Plans underway for memorial statue to honour Regina Rifles
Plans are being made for a memorial in France to honour members of the Royal Regina Rifles.
The regiment participated in the 1944 D-Day landing at Juno Beach that was a turning point in WWII.
Randy Brooks, an honorary colonel at the Regina Rifles, stopped to salute at the monument in Victoria Park on Wednesday commemorating the 1944 D-Day landing.
“The Regina Rifles played a key role in the invasion force, tip of the spear as they say, the invasion force that came ashore at Juno Beach on the 6th of June of 1944,” he said.
The Regina Rifles had 1,000 members and 458 were casualties during the war. Brooks believes they need to be remembered.
“There’s a modest plaque that’s been there for decades that honours 458. What we’d like to do on the 80th anniversary, and that is something that other regiments have done, and that is to have a larger, in this case a monument, a statue of a Regina Rifle soldier,” Brooks said.
Funds are being raised to erect a statue at next year’s 80th anniversary.
The eight-foot tall statue would be based on a drawing and funds are now being raised. The regiment has strong community support to this day.
The hope is to have the statue ready for public display in Regina next May before it is transported to Juno Beach in June for unveiling during the 80th anniversary commemoration.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.