Remembrance Day WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2020
In Flanders Fields By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders Fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields.
The rain pauses, the clouds break, and a rainbow appears during the dedication of Francis Blankinship Nahumpchin’s new military marker at Shulus in Lower Nicola. A total of seven Indigenous Veterans from the Nicola Valley were honoured with new headstones honouring their military service thanks to The Last Post Fund’s Indigenous Veterans Initiative and dedicated volunteer Carol Holmes. Head shots for this supplement were provided by the Nicola Valley Museum and Archives and by family members.
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D First poppy presented
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The First Poppy Presentation took place on Oct. 29, beginning this year’s Poppy Campaign. The Poppy Campaign, which runs each year from the last Friday of Oct. to Nov. 11, encourages Canadians to wear a poppy on their lapel as a visual pledge to honour Canada’s veterans and raise money to help Veterans through the Poppy Trust Funds. On hand at Merritt’s First Poppy ceremony were Merritt Legion Branch 096 President, Arlene Johnston, Poppy Chair Brian Cottrell, Mayor Linda Brown, LNIB Chief Stuart Jackson and Nooaitch councillor Dewey Shackelly. “The first poppy presentation is done every year as a kick off to our poppy distribution for Nov.11 in recognition of our veterans,” said Johnston. “This year we decided to publicize it a little more and let people know what it’s about. So, we decided to invite the mayor to receive the first poppy,
Brian Cottrell, Arlene Johnston, Mayor Linda Brown, Dewey Shackelly, and LNIB Chief Stuart Jackson attend the First Poppy Presentation on Oct. 29. MORGAN HAMPTON/Herald
along with all the First Nations chiefs… we wanted to be inclusive of everybody.” Each year, Canada’s First Poppy is presented in Ottawa, followed by the provinces and then each branch of the Royal Canadian Legion across Canada. The Poppy Campaign cannot begin
Local WWII vet turns 100
until the Presentation of the First Poppy. The Poppy Campaign will come to a close on Remembrance Day, which will still be celebrated with a ceremony, albeit a small one that the public are asked not to attend. “Because of COVID this year we’re asking people not to attend,” said
Morgan Hampton LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Gordon Piers is a WWII veteran who will be celebrating his 100th birthday on Nov. 10. Piers, a Nicola Valley resident, sat down with the Herald to share stories of his wartime service just in time for Remembrance Day. “I volunteered
Remembrance Day
Johnston. “The ceremony will be all outside this year, but it will be the same program, we’ll be playing music we’ll be going through a laying of the wreaths and the cenotaph. It will be livestreamed; we prefer if you stay home and watch it at home and be safe.”
September 1940,” said Piers, at which time he was 21 years old. “I trained in Canada and overseas in England, Africa, India. I was in India for 3 years; I was a wireless operator and air gunner.” While many troops were being sent to Germany and engaging Nazi soldiers on Europe’s front lines, Piers ended up in a crew of officers who were given a choice of
where they wanted to be shipped out to. “When I retrained in England, the big shots were deciding where crews were going to go,” explained Piers. “I was a sergeant at that time, but the rest of the crew were officers, so they got the first choice. And they said where do you want to go, Germany
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Centenarian reflects on service From Page B2 or India? And they said India, so that was probably one of the reasons I survived the war.” Piers completed his training in 1941 and entered service in India. “I went to Salon first and spent six months doing submarine patrol and then went to a place called Chaklala near Rawalpindi, and our crew helped in training Indians and Gurkha troops,” said Piers. “I was in the Royal Canadian Airforce, and when they shipped me to India I was attached to the RAF (Royal Air Force) and we were what they called Special Services, I guess the equivalent is OS (Operations Specialist) now. Once a month we would fly to Calcutta and go to a place called Dum Dum, it was called Special Services 1576 flight and we dropped supplies and troops behind the enemy lines, the Japanese lines.” At home, citizens were warned that ‘loose lips sink ships’ and ‘loose talk costs lives’, this was no different overseas where not even the squadron was told where they would be flying until