The Veteran
Equal on Active Duty – Equal in Death
In an era when some claim ‘individual distinction" we must never forget that the men and women who served in all branches of the military and the auxiliaries – including Tommy Wong of Moose Jaw who served in the Air Transport Auxiliary – are Veterans.
On Remembrance Day we remember veterans.
South Saskatchewan Regiment – Verrieres Ridge
For example, on July 20, 1944 the South Saskatchewan Regiment fought at Verrieres Ridge which runs between Caen and Falaise in France. In a few hours 66 ‘Saskatchewans’ died from mortar fire, machine gun fire, high explosives or were crushed to death by German tanks.
The SVWM lists the SSR casualties as; 66 killed, 116 wounded and 26 taken prisoner.
Headstones
The dead were South Saskatchewan Regiment Soldiers. There was no individual distinction in battle – there was no distinction in death. The bodies and body parts of the fallen were collected and are buried in the Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery or the Bayeux War Cemetery at Calvados, France.
Headstones
Headstones, like these for the graves of RCAF Pilot, Flying Officer Jack Harvey of Saskatoon and the crew of Lancaster Bomber LL779, who died July 20/21, 1944, are equal, similar and simple. (The body of an eighth crewman was found later and buried at another location.)
What Defines a Headstone?
Government of Canada: “Headstones in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are designed after those from the first and second world wars. Even though you can personalize your headstone, it’s important that it still meets the customs and traditions of the CAF. Headstones can be made in either English or French, and may also be bilingual.”
Afghanistan
Remember our Afghanistan Veterans – and the 158 Canadians who died on Active Duty in Afghanistan
RCAF Transport Aircraft Returning the Fallen to Canada
To All Veterans, “We’ve got your back.”
By Richard Dowson, Moose Jaw
