Help Recover Lethbridge’s Vimy Heroes
As mentioned in last week’s column, the Galt Museum & Archives and local author Brett Clifton are committed to helping military historian Norm Christie recover 44 Canadian heroes believed to buried in an unmarked, mass grave in France – 10 of which are members of Lethbridge’s own battalion – the 113th Lethbridge Highlanders.
The names of our lost Vimy heroes are:
Private Launcelot Maurice Attwood – Age 30
Private Earnest Earl Betts – Age 28
Lance Corporal George Falconer Blaik – Age 37
Private Cyril Arthur Gooding – Age 19
Private Arthur Johnson Hawkins – Age 33
Private Walter Harold Hooper – Age 25
Private Sanford Wesley Leitch – Age 23
Private Thomas McCandless – Age 32
Private George Brown Piper – Age 21
Private Levi George Powell – Age 43
In addition to raising awareness, lost heroes, the project is working to locate family members, photos and personal stories relating to the ten soldiers and other members of the battalion. All volunteers working on the recovery hope that members of our community will consider supporting the ongoing fundraising efforts, which will be used for locating and clearing munitions, securing permits, renting equipment, hiring archaeologists and compensating the farmer whose land will be excavated. When the men are found, the Department of National Defence and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will assume responsibility.
If you wish to join the effort and support this cause, please contact local partners Brett Clifton at (403) 381-1850 or the Galt Museum & Archives at info@galtmuseum.com.
Our official day of Remembrance may have already passed, but we can continue to honour these men and everyone from our community who has served by supporting this and other worthwhile veteran’s causes.