Vanguard Magazine

www.vanguardcanada.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 29 soldier right at his gravesite. "It's a touch- ing moment when you're standing there and introducing someone," Goheen says, "details become more poignant." William Thomson, George William Paul, Thomas Choisnet – these were but three of the countless men who lost their lives, their stories resurrected along the pilgrims' route. "I may have been the only one to visit William Thomson," says Dwane Burke with gravity. Thomson enlisted in Prince Albert. He died at Vimy Ridge. Buster Rogers learned about George William Paul, a private from Saint John, N.B. He was married with no children. Short and slim he sported tattoos and a scar. He was a labourer when he joined. "We walked into the cemetery to his grave and I began my introduction," he recounts. Thomas Choisnet of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia was the editor and publisher of a local newspaper says Fryday-Cook. As the stories were told, "we were all a mess," she says, "what they'd done for us." a legacy to share For some, this pilgrimage brought a kind of closure, a way to bridge the gap of dis- tance and loss by visiting relatives' resting places. For others, it was a way to person- ally and viscerally understand the sacri- fices made by perfect strangers willing to give their lives for others. As part of their overall journey, mem- bers of the group agreed to share their stories upon returning home. For Fryday- Cook and Burke, there's an inner urgency to incorporate what they experienced into their classrooms. "The thing I need to make sure I do is to teach it forward," says Burke. "Much of what I do is about the importance of Canadian history and the stories. Now I'll have more stories to share, more feelings to share. We can't let these stories be lost." "I'm really going to start teaching this with the kids in school," says Fryday- Cook. "We need to keep it alive for them, keep it alive." Buster Rogers knows his yearly visit to the Remembrance Day ceremony at a lo- cal high school in Saint John will be dif- ferent this year. He'll be relaying what he learned. "It's too big to keep to myself. I have to share it." As he puts the final touches on his multi-media presentation, he talks about his meeting with officials at CFB Gagetown. He also wants to share his emotional experiences with young ca- dets in the region. v vImY rIdge These pilgrims know first-hand that real-life stories coupled with imagination and remembrance are powerful things. Note: All citizens can apply to take part in the Pilgrimage of Remembrance which takes place every two years. The next one is scheduled for 2019. Visit Legion.ca to learn more about The Royal Canadian Legion. nujma Bond oversees communications at The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command. She has led communications departments at several national Canadian organizations and previously was a jour- nalist in Calgary and Regina. "Those who made the journey received the name of a fallen soldier from their home province before leaving. They researched details about the person behind the name. Where they lived, where they died."

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