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

India tells Canada to withdraw 41 diplomats, report says
India has told Canada that it must repatriate 41 diplomats by Oct. 10, the Financial Times reported. Ties between India and Canada have become strained over Canadian suspicion that Indian government agents had a role in the June murder in Canada of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Homeowners brace for mortgage payment shock amid higher-for-longer rate outlook
From ultra-low interest rates that led to a huge spike in real estate demand to the speed with which interest rates shot up to levels not seen in a generation, it's been hard to keep up with the shifting landscape for mortgage holders.
Diwali fireworks advisory issued despite warnings it might be discriminatory: emails
An Environment Canada advisory that singled out Diwali fireworks as a reason to prepare for poor air quality last October was issued despite multiple warnings from some staff about it being discriminatory.
Trump seethes through the start of trial in New York lawsuit accusing him of lying about his wealth
Aggrieved and defiant, former U.S. president Donald Trump sat through hours of sometimes testy opening statements Monday in a fraud lawsuit that could cost him control of Trump Tower and other prized properties.
New study shows where you fall on new internet addiction spectrum
Researchers have come up with categories for people who are addicted to the internet and for those who are at risk.
India police search journalists' homes and offices in the country's latest raids on media
Indian police raided the offices of a news website that's under investigation for allegedly receiving funds from China, as well as the homes of several of its journalists, in what critics described as an attack on one of India's few remaining independent news outlets.
Adolescent ER visits in Ontario for eating disorders saw big jump during pandemic: study
The biggest jump in Ontario emergency room visits and hospitalizations for eating disorders during the first 30 months of the pandemic was seen in adolescents aged 10 to 17, according to a new study.
What you need to know about the election of a new Speaker
On Tuesday, MPs will be electing a new Speaker of the House of Commons, in the wake of Anthony Rota's resignation. It will be a day for the Canadian political history books, as well as a day full of pomp and procedure. Here's what you need to know about the role, the contenders, and the process.
Blue Jays on the road for best-of-three wild-card series with Twins
The Toronto Blue Jays kick off their American League wild-card playoff series with the Minnesota Twins today at Target Field in Minneapolis.