'We have to remember them': Yorkton Legion helping to put faces to graves of Canadian soldiers overseas
The Yorkton Legion is working with an organization in the Netherlands to put a photo next to every tombstone in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.
Else Schaberg, who is on the member board and research team for Faces To Graves, reached out to the local legion looking for details on Pte. Herbert Federick Painter.
Painter is one of the 2,300 Canadian World War II soldiers buried in the cemetery.
(Supplied: Else Schaberg)
(Supplied: Else Schaberg)
"It really is great to have someone actually looking in to it, doing the research, showing that they care, and then reaching out to us overseas to help," said Brittany Johnson, vice president of the Yorkton Legion.
The organization has collected 1,500 pictures for the graves so far.
"It's a huge undertaking but that just goes to show you the gratification that the Dutch people have for their soldiers," added Johnson.
The program is a lot of work for the small group of volunteers in Holland, and it takes a wide web of connections.
"We have more contacts in Canada and this way we try to look everywhere for photographs," said Schaberg from the Netherlands.
She added it is important to put a face to these names and so their stories live on.
"We can pay tribute to these heroes because to us they are still heroes,” Schaberg explained. “They gave their lives for our freedom, so we have to remember them."
Johnson was thrilled to lend a hand where she could, and was touched by the thanks and care the Dutch have towards the fallen soldiers.
"As a Canadian it really makes you feel comforted that all of our heroes are taken such good care of over there."
She said seeing the video Faces to Graves put together highlighted the serenity of where our soldiers were laid to rest and the venture has inspired her to do more research on our veterans.
"I have grand plans for our cemetery one day and I’d like to see it in action and they're just a huge inspiration for me."
The organization has identified a total of five soldiers buried in the cemetery who are from Yorkton, in addition to Painter there is Walter Robert Middlemiss, Charles Thomas Brown, Theodore Adam Grygar and Ralph Henry George Bartlett.
While these men have been identified, the organization said there is a chance there are more. Schaberg said people can contact Faces to Graves if they have information about a soldier buried at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.