the last minute, in order to keep flight times and routes secret and safe from sabotage or enemy offensives. “Everything was secret, when we were going to fly behind the lines, we wouldn’t know, they’d tell us the night before, ‘you’re taking a trip’ because who knows who’s a spy and who isn’t,” said Piers. As a wireless operator, Piers’ job was to keep in touch with the ground, taking and transmitting orders to the flight crew about where to go and what to do. Occasionally, the plane would get lost or the navigator would become disoriented and Piers would radio the ground for directions, or use a direction finder to take a bearing on a nearby radio source and set a course that way. “Our worst enemy was the weather,” said Piers. “We flew in all weather, because we had to keep the troops supplied.” Piers’ crew suffered one crash landing, in which several of the
crew were killed and Piers himself was injured, still bearing the scar on
Gordon Piers poses with his service photo and the letter he received from Queen Elizabeth II for turning 100 years old. MORGAN HAMPTON/Herald
his left arm. “We crashed once on takeoff,” Piers said. “The engines quit, and we knew we were going in. There was nothing but jungle, but we landed in a pool of water and the Americans came and got us out, surviving that was pretty scary. They didn’t all survive.” Being an air gunner, a position that was originally combined with that of wireless operator, was a dangerous job that required hypervigilance, scanning the surrounding skies for enemy aircraft, often at night and for several hours at a time. “There’s always some chance of enemy aircraft,” said Piers, but he also noted once again that he was luckier in India than those in Europe. While in Salon his crew was tasked with watching for approaching Japanese, who had been ordered to enter India from Singapore. However, for the most
part aerial skirmishes with Japanese forces were avoided as Japanese troops entered by land from Burma rather than by air. Piers also spoke about his life before the war. He was born in Vernon Jubilee Hospital, and moved with his family first to Salmon Arm and then to Haney, in what is now Maple Ridge. During the Great Depression, he left home and went looking for work anywhere he could find it. “I left home when I was 17, it was in the Dirty Thirties,” said Piers. “I rode freight trains, did all kinds of different jobs from truck driving, bumming around, I got in the corps of commissionaires.” Around the age of 18 Piers went to work on homesteads in Celista, BC which were owned by five brothers who had immigrated from England. After volunteering for training in 1940, Piers requested permission to go back to the homesteads to help with the harvest. When his request was denied, he left anyway. Upon his return he was placed in detention for 28 days. But, when the CO discovered he had gardening experience, he pulled him from detention and put him to work planting geraniums on the base in Calgary. “He pinned my badge and my wireless sparks on me, and he said, ‘congratulations Piers, you’re the first person to serve 28 days in the digger and still graduate with your class,” said Piers. Piers served until the war ended, leaving the military at 25, four years after volunteering. In the postwar years, Piers estimates he had “around 30 different jobs”, one of which was working at the Chilliwack Post Office for 15 years. It was in Chilliwack that he met his wife Helen, who was then a seamstress in New Westminster. “I met her at a dance in Chilliwack, and the sparks flew right away,” Piers reminisced. The couple celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on Oct. 19, and between them they have five
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Vet owes long life to “hell of a lot of luck” From Page B3 children. Looking back on a century of living, Piers notes it hasn’t all been easy. During the war he survived not only the rigors of training and combat, but dysentery, dengue fever and jaundice. Later in life he has survived both bladder cancer and an aneurysm. But, still, he’s lived a good life, and he has some wise advice
to offer those generations following behind him. “Sometimes working to get rich isn’t the object, the object is to work at something you enjoy,” he advises. As well as, “Keep your nose clean and look twice before you leap.” When asked how someone else might achieve such a long life, he had this to
say: “To what do I owe my longevity?
One, good genes; two, a good health
system; and three, a hell of a lot of luck.”
Indigenous veteran honoured with new headstone The Last Post Fund’s Indigenous Veterans Initiative provided seven veterans with military markers.
