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Volume XIII-Issue 720
www.vermilionvoice.com
May 14, 2018
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Vermilion Legion’s 100th Anniversary
From left, honoured guests 1st VP of the AB-NWT Command John Mahon, Nancy Mahon, Karla Callbeck, Major Carl Cottrell, Sgt. Jane Boehr, Allison Starke, MLA Dr. Richard Starke, Master Corporal Retired Paul Franklin, Legion President Garry Zayac, Liz Fournier, Mayor Carline McAuley, County Reeve Dale Swyripa, and Cliff McAuley in front of the Royal Canadian Artillery Band in Vermilion on May 12. Photo Angela Mouly
Angela Mouly Reporter
With great reverence the Royal Canadian Legion celebrated the 100th Anniversar y of Field Marshal Alexander Branch No. 11 in Vermilion on May 12. Festivities included a barbeque at the Legion with displays from the Armed Forces, the Vermilion Legion, and Veteran family members; as well a banquet and dance at the Vermilion Regional Centre. A LAV 6 sat outside the Legion with members of the 3rd Canadian Division - 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry displaying a selection of weaponry. Community members had the opportunity to inspect a C6 machine gun, Carl Gustaf rocket launcher, a C9 machine gun, as well as C7 and C8 rifles. Sgt. Darren Isley and Lt(n) Gwen Rogers from the 41 Canadian Brigade Group in Edmonton had a recruiting booth for the reserves set up. With domestic operations as their primary focus, Islay remembered responding to the Calgary floods
on Memorial Drive and said, “It was a humbling experience seeing the faces of the people you are helping.” Inside the Legion, several items were on display including cap badges, and 32 plaques out of the known 220 names from both world wars in the surrounding area. Pvt. Thomas Alban Snelgrove’s (1893 – 1917) display was set up with great nephew, Robert Snelgrove, describing the families experience over the past few years uncovering more artifacts and memorabilia. Displays also included some of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps which only had two training camps; one at Lakeland College in Vermilion and one in Ontario. Sgt. Vera Storey’s experience included tear gas training and fond memories of skiing in the Vermilion River Valley. The first female Canadian artist to go overseas to document the war effort, Molly Lamb Boback, published an illustrated diary that includes sketches of her time in Vermilion.
As guests entered the Regional Centre author, Charlotte Smith, signed copies of her ‘We Will Remember Them’ book; and Barry Roth played the bagpipes as honoured guests entered the room. It was a stately affair as members of the Vermilion Army Cadets L. Edm. R. 2645 served the head table a catered meal. Emcee, Master Corporal Retired Paul Franklin has been a full time Veteran’s Advocate since 2009. According to Franklin, after serving two tours in Afghanistan as a medic, 2006 was one of the best years of his life even though a suicide bomb ripped through a Mercedes G Wagon causing him to lose both of his legs because he found purpose helping to change the Canadian medical system at large, and aid veterans in their recovery and rehabilitation. For his own recovery, Franklin had to attend rehabilitation in the United States, but has now assisted in setting up rehabilitation at the Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton. With his life being saved thanks to a fellow service member apply-
ing a tourniquet, he advocated to now have Canadian EMS service members carrying tourniquets. “The Canadian History is long and deep in this area. Western Canadian small towns supplied many WWI and WWII soldiers, nurses, and sailors, and we need to keep supporting veterans and still serving members with the Canadian Forces in peace keeping, homeland security, and natural disasters. There is something about a Canadian Forces member ser ving in the militar y and how they choose to commit to protect their homeland and overseas. It takes a community to get behind the effort, and we don’t often pat ourselves on the back but we should. We volunteer for this stuff, and we are the best small military in the world. Saving lives, that’s how Canada works and how small towns work together; not to make the world another Canada, but to give others an opportunity to excel on their own,” said Franklin. Continued on page 10
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