AFP/AAC Newsletter #30 - Bilingual/Bilingue

The National Field of Honour T he Last Post Fund was born out of an incident in late 1908, when policemen brought to a Montreal hospital an uncon- scious homeless person. The chief nurse, Mr. Arthur Hair, a Boer War veteran, noticed a typical British government envelop in a pocket of this person, from which he iden- tified Trooper Daly, released from military service after the Boer War, who died two days later without having regained consciousness. Mr. Hair obtained financial assis- tance to bury him with dignity, and out of his efforts the Last Post Fund was born in 1909. The first burials were done in lots purchased from both the Mount-Royal and Côte- des-Neiges cemeteries. In 1929, the Fund purchased land in Pointe-Claire to create the National Field of Honour, a cemetery entirely dedicated to the military, and the first burials were conducted there in 1930. Today, more than 22,000 soldiers and war veterans are buried with their spouse in the National Field of Honour, and for the last four years, also with their family. The cemetery hosts veterans from both World Wars, the Korean War, and peace missions of modern times, including some service members who died in Afghanistan. Many of the veterans buried in the National Field of Honour have performed glorious acts in war- time and received valour medals including the Victoria Cross. It is the largest Canadian cemetery entirely dedicated to the military. The National Field of Honour maintains an international dimen- sion as it hosts not only Canadian, but also British, Polish, French, and American veterans. The National Field of Honour today assumes a unique histor- ical perspective : it contains the remains of soldiers who served in Napoleonic wars, and the War of 1812 (British Empire-USA); it also hosts the remains and monument of the Command- er-in-chief of the British Forces in North America(1847-1849), Lieutenant-General Sir Benjamin Alfred D’Urban. The remains and monuments of 54 of these soldiers were transferred in July 1944 from the former Papineau cemetery (abandoned after 1869, and maintained by the Last Post Fund since World War One), and now are located around the D’Ur- ban circle in the National Field of Honour, thus commemorating a part of Canadian history. Burial practices at the National Field of Honour have evolved in parallel with Canadian society. At first only veterans were buried there. Since the Second World War and the Korean War, soldiers and veterans may be buried with their spouse. And for the last four years, service members and veterans may be buried togeth- er with their family members. Beginning in the year 2000, the Field of Honour modernization included the erection of a large columbarium. It also owns ad- jacent unused land for future development. Visit the site www. champdhonneurnational.ca Service members from both Regular and Reserve forces, either serving or retired after a mini- Armed Forces Pensioners’ / Annuitants’ Association of Canada Issue #30 • Summer 2018 aux maux de tête occasionnés par le système. Chacun des membres du personnel de la clinique DVA a des liens avec les Forces canadiennes, à partir de son fondateur, Steve Nolan, un vétéran de 25 ans de service, la massothérapeute, qui a fait partie de la police militaire pendant 11 ans (son mari fait toujours parti de la PM), de la physiothérapeu- te, dont le mari est militaire, de la conseillère en santé mentale et directrice de la clinique, dont la famille a fait partie d’un peu toutes les branches des Forces depuis plusieurs générations et de l’infirmière, dont le grand-père a servi dans l’armée. Ces gens comprennent la vie, la transition nécessaire et la culture des mili- taires. Où : La clinique DVA vient tout juste d’ouvrir son « navire amiral » à Ot- tawa, en Ontario, et prévoit d’ouvrir d’autres cliniques à Kingston et à Petawawa cette année, et à la gran- deur du Canada éventuellement. La clinique d’Ottawa est située au 381, rue Kent, local 4004. Ap- pelez-les au 613-369-8389 pour de plus amples renseignements. n The National Field of Honour maintains an international dimension as it hosts not only Canadian, but also British, Polish, French, and American veterans.