Morgan Hampton and Second World LOCAL JOURNALISM Wars, thanks to the INITIATIVE REPORTER ongoing research of
On Oct. 13 seven military markers were placed in the Nicola Valley, honouring indigenous veterans who served in the First
Carol Holmes and the Last Post Fund’s Indigenous Veterans Initiative. At the Coldwater reserve cemetery, six veterans were recognized for their
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Sterling was born service with new on Feb. 17, 1896 and headstones, includsigned his attestaing Frederick Albert tion papers on Dec. Sterling. Sterling’s 1, 1915. Attestation daughter, Deanna, papers were a form spoke to the Herald filled out and signed about her father, his by recruits certifying military service, and their willingness to how it felt to finally serve overseas in the have his sacrifices acknowledged. See ‘STERLING’ Page B5
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Sterling served in both World Wars From Page B4 Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War. “He went overseas in 1915 and he was at Vimy Ridge,” said Deanna Sterling. There has, however, been some confusion as to what role he played in the CEF. “They have him down as an engineer but one of the medals he received were the crossed gold rifles for marksmanship, and we had thought he was basically a sniper, because he had done so well in marksmanship.” During the First World War, many indigenous recruits became snipers or reconnaissance scouts, duties they excelled at. “He was wounded in battle, I think it was in Passchendaele, it was a muddy place,” said Sterling. “He said that he woke up after being in the field in a hospital in England.” After he was wounded at Passchendaele, a notoriously bloody battle that claimed more than 4,000 Canadian soldiers, Sterling was discharged, but upon his return home he was met with further tragedy, discovering that Spanish Flu had claimed the lives of many of his friends and family. “He was demobilized in April of 1919, and while he was over there most of his male relatives here at the Joeyaska reserve died in the 1918 flu epidemic,” said Sterling. “And so, when he got home his mother was frantic because most of the men had passed away and she was looking for someone to do the farm work… So, she was very happy to see him.” In the 21 years between the First
tary work on the home front, not far from Merritt. “One of his jobs was to be security for the Japanese camp at Princeton, BC,” said Deanna. “He worked there as a guard. They (the guards) moved into a coal mining camp which was adjacent to the internment camp. My parents put together two coal mining houses and moved in there. We were there until the end of the war in 1945.” Deanna was born while the family lived in Princeton, two years before the war ended and Frederick was able to bring his family back to the Nicola Valley and resume work on the ranch, which his brother had managed in his absence. “After the war he came back to the ranch and he received a small pension,” Deanna said. “He had been wounded three times in France. My mom said he was shot twice in the chest and once in the foot, so he got a bit of a pension for that DRUG and then he continued “YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD STORE” to raise his family in Merritt.” Like many men during the postwar years, Sterling took on whatever work was available in addition to managing the ranch which had When the Second World War been left to him by his grandfather, began and Canada was once again Joeyaska. embroiled in conflict, Sterling once “He took odd jobs, he was a conagain offered his services in defense tractor,” explained Deanna. of his country, volunteering once “He was hired by the big ranches again. like Nicola Ranch and Whitford “He was called in in what was Ranch and he would hire native called ‘Company A’, which was basicrews to put up the hay in the sumcally the old veterans of the first mer, and my mother was the cook war,” said Sterling. for the crews. He also did fencing, he “So, he went in as part of was fencing up at Voght Valley, he Company A to do whatever he was did some fencing up towards Nicola asked to do.” Lake, he hired native crews and put However, having been wounded up fences for the ranches.” and now being in his forties, Frederick was not sent overseas, instead he was asked to perform miliSee ‘VET’S’ Page B6 and Second World Wars, known as the ‘Interwar’ period, Frederick Sterling went back to farming and ranching, raising crops and livestock. “He came home and started to work again on the ranch, building it up again,” said Deanna.
