The Hamilton Afghanistan War Monument, unveiled at the Warplane Heritage Museum on June 3, will serve as a legacy to the families and soldiers who served and gave their lives for their country.
Family members of the four soldiers from Hamilton who died during the conflict poured sand transported from Afghanistan into a tube connected to a vault underneath the light armoured vehicle III (LAV) mounted on boulders on top of a grassy knoll surrounded by trees.
While Linda Campbell, sister of Major Raymond Mark Ruckpaul, poured the grains of sand into the pipe, her mother, Joan Ruckpaul watched intently, blew her son a kiss, then bowed her head.
“The whole idea of presenting the sand to the families and having it sealed underneath the LAV is every time they came to visit this monument not only is it a testament to what their family did but a small part of the land they protected as well,” said Keven Ellis, president of the North Wall Riders Association, Steel City Chapter, which raised the $40,000 for the memorial.
The armoured vehicle, located on donated land by the museum at the far end of the parking lot, has been “demilitarized” with its plating removed, the hatches welded shut and the interior gutted.
On opposite sides of the vehicle are two plaques, one that recognizes the service of Canadians, including those who gave their lives and another plaque with all of Hamilton’s military units.
There were 159 Canadian soldiers who died in the Afghanistan conflict, with four of them from Hamilton: Pvt. Mark Anthony Graham in 2006; Major Raymond Mark Ruckpaul in 2007; Sgt. Shawn Eades in 2008 and in 2011 Corporal Justin Stark. Canadians were in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014.
Also included in the memorial is Capt. Nathan Cirillo of Hamilton. In 2014, he was standing guard at the Canadian National War Memorial in Ottawa when he was fatally shot by a deranged assailant.
The soldiers’ names are engraved on rocks beneath the front of the military vehicle.
Bev McCraw has said her son, Shawn Eades, a combat engineer serving his third tour in Afghanistan, was killed in a military vehicle similar to the one now sitting as the memorial.
“It was something I would never dream would ever happen,” she said. “It’s a memorial not only to the fallen, but to everyone who served over there.”
About 40,000 soldiers of the Canadian Armed Forces served in Afghanistan, the largest deployment by the country since the Second World War.
Since last fall, when the groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial was held, Ellis said they have had no problem raising the money for it.
“The funding came from within the community, from local businesses, unions,” he said. “A little girl raised $39 from a clothing sale. It didn’t matter who we spoke to they wanted to help. It’s phenomenal.”
Glanbrook Coun. Brenda Johnson lavished praise on the North Wall Riders, who she called “angels” as they assisted in whatever way they could the Silver Cross families get through their difficult times.
“They don’t do it for the recognition,” said Johnson. “They really are selfless people who take the time to do things. It’s unbelievable.”
Under a blue sky, and the sun shining brightly, and while hundreds of people, friends, relatives, politicians, military personnel, stood nearby in honour of the monument, Ellis said the project turned out better in reality than what was dreamed.
“It’s more beautiful than I ever imagined it,” he said. “It’s an incredible tribute to the men and women that served for Canada and for those four that didn’t come home, and the one that did come home and never found home when he got here.”
The Hamilton Afghanistan War Monument, unveiled at the Warplane Heritage Museum on June 3, will serve as a legacy to the families and soldiers who served and gave their lives for their country.
Family members of the four soldiers from Hamilton who died during the conflict poured sand transported from Afghanistan into a tube connected to a vault underneath the light armoured vehicle III (LAV) mounted on boulders on top of a grassy knoll surrounded by trees.
While Linda Campbell, sister of Major Raymond Mark Ruckpaul, poured the grains of sand into the pipe, her mother, Joan Ruckpaul watched intently, blew her son a kiss, then bowed her head.
“The whole idea of presenting the sand to the families and having it sealed underneath the LAV is every time they came to visit this monument not only is it a testament to what their family did but a small part of the land they protected as well,” said Keven Ellis, president of the North Wall Riders Association, Steel City Chapter, which raised the $40,000 for the memorial.
The armoured vehicle, located on donated land by the museum at the far end of the parking lot, has been “demilitarized” with its plating removed, the hatches welded shut and the interior gutted.
On opposite sides of the vehicle are two plaques, one that recognizes the service of Canadians, including those who gave their lives and another plaque with all of Hamilton’s military units.
There were 159 Canadian soldiers who died in the Afghanistan conflict, with four of them from Hamilton: Pvt. Mark Anthony Graham in 2006; Major Raymond Mark Ruckpaul in 2007; Sgt. Shawn Eades in 2008 and in 2011 Corporal Justin Stark. Canadians were in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014.
