerseys will be worn on Sunday, November 9th, when the Rangers host the Kingston Frontenacs at The Aud at 2pm. The afternoon will feature a moving Remembrance Day ceremony prior to the game.
The 2025–26 Remembrance Day jersey recognizes the 110th anniversary of the Second Battle of Ypres (April 22, 1915) and pays tribute to the poem written during that battle by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, In Flanders Fields. McCrae was a Canadian poet, physician, artist, and soldier who served as a medical officer in the trenches during the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium. McRae treated hundreds of wounded soldiers each day, many the result of deadly German chlorine attacks. On May 2nd, 1915, McRae witnessed a friend, fellow soldier lieutenant Alexis Helmer die instantly during a shelling attack. McRae conducted his burial service, reciting from memory, passages from the “order of burial of the dead.” The next day as he looked upon Alexis’ makeshift grave marked by a simple wooden cross; wild poppies were beginning to bloom between the crosses marking many more graves. Unable to help any of those who had died, McRae penned the poem that would give these young men a voice forever.
At the heart of this year’s design is the image of “The Brooding Soldier”, also known as The St. Julien Canadian Memorial in Langemark, Belgium. This monument commemorates the bravery of the Canadian First Division during the Second Battle of Ypres—where Canadian troops withstood the first poison gas attacks of the First World War. Surrounding the soldier are poppies, symbolizing McCrae’s timeless words and the enduring spirit of remembrance.
The St. Julien Memorial stands as one of the most striking battlefield monuments on the Western Front. Rising nearly 11 metres above a stone-flagged court, The Brooding Soldier depicts a Canadian soldier in quiet reflection—his hands resting on arms reversed, head bowed beneath a steel helmet. His expression conveys both strength and sympathy, embodying the courage and sacrifice of his comrades.
A special shoulder patch completes this year’s jersey design, featuring a Maple Leaf inscribed with “110th Anniversary”. Hidden within the leaf’s design is a torch, a direct reference to McCrae’s famous stanza: “The torch; be yours to hold it high.” The torch serves as a powerful symbol of remembrance— representing the duty of the living to carry forward the ideals, values, and legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
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Fans can place bids for these special jerseys online through DASH beginning Saturday, November 8th at 12pm. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the 78th Fraser Highlanders Fort Conestoga Garrison, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Poppy Fund through Rangers Reach. There will be no in-person bidding on jerseys this season, as the former Subscribers’ Lounge is currently being renovated. At the game fans can scan the QR Code for the auction page which will be on posters throughout the concourse, shown on the videoboard, and on signs within Rangers Authentics. Rangers Authentics and McLelland Hall will also have a jersey from this Remembrance Day Game on display (Game Issued), as well as have some historical Rangers Remembrance Day Jerseys on display for fans.
