In Morden, leading up to the season of remembrance, it has become an increasingly familiar sight to see the street lined with banners that commemorate those who served the community and the country in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Adding a new city to the project
Ken Wiebe, a veteran who established the Memorial Banner Project in 2018 and has since been its coordinator, said that this year is “very exciting” for the initiative that leaves an impact in the community.
“The City of Winkler has agreed to now participate in the banner project, which is really good to see because a lot of the veterans from around here ... were from Winkler,” he said. “There's a good bunch of them.”
Wiebe said that this year, four banners have been introduced in Winkler.
A collaborative effort
While the banners are new to Winkler, the coordinator noted that in Morden, they have evolved into a concerted effort among three parties.
While the city puts up and takes down the banners at its own expense, families cover the costs associated with making the commemorative items, and the Morden Legion facilitates the whole process.
'I didn’t know that’
According to Wiebe, the looming tokens of sacrifice always elicit a positive reaction from Morden residents.
For many, the biographies that now accompany the faces on the banners provide a wealth of new information.
“[I always hear,] ‘I didn’t know that, I didn’t know that,’” said Wiebe. “It's good to see that we're putting information out there.”
Wiebe said that initially, biographical information was not included with the banners, but after being questioned repeatedly about who the figures were and their stories, the coordinator began collecting as much information as possible about each veteran and fallen soldier.
He said that now, there are over 70 biographies on the Morden Legion (Branch #11) website from previous years of both servicepeople who are alive and those who have passed on.
Around Remembrance Day, the biographies of the newest additions to the banner project will be added as well.
The son of a Mennonite minister
One of the biographies that will be added this year belongs to Winkler’s George Cornelius Krahn, whose story likely resonates in the Pembina Valley.
“[He was] the son of a minister, a very pacifist minister in a Mennonite church, [and he] joined the military,” said Wiebe.
“His family suffered some anxiety, and they were frowned upon because their son had joined the military. I think it was particularly bad for them because he was a pastor's son, but his family was very supportive. They honoured what he was doing, and they're very proud of him.”
Wiebe said that, unfortunately, Krahn lost his life during a mission in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
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“He died flying an airplane,” said Wiebe. “He got the mission all completed, and on the way home, he got shot down .... That happened a lot, but it happened to him and his crew.”
Today, Krahn’s family continues to honour his memory — his banner was sponsored by his nephew, who resides in Ontario.
Kassandra Palidwor, the great niece of Krahn, said she grew up hearing about her great uncle’s courage.
“My grandpa was very proud of his brother, and so he had a photo album that we would take to school every Remembrance Day, and we were so proud to show our uncle,” she said.
“We knew that he died very young and that he was fighting for his country, and his whole family was very proud of him.”
A familial connection
For Wiebe, it’s also a special year for banners because he has a close connection to another individual who is also receiving one — his daughter, Makenzie Jae George.
It was a surprise.
“There was a banner unveiling, which I didn't know about,” she said. “My dad just asked me to come to the Legion, so here I came, and then I saw my name on the list.”
George’s story is another that is unique among the subjects of the banners. She represents another type of veteran.
"I felt maybe a little bit embarrassed and not, I guess, worthy of [the banner], just because the people who are on banners usually have fought in a war or did something for their country, and I just don't feel like I did that much, but I did serve,” she said.
‘Oh, you’re female’
George was in the Naval Reserve. She said that partway through basic training, she broke her nose and had to join a new platoon. What happened next was a series of events outside of her control.
“When I was done that, I went from HMCS Nonsuch in Edmonton, went to Halifax, and was put on a ship there. When I first went there, they thought I was male and had billeted me to a different ship, so when I got there to pick up my uniforms and stuff like that, they looked at me and said, ‘Oh, you're female,’” she said.
“They had to put me on a sailboat, and I went on a sailing cruise to Maine with a few other people just to bide my time, and then they put me on a different ship, HMCS Glace Bay, when I got back.”
Today, George serves the community in a different way as a nurse, but her willingness to put aside personal comforts for a cause greater than herself is likely one way she embodies the spirit of The Canadian Armed Forces.
For her, enlistment was a bold action of follow-through.
“My dad had been talking to my brother about joining the military, and I looked at my dad and said, ‘Well, what about me? You don't think I can do it because I'm a girl?’ So I enlisted,” she said. “But I ended up loving it. I loved the camaraderie, how we worked as a team .... [There’s a] feeling of pride and just a different feeling that you would do anything for your country.”
‘You were there. You were willing’
For Wiebe, who said that George is the third generation to have a banner along with both her grandfathers and her parents, there’s no doubt that she deserves the honour.
“You should never feel unworthy, because you wore the uniform,” he said.
“When you sign on the bottom line, you're signing a statement, basically, that says you're willing to give everything — up to and including your life — for the service of your country. That's the way it is, so ... for somebody to sign that, even though you didn't participate in a conflict, the fact is that you were willing. That's the main thing. You were there. You were willing.”
For Wiebe, despite the various backgrounds, stories, and achievements of veterans and fallen servicepeople, each unique set of circumstances is worthy of being remembered.
“It's been an honour to do this on behalf of the Legion and the community. It's an educational process for everybody, and particularly for me. I'm hoping that everybody appreciates what the banners represent, and that freedom isn't free,” he said.
With files from Robyn Wiebe