Also included in the memorial is Capt. Nathan Cirillo of Hamilton. In 2014, he was standing guard at the Canadian National War Memorial in Ottawa when he was fatally shot by a deranged assailant.
The soldiers’ names are engraved on rocks beneath the front of the military vehicle.
Bev McCraw has said her son, Shawn Eades, a combat engineer serving his third tour in Afghanistan, was killed in a military vehicle similar to the one now sitting as the memorial.
“It was something I would never dream would ever happen,” she said. “It’s a memorial not only to the fallen, but to everyone who served over there.”
About 40,000 soldiers of the Canadian Armed Forces served in Afghanistan, the largest deployment by the country since the Second World War.
Since last fall, when the groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial was held, Ellis said they have had no problem raising the money for it.
“The funding came from within the community, from local businesses, unions,” he said. “A little girl raised $39 from a clothing sale. It didn’t matter who we spoke to they wanted to help. It’s phenomenal.”
Glanbrook Coun. Brenda Johnson lavished praise on the North Wall Riders, who she called “angels” as they assisted in whatever way they could the Silver Cross families get through their difficult times.
“They don’t do it for the recognition,” said Johnson. “They really are selfless people who take the time to do things. It’s unbelievable.”
Under a blue sky, and the sun shining brightly, and while hundreds of people, friends, relatives, politicians, military personnel, stood nearby in honour of the monument, Ellis said the project turned out better in reality than what was dreamed.
“It’s more beautiful than I ever imagined it,” he said. “It’s an incredible tribute to the men and women that served for Canada and for those four that didn’t come home, and the one that did come home and never found home when he got here.”
The Hamilton Afghanistan War Monument, unveiled at the Warplane Heritage Museum on June 3, will serve as a legacy to the families and soldiers who served and gave their lives for their country.
Family members of the four soldiers from Hamilton who died during the conflict poured sand transported from Afghanistan into a tube connected to a vault underneath the light armoured vehicle III (LAV) mounted on boulders on top of a grassy knoll surrounded by trees.
While Linda Campbell, sister of Major Raymond Mark Ruckpaul, poured the grains of sand into the pipe, her mother, Joan Ruckpaul watched intently, blew her son a kiss, then bowed her head.
“The whole idea of presenting the sand to the families and having it sealed underneath the LAV is every time they came to visit this monument not only is it a testament to what their family did but a small part of the land they protected as well,” said Keven Ellis, president of the North Wall Riders Association, Steel City Chapter, which raised the $40,000 for the memorial.
The armoured vehicle, located on donated land by the museum at the far end of the parking lot, has been “demilitarized” with its plating removed, the hatches welded shut and the interior gutted.
On opposite sides of the vehicle are two plaques, one that recognizes the service of Canadians, including those who gave their lives and another plaque with all of Hamilton’s military units.
There were 159 Canadian soldiers who died in the Afghanistan conflict, with four of them from Hamilton: Pvt. Mark Anthony Graham in 2006; Major Raymond Mark Ruckpaul in 2007; Sgt. Shawn Eades in 2008 and in 2011 Corporal Justin Stark. Canadians were in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014.
Also included in the memorial is Capt. Nathan Cirillo of Hamilton. In 2014, he was standing guard at the Canadian National War Memorial in Ottawa when he was fatally shot by a deranged assailant.
The soldiers’ names are engraved on rocks beneath the front of the military vehicle.
Bev McCraw has said her son, Shawn Eades, a combat engineer serving his third tour in Afghanistan, was killed in a military vehicle similar to the one now sitting as the memorial.
“It was something I would never dream would ever happen,” she said. “It’s a memorial not only to the fallen, but to everyone who served over there.”
About 40,000 soldiers of the Canadian Armed Forces served in Afghanistan, the largest deployment by the country since the Second World War.
Since last fall, when the groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial was held, Ellis said they have had no problem raising the money for it.
“The funding came from within the community, from local businesses, unions,” he said. “A little girl raised $39 from a clothing sale. It didn’t matter who we spoke to they wanted to help. It’s phenomenal.”
Glanbrook Coun. Brenda Johnson lavished praise on the North Wall Riders, who she called “angels” as they assisted in whatever way they could the Silver Cross families get through their difficult times.
“They don’t do it for the recognition,” said Johnson. “They really are selfless people who take the time to do things. It’s unbelievable.”
Under a blue sky, and the sun shining brightly, and while hundreds of people, friends, relatives, politicians, military personnel, stood nearby in honour of the monument, Ellis said the project turned out better in reality than what was dreamed.
“It’s more beautiful than I ever imagined it,” he said. “It’s an incredible tribute to the men and women that served for Canada and for those four that didn’t come home, and the one that did come home and never found home when he got here.”