Last Post Fund upgrades military headstones at Swift Current Field of Honour
The upgrading of a series of temporary veterans crosses into military headstones at the Swift Current Mount Pleasant Cemetery was a pleasant surprise to members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #56.
This past Friday, the Legion was able to extend their thanks to the Last Post Fund for this important upgrade to the Swift Current Field of Honour project. The veterans plot had been a long time project of the local Legion, with a series of white crosses in place to mark the final resting place of a number of local veterans of the First and Second World Wars.
Approximately 30 new military markers have installed in the past few weeks through the work of the Last Post Fund Unmarked Graves Program.
Jim Pratt, a past President of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #56 in Swift Current, noted their white cross program has been a feature at the cemetery for a number of decades, but the upgraded headstones are welcome.
“We are just totally blown away by the way that the work is being done,” Pratt explained during a media event this past Friday. “We’re certainly pleased that they are being replaced with military markers under the Unmarked Graves Program.”
Pratt said the Field of Honour program in Swift Current has been an important local initiative to honour the sacrifice of veterans.
“We just like to keep the Field of Honour looking respectful because we as younger Canadians owe a tremendous amount to the veterans who are buried here and in Fields of Honour all over the country,” Pratt said.
The program has replaced close to a dozen white crosses last year and an additional 30 and 35 this year for close to 50 in total. There are now roughly only 35 to 40 wooded crosses left.
“As a Canadian it just makes me very proud to be part of this whole project and I’m certainly thankful to the Last Post Fund and the Unmarked Graves program for what they have done to date,” Pratt said.
Glenn Miller, a volunteer with the Last Post Fund, said the upgrades are an important part of the work of the Last Post Fund. The mission of the fund is to ensure that no veteran is denied a dignified funeral, burial and a headstone due to insufficient funds.
The upgrades in Swift Current have occurred through the Fund’s Unmarked Grave Program, which works in partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada to establish the permanent headstones.
Miller noted that he made a spot check in Swift Current last summer during a cross country trip where he discovered this trove of grave-markings suitable for upgrading.
He said this is rewarding work, and is hoping to find more people to assist the Last Post Fund’s efforts through the Lost Veterans Initiative and the Indigenous Veterans’ Initiative.
To encourage participation, a how-to kit is sent to volunteers and assistance is provided by provincial branches. Starting in late spring and through to the fall, researchers walk various cemeteries searching for unmarked graves.
“Those interested in becoming volunteer researchers or who know of any Veteran lying in an unmarked grave for more than five years are invited to contact the Last Post Fund National Office at 1-800-465-7113,” Miller said.
He further challenged people to help preserve and recognize the sacrifice of the men and women who are in temporary marked graves, many which are in abandoned cemeteries.
During the 50 day period between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, he issued a challenge for Canadians to identify 50 veterans who lie in unmarked graves. People can report their findings to 1-800-465-7113.
“There are thousands of unmarked graves across Canada. No one really knows. We have a planning figure but our local research in the last couple of days has kind of made that questionable. Maybe this could be an annual event until there are no more unmarked graves.”