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Frederick also worked as a ‘slasher’ clearing land for the new hydro transmission line near the Joeyaska reserve. When Sterling passed, more than fifty years after being sent to the battlefields of Europe, he was interred at the Coldwater reserve cemetery and provided with a traditional wooden grave marker. “What they do is they look for something that is called a ‘pitch tree’, and they cut it down,” said Deanna. “The pitch lasts forever, and they cover it with some kind of resin, and they carve in the name. My father has a small metal plaque on his grave
to show his birthdate and date of passing.” Deanna also recalls the family being sent a Canadian flag in honour of her father’s military service. “When my dad did pass, they sent him a flag, in 1973 the army sent him a Canadian flag that went over his coffin.” Beyond that, Deanna notes, her father’s service to his country was not recognized for many years. It was only when Carol Holmes began digging into the history of Nicola Valley’s indigenous veterans that she was able to secure a proper military marker for Frederick Albert Sterling, with support from the Sterling family. Also honoured were James
Remembrance Day ceremony to be live streamed on Merritt FB page Morgan Hampton LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Remembrance Day, like everything else, will look different this year. Traditionally, the ceremony takes place at the cenotaph in front of the Civic Centre where members of the public are encouraged to attend and lay wreaths for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. “The importance of a live ceremony honouring our veterans and their
sacrifices is considered paramount by the Legion, especially during the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War,” reads a statement from the Legion. “At a time when we have all been isolated for months by the pandemic, ensuring the symbolism of the Legion and community leaders paying homage to our veterans is more important than ever.” However, this year, the heartfelt ceremony will be much smaller and for the first time in the history
Proud to acknowledge and recognize all of our veterans who gave so much to protect our freedom.
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(Jimmy) Voght, Frederick’s brother in law, Gordon (Tiny) Voght, Frederick’s nephew by marriage, and William and Timothy Voght, who were also related to Sterling’s wife. On that brisk afternoon of Oct. 13, Frederick Sterling was given the memorial that was his due, and was paid his respects by his family and the Last Post Fund, more than a century after being wounded on the bloody battlegrounds of France. “We’re all excited and trying to put together a bit of information about our people,” said Deanna, about the honouring of her father and other family. “We’re all happy about it.”
of the event, the public and spectators will be discouraged from attending, asked instead to watch a live stream of the event from home. A few other significant changes include no members of the Cadets or Junior Rangers being present, with an Honour Guard instead consisting of Rocky Mountain Rangers out of Kamloops. Wreaths will not be placed by members of the public, instead a member of the RCMP will bring the wreath forward and it
will be positioned at the cenotaph by a Legion representative. Finally, the area around the cenotaph and parking lot between the Civic Centre and City Hall will be cordoned off, with only those participating in the ceremony permitted. The ceremony will be live streamed on the City of Merritt Facebook page. Following the Remembrance Day Celebrations, the video will be made available on the City of Merritt website.
Nicola Valley & District Metis Society
LEST WE FORGET
Take time to remember the men & women who have fought for our country and who continue to fight .
on Novmber 11 Take Time to reflect on the sacifices that were given so we could be free
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Remembering all those who served from the Nicola Valley
RCMP member recalls D-Day ancestor
In appreciation for the sacrifices of all of our men and women, past and present.
Morgan Hampton LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Charles Robert (Bobby) Hedrick was one of four children raised on a trapline in central BC, in a small town called Sinclair Mills, roughly 100kms east of Prince George. When war was declared and young Canadian men who were ‘fighting fit’ were called to enlist, Bobby Hedrick answered the call along with his two brothers, one of whom joined him in the Canadian Scottish Regiment, the other brother being left to serve on the home front due to a heart condition. Bobby Hedrick was part of the D-Day offensive and landed on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944. From there his unit was sent to help the Winnipeg Rifles, who had been pinned down by a panzer division near a small hamlet called Putot-en-bessin. It was there, on June 9, 1944 that Bobby was killed. He was 20 years old. Bobby Hedrick’s grandnephew, Brock Hedrick, is a member of the Merritt RCMP detachment. He was approached by his Uncle, Ron Hedrick, who was born while his father, Bobby’s brother, was overseas serving in the Italian Campaign, who wanted to know if he would accompany him to France. “There’s never been a family member ever go over to his (Bobby’s) gravesite,” said Brock. “He’s buried in the Canadian War Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer. My uncle Ron came to me and said this was a bucket-list thing for him. He was 76 and said I’ve got to go if I’m going to go.”
