British Columbia

The Plane of Reconciliation honours Indigenous Veterans and their unique sacrifices made in service to Canada.

Captain David Freeman donated a replica of a First World War Nieuport Biplane in order to honour the contributions and sacrifices of Indigenous Veterans of Canada. The Comox Valley Airport installed the Nieuport Biplane above its departures lounge. Captain Freeman requested the Comox Canadian Forces Base unit badge design be added to the display. The badge design features a Kwakiutl Thunderbird that was originally crafted in consultation with Kwakiutl Chief Mungo Martin, a master craftsman and totem pole carver, and in consultation with K’ómoks Chief Andy Frank in the early 1960s.

The design has since been recreated by Chief Martin’s great-grandson, Hereditary Chief Walas ‘Namugwis, David Mungo Knox who carries on the Potlatch ceremonies and traditional Kwakiutl artform of his ancestors. Chief Knox shares, “The great thunderbird is one of the Chief’s of Sky World and features prominently the many stories of creation for our first ancestors. We have teachings and ceremonies still practiced today to honour our connection to this supernatural being, one that we all recognize and respect as Kwakiutl and Kwakwaka’wakw First Peoples. With great respect we stand with Captain Freeman to honour our Indigenous Veterans across Turtle Island – we fought together; we remember together.”

A group from across Canada known as Vimy Flight, flew replica Nieuport Biplanes over Vimy Ridge on 9 April 2017 in honour and in remembrance of all of those whose sacrifices we remember together. Although Veteran pilot Captain Freeman conducted the test flights he was unable to participate at Vimy Ridge.

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 17 unveiled the mural on the north wall of the Sid Williams Theatre. The permanent display overlooks Jubilee Square and the cenotaph cairn adjacent to the Sid Williams Theatre where Remembrance Day ceremonies are held every Nov. 11. The wall of recognition mural honours local members of the air force, navy, Korean veterans and more.

The Legion, City of Courtenay, Courtenay Museum and Sid Williams Theatre all worked together. The project was chaired by Legion member Ron Webber who served with the Black Watch of the Royal Highland Regiment. Assisting him was legion president and Air Force veteran, Dave Bell. The organizations and individuals donated funds to make this happen. The project cost just under $5,000. As a charitable organization, the 4-H Club applied for and received a $3,000 grant for the mural from the Comox Valley Community Foundation. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 17 Ladies Auxiliary donated $1,000.  The City of Courtenay agreed to install lighting to illuminate the mural.

Wendy Fried did the research, looking for photographs in various archives such as the Department of National Defence, the Canadian War Museum and others. The 12 black-and-white photographs honour all who served in the First and Second World Wars, the Korean Police Action, and various peacekeeping actions throughout the world up to the conflict in Afghanistan. The photos provide striking and sometimes intimate glimpses into the reality of war and peacekeeping missions, as well as the camaraderie experienced by those involved. The photos depict