M is for Memorial

ABC Wednesday
October 8th, 2014

The letter is M, for Memorial

I have just returned from New Westminster where I attended

the unveiling of this poignant statue

commissioned by the City of New Westminster in memory of

the thousand men from the Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles

who marched down Columbia Street on the 1st of October,1940, 

on their way to embark to Nanaimo for winter training

and thence overseas for five long years.

Claude Dettloff, a news photographer, captured 

the march in an iconic picture that became

famous all through North America, and from which the artists,

fashioned the sculpture.

            

It was a wonderful and rather emotional experience.

First came the pipers and the drums.....

Then the dignitaries, 

 and the servicemen, who valiantly remained standing without a twitch

all through the speeches and presentations

the small boy, now eighty, was present with his grandchildren

and helped to unveil the statue

 

 The artists, working on the project

My husband's two brothers marched that day in 1940 with the Regiment.

Neither of them returned to the hills of home

and sleep in Canadian War Cemeteries in France and Holland.

Here is Tom, second behind the 'Daddy"

Gordon is a few rows behind, and in the adjoining file, not visible.

Tom's daughter was there on Saturday, and I was accompanied by family -

it was a time of poignancy and pride among a wonderful gathering

of young and old.

Have you seen this picture?  It hangs in our living room, a gift to

Charles from some of the children.  Greatly cherished.

For more interesting Ms visit here at ABC Wednesday, with

Many thanks to Roger, Denise and Multiple helpers.