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So, Ron, Ron’s friend, Brock and Brock’s 14-year-old daughter Hannah, flew to France where they visited Bobby’s grave and attended ceremonies at both Putot-en-bessin and the Juno Beach Centre. Both Hannah and Brock noted that the people of Putot-en-bessin were welcoming, appreciative and grateful for everything that the Allied Forces and Canadians had done, even now more than seven decades later. At the ceremony, which took place in a church where, outside in the square, several Canadians had been executed by Germans, the citizens of the village “rolled out the red carpet” for them. “They’re very appreciative over there and I think that’s something we Canadians need to realize, this wasn’t for nought,” said Brock. At the Canadian War Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer, Hannah said she felt “overwhelmed” by the history and the number of graves. “I feel like I went into the trip with not a big understanding of what it was like, and then actually going over there it started to make sense,” said Hannah.
“It can be overwhelming; you don’t know what to expect when you walk in those gates and then you see all these headstones.” The Juno Beach Centre has been hard hit by COVID-19 and a lack of Canadians and other international travellers. As such, they have come up with creative means of raising money, which included selling flags that had flown at the centre. Ron Hedrick purchased the Canadian flag which had flown at the Centre from Jul. 14 – Jul. 20. That flag was entrusted to Brock, who will see it flown proudly at the Merritt RCMP detachment this Remembrance Day. “I think it’s pretty profound, being able to go over there and see the beaches and see what our young men were up against, it really brings it home,” said Brock. “You start to put a face to the names and a little bit of backstory, and you realize these are all people. They all had parents at home and brothers and sisters, and their lives were cut far too short to allow us to live the life that we do today.”
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On this Remembrance Day We pay tribute to those past and present who serve our country with courage and compassion A message from the City of Merritt Mayor, Council and Staff
Remembrance Day
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Remembrance Day - November 11, 2020 This year there will not be any ceremony at the Shulus Cenotaph in order to keep everyone safe from COVID 19. We invite you to participate in the Act of Remembrance from the safety of your own home and to observe two minutes of silence at 11:00 am on November 11th.
The Act of Remembrance They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.
xʷuy̓ xeʔ łək̓wminstm
Lest We Forget
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THURSDAY, November 5, 2020 • B11
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NICOLA VALLEY NATIVE VETERANS
This remembrance page is to honor of our comrades. We should never forget the sacrifices made by members of the Armed forces and civilians in times of war.
Abbot, John Ankity/Blankinship, Ales Bent, Simon Bent, Smith Blankinship/Rettanbacher, Nellie Blankinship, Gaylord Blankinship, Francis Bob, Mike Sr. Bob, Mike Jr. Charters, Henry Charters, Earl Charters, Robert Sr. Clayton, Jim Clayton, Tim Colter, Alvin/Robert Coutlee, Floyd Coutlee, George Sr. Coutlee, Joe Coutlee, Norman Coutlee, Ranger* Diablo, Norman Duncan, Peter Earnshaw, Henry Earnshaw, Herman Eddy, Tom Frank, William Fountain, Willie Garcia, Alphonse Garcia, Frank Sr. Garcia, Gladys Garcia, Margaret Garcia, George Sr. Garcia, Harold Garcia, John (Tona) Garcia, Maurice Guterrez, Spike Gutterez, Francis Hall, Delaney Haller, Boyce Harry, John Huston, John Keith Huston, Robert W. Houge, William Huston, William (Bill) Isaac, John F. Jackson, Richard Sr. Jackson, Richard Jr. *
Jackson, Karl* Joe, Percy* Joe, Melvin (Dan) Lafferty, William (Bill) LaRochelle, Eddie Lindley, Oliver Lulu, Henry Laviguer, George Mackay, Matthew Manse, Dave Major, Jimmie McCall, Lorn McDonald, Peter Sr. Martin, Peter McDougall, Fred McDougall, Tom McDougall, Archie M. McIvor, Alex Sr. McIvor, Donald McGavin, Hugh Brian McIvor, Jim McLean, George McLellan, Kenneth McIvor, Ernie Jr. McLeod, Willie McKay, Herman McLeod, Donna Moses, Antoine Sr.; Lance Corporal Murdock, Eddie McRae, Harold Pascal, Joe Peterson, Angeline Murdock, Joe Robinson, Emmit Sandy, Mary Richardson, Eddie Shuttleworth, Reg Sterling, Alfred Shuter, David Sr. Spahan, Sam Sterling, Joe Jr. Smith, Levi G., Pte Sterling, Joe Sr. Stewart, Oliver Sterling, Greg Stirling, Patrick Stirling, Charlie
Stirling, George Stewart, Hector Stirling, Barney Swakum, Henry Stewart, Lambert Voght, Tim Voght, Tiny Walker, Earl Walters, E.J. Smokey Voght, Jim York, Archie Voght, William; (Gunner) Yamelst, Richard, Sr.
