Main Street Unity has a new look this week as the community prepares to mark National Legion Week, running Sept. 21 to 27.
The Unity Legion Branch No. 90, with the help of town staff, decorated downtown to honour veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
As part of the observance, a dedication ceremony will be held Sept. 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the south end of Main Street to honour the late Silas “Si” Campbell. Campbell, a Royal Canadian Air Force tail gunner during the Second World War, flew 36 missions on Lancaster bombers under Bomber Command and survived them all. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving another gunner during a mission.
Following his military service, Campbell began a career as a Canadian National Railway station agent in Unity, where he worked until retirement. He was highly active in the Unity community, holding multiple positions in the local Legion, serving on town council, participating in the Unity Club and Unity United Church, and even having a variety of wheat named in his honour. The CNR station, long located behind the site of the upcoming dedication, served as a focal point of his career and the community.
Campbell lived to the age of 99, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Unity. Following Saturday’s ceremony, the Legion will host a social gathering at the hall, and the public is invited to attend.