The Afghanistan Memorial Vigil visited 9 Canadian centres, our DC Embassy and plans a further 9 stops before returning to Ottawa.

Friday's blog told of the memorial created by the serving men and women from the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan in honour of their fallen comrades. The 192 plaques in this memorial contain the names of 158 Canadian service members, a diplomat, journalist and 2 contractors. The memorial also includes plaques for about 40 American's serving their units but Killed in Action whilst their battalions were under the control of a Canadian Commander. Today's blog will share some more images from this Vigil.

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The above image appears in the government's book of remembrance that gives brief details of the Canadians and Americans attached, who lost their lives while serving their country. The photo  is of men leaving Canada en-route to their duties so far away. 

From the same book comes these two images to the right. The first with the profound message.. "Lest we Forget!" Below this is a photo of the memorial as it stood at the Kandahar Air Base before being  carefully dismantled and returned to Canada with hopes of being put on display in Ottawa once a suitable location is chosen. The black slabs below the flags are difficult to see but are the marble and slate memorials to each of the fallen men and women.

Of the 158 Canadians I have selected these nine plaques,  each representing a fallen hero from a separate  Canadian Province. Time did not allow locating those provinces/territories missed.

At the top, left to right are the late Cpl Kenneth O'Quinn, 25, from Newfoundland, Pte John  Curwin, 26, Nova Scotia, and Pte Colin Wilmot, 24 from New Brunswick. At the centre, in the same direction are Cpl Brendan Downey, 36, Quebec, Pte Joshua Klukie, 23, Ontario, and Sgt. Jason Boyes, 32, Manitoba.  At the bottom of the image are Cpl James Arnaz, 25, Saskatchewan, Cpl Michael Starker, 36, Alberta, and Lt. Andrew Nuttall, 30, from British Columbia. The average age of these men was 28.5 years.

When we stop and think about these men and women we should also keep in mind that there were also two civilian contractors, Martin Glazer and Peter McShoffrey, that were also killed while in Afghanistan in aid of the Canadian efforts there. These men were killed when a civilian entity was attacked in Kabul. The last blog also told you about the details of the civilian journalist Michelle Lang, embedded with the CF forces. She was on a 6 week assignment with the Calgary Herald when the carrier she was riding in was blown up by a roadside bomb, taking the lives of four Canadian soldiers at the same time.

We must also honour Glyn Berry, a 59 year old civilian and diplomat serving with the reconstruction team. He was killed by a suicide car bombing attack while he travelled in a convoy about a mile SE of Kandahar. His plaque is shown  above.

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As noted in the last blog, there were four battalions of US troops attached to the Canadian command structure between 2009 and 2011. From these troops the US lost about 40 men and women.  Canada's memorial also includes these members in this Vigil, as they should!  

I am sure the Americans visiting the memorial when it was at our embassy in DC must have appreciated this gesture of our highest of respect for their heroes as well. 

The two panels at the right, have been joined together, and display the plaques for these deceased American service members.(A few on top at right are Canadian men) 

The image above is of a roof rafter from a makeshift bunker set up by the Canadians as a sub-police station in the Panjwai District of Afghanistan. The Cdn. troops were often coming under fire of rocket and mortar fire and so the bunker was built to help protect the troops including the Afghanistan National Police trying to do their duties.

In April of 2008, Hull Quebec born 24 yr old Private Terry Street, was killed while on patrol when his armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in the area. One of the members of his platoon in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was so moved by this soldier's death that he wrote a poem in Terry's memory. Others  then carved it on this rafter, which now has become an important part of the Vigil travelling  across Canada for you and I to see and pay our respects.

While hard to read on the rafter, above is the moving poem. It should be read in every class room in the country. Above is a picture of this late hero.

This memorial has already travelled to Trenton, Kingston, Ottawa, the Canadian Embassy at Washington DC, Quebec City, Valcartier, Montreal, Toronto, Petawawa, Victoria and is at Vancouver until 2 August. It then moves on to Edmonton for  11-16 August, Calgary 25-29th, Regina 30th to 6 Sept., Shilo Manitoba 9-13 Sept., Wpg., 16-20th, Fredericton 30th till 4 Oct., Charlottetown 8-11 October, Halifax 14-18th, St John's Nfld.,  23-27 Oct., and then off to Ottawa  for display from 5 -12 November.

Further details are available by contacting  Captain Plottinville at (613) 945-2221.

Before closing I would again urge all readers to try to see this memorial. It is well worth the visit. And these men and women deserve our utmost respect.

At a time like this I think it important for Canadians to get another shot in the arm, about our own roles in life, and to reflect on the pride that we all share as Canadians in out military and the Canadian way of life. And who better to help us do this than a Yank...  Tom Brocaw.

Please visit this site....     www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV_041oYDjg

And some music to make us all proud....  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34n4AJu2mkg

and a few words from journalist Brian Williams at...   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc6t6HLt7vA

and from Britain...    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pKzAZc3So8

back on Friday...

Bart

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