* Still living
Nicola Valley Veterans Committee: Percy Joe Richard Jackson Jr. Sondra Tom The Nicola Valley Veterans would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following: Carol Holmes Sondra Tom Penny Toodlican The Fire Keepers The LNIB Fire Department
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John Linney
Johnny Curnow
Joseph Coutlee aka Young Joe
Keith Huston
Ken Berkley
Ken Fairley
Jack Lockhart
Leslie Gerrard
Lloyd Barrett
Lloyd Fairley
Mae Elliott
Major Harold Mathews
Matt Hogan
James Alexander Hogg
James Edward Dunnigan
Nellie Blankenship
Nelson Atkinson
Norman Rogers
Oliver Lindley
Paddy Stirling
Pat Carr
Jessie Maxwell
Jim Cartwright
Peter McDonald
PTE J. McNaney
Rab Williamson
Ralph Graham
Ray Fairley
Ray Riley
Jim Maxwell, Doug Maxwell, Ben Shaw
Jim Moyes Jr.
A message from the
Jack Shaw
Scw’exmx Tribal Council
The Scw’exmx Tribal Council wants to express on behalf of all Canadians our Pride in this history. History is important, the history about Native veterans and the place they served with honor and distinction, home and abroad in the time of war and in keeping peace. More than 200 Canadian native soldiers were killed or died from wounds during the Second World War. Natives earned a minimum of 18 decorations for bravery in action. They participated in every major battle and campaign. On each occasion our soldiers overcame challenges and made impressive sacrifices and contributions to help our nation restore world peace. In order to fight for our country, our Native Veterans had to give up their Native Status on top of the ultimate sacrifice. May we bring home these historic memories of our ancestors and elders as we honor the Native Veterans today...
These pictures represent just a fraction of our Native Veterans Joseph Coutlee
Mike Bob
Percy Joe
Richard Jackson Sr.
Richard Jackson Jr.
Dave Shuter
THURSDAY, November 5, 2020 • B13
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Remembering all those who served from the Nicola Valley Their Dreams Became Your Tomorrows. All They Would Ask Is That You Should Never Forget What They Gave.
MU
Call 250-378-5 420 19+ Unit B-1937 Quilchena Ave., Merritt BC
Cecil Grinstead
Cecil Hunter
Charles Howse
Dave Shuter
Don Faulkner
ST BE
Lest we forget those who gave us so much.
Charlie Stirling
Chubb Kirby
Richard Jackson Sr.
Richard Jackson Jr.
HOURS: Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. CLOSED SUNDAYS
Dave Forsythe
2025 Coutlee Ave., Merritt
250-378-2332
Remembering the men and women and the sacrifices they made. David Hogg
David Moyes
Denis Curnow
Des Vicars
ICBC & PRIVATE INSURANCE CLAIMS
Dick Goodall
378-4531
2663 Granite Avenue (Located next to Fountain Tire)
In the memory of many, In honour of all, Thank-you. Don Peerenboon
Donna McLeod
Dorothy Langstaff
Tona Garcia
Earl Walker
BOX 819, MERRITT, BC V1K 1B8 TEL: 250-378-5010 • FX: 250-378-5014
CASCADE DENTAL We hold dear to us the efforts and sacrifices our heroes have made, that an appreciation of the values they fought for will live on in all Canadians.
Dr. Comartin & Dr. Denison #110-1700 Garcia St. (Located downtown in the Railyard Mall)
PH: 250-378-4000
We will never forget the sacrifices our veterans made for our freedom. Phone: 250-378-0700 www.bestwestern.com
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Proud to acknowledge our WAR HEROS who fought so hard for our 250-378-2929 freedom. FRANK’S MECHANICAL SERVICE
6 returned men L-R: Ken Moyes, Gordon Cameron, Percy Boyd, Maurice Hunter, Billy Drybourgh, Ronnie Laidlaw
Remember those who fought for our freedom
2026 Mamette Avenue
378-1322
Thank you
Henry Abel
Gilbert Woods
to all those who have served our country to preserve our Freedom! Ralph Hack
Birdie Alice Clarkson
Sterling, Frederick Albert
John Dalton
Thomas Rodgers
Gord McDonald
George Cressy Jr.,
Lawrence Smith
1800 Garcia Street • 250-378-9238
With deep gratitude fo
With deep gratitu Soldiers this Rem With deep gratitude forand our fallen serving serving and May we never forget that fallen thisSoldiers Remembran
‘Lest We Forget’
Highland Valley Copper Remembering those who served, thank you for your service and sacrifice.
Lest We Forget
For Those Brave Who Gave Their Lives So we could Live Ours WE
REMEMBER
REMEMBRANCE DAY : FREE COFFEE OR TEA FOR THOSE WEARING A POPPY! Hours: Mon to Friday - 5 am to 11 pm Saturday & Sunday - 6 am to 11 pm
2525 Nicola Ave, Merritt
250-378-9777
this Remembrance Day. Proudly offering a variety of
we never fo Merritt and sur May we neverMay forget that our freedom With deep gratitude for our se our freedom was not free. was
Soldiers this Remembra
Proudly offering a varietyProudly of free Employment offering a variety of fr May we never forget that our fre Services to Merritt and surrounding Services toarea. Merritt and surro
Proudly offering a variety of free Em Find us at 2099 Quilchena Ave. Find us at 2099 Quilche or call us at 250-378-5151Merritt and surroundin or call us at 250-378 www.merrittesc.ca
THURSDAY, November 5, 2020 • B15
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Remembering all those who served from the Nicola Valley
Phillip, Willfred, Leo Boulanger
Kenneth Duncan Ellis & Lloyd Hoyne Ellis
Norman and Allan Dixon
Brothers Bill and Archie Allan
REMEMBER THEM GENERATION TO GENERATION
Smith Bent & Tim Voght
Willie Fountain
Mr. Mingay
James S. Moodie
Cyril Cartwright
Russel Eagles
Stan Pattinson
Pete Meckler
Alec McIvor, John (Tona) Garcia, Camp Borden, Ont. c. 1940
For your SACRIFICE For our FREEDOM
11-11-18
THANK YOU
Ian Urquhart
Mel Woodford
Robert Harold Hooper
Roy Brown
Melvin (Buster) Curnow
Paul Yemstrowsky
11.11.20
Joe Quinville
Stuwix Resources Joint Venture 250-378-2277
Mike Bob
Percy Joe
Proud to honour war heroes who fight for our freedom! MERRITT: 250-378-2020 2177 Quilchena Ave., Merritt, BC
www.doctorseyecaremerritt.com PRINCETON: 250-295-6640 89 Kenley Ave., Princeton, BC
Giving thanks to all those who served our country.
NICOLA VALLEY RADIATOR
250-378-1366
2775 Marian Avenue, Merritt, B.C.
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Jack Veale
James Moyes Senior
emembrance ay
Remembering Those Who Served Archie York by the Ship Majestic
1675 Tutill Court., Merritt, B.C. Ph: 250-378-4145 email: nvma@uniserve.com
www.nicolavalleymuseum.org
Earnest Sowerby
Bill & Jim Dunnigan
William J. Koller
Bernard and Frank Dunnigan
Brian Dustin
Remembrance Day Ceremony
Harold Newman
Harry J. Winny
Harry Purvis
Austin Williams
Barney Stirling
Stanley Reginald Smith
Ted Taylor
Teddy Gerrard
Tommy Williams
Walter Forsyth
Wednesday, November 11 - 10 am Laying of wreaths - 11 am Merritt Civic Centre Spectators are encouraged to watch from home, please go to City of Merritt facebook page. Businesses, organizations and individuals wishing to purchase a wreath please call the Legion at 250-378-5631 or email Legion096@outlook.com
t e g r o F e Lest W
HOME HARDWARE
would like to THANK all of our local heroes for their service in the hopes for greater good.
HERO
A person who in the face of danger, combats adversity through impressive feats of ingenuity, bravery or strength often sacrificing his or her own personal concerns for some greater good. REMEMBERING Ken Moyes and all of our local heroes!
Lest we Forget On this Remembrance Day, we pay tribute to those past and present who served our country with courage and compassion
KEN MOYES 1701 Voght St. 250-378-4215 www.merritt www.merritthomehardware.ca
Always er Rememb
the sacrifices others have made
250-378-4695 2562B Main Street West Kelowna, BC V4T 2N5 Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca • www.danalbas.com • 1-800-665-8711
2145 Quilchena Ave., Merritt
THURSDAY, November 5, 2020 • B17
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Remembering all those who served from the Nicola Valley
A piece of our history Canadians recognize Remembrance Day, originally called Armistice Day, every Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. It marks the end of hostilities during the First World War and an opportunity to recall all those who have served in the nation’s defence.
ARMISTICE DAY Armistice Day was inaugurated in 1919 throughout much of the British Empire, but on the second Monday in November. In 1921, the Canadian Parliament passed an Armistice Day bill to observe ceremonies on the first Monday in the week of Nov. 11, but this combined the event with the Thanksgiving Day holiday. For much of the 1920s, Canadians observed the date with little public demonstration.
Veterans and their families gathered in churches and around local memorials, but observances involved few other Canadians. In 1928, some prominent citizens, many of them veterans, pushed for greater recognition and to separate the remembrance of wartime sacrifice from the Thanksgiving holiday. In 1931, the federal government decreed that the newly named Remembrance Day would be observed on Nov. 11 and moved Thanksgiving Day to a different date. Remembrance Day would emphasize the memory of fallen soldiers instead of the political and military events leading to victory in the First World War. http://www.warmuseum.ca
Photo by Stijn Swinnen on Unsplash
www.tbmcleaningandrestoration.com inc.
TF: 1-877-612-0909 • 250-378-9410
Why the poppy? The association between the poppy and war dates back to the Napoleonic wars, when a writer saw a field of poppies growing over the graves of fallen soldiers. During the Battle of Ypres in 1915, Canadian Lt.-Col. John McCrae was inspired to write the poem In Flanders Fields on sighting the poppies growing beside a grave of a close friend who had died in battle. The poem was a great inspiration in adopting the poppy as the Flower of Remembrance in Canada, France, the U.S., Britain and Commonwealth countries. The first poppies were distributed in Canada in 1921. Today the volunteer donations from the distribution of millions of poppies is an important source of revenue for the Royal Canadian Legion that goes toward helping ex-servicemen and women buy food, and obtain shelter and medical attention.
- Jose Narosky Phone: (250) 378-9745
2090 Coutlee Ave #103, Merritt, BC
In honour of �e men and women who fought f� our fr�dom. Trust.
FULL AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE
2649 Granite Ave., located next to Best Valu-Glass • Ph: 250-378-2442 • Fax: 250-378-2448 • www.fountaintire.com
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emembrance ay
Robert Charters (Seated)
Cacuse Garcia
Eddie LaRochelle
Robert Hogg
Arthur Monroe Fraser
Eddie Tom
Jim Nesbit
Reginald Shuttleworth
Edith Carr
Jim Hardy
Joan Iver Hendy
Jack Geater
Ignatia (Lanigan) Grams
Bertie Ware
Edna Rawlings
Elizabeth Chaster
Elmer (Shorty)
Archie McDougal
Les and George Griffiths
Ken Moyes
Reg Eagles
Jensen
Smitty Bent and Dave Shuter
Gerrard, Charles, Bernard, Urban Guichon
Remembrance Day “And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave.” —Joseph Drake
MERRITT HERALD
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ber 10, 1941 to c O e th in n see Advertising as erritt Herald edition of the M
Thank you to all the men and women who served and are currently serving, to keep our country safe!
Family Friendly Dental Clinic Veterans and New Patients Always Welcome
Call Today to book your appointment: Office hours: Mon. to Fri.: 8 am - 4:30 pm 2088 Quilchena Ave., (next to Royal Bank)
Ph:
250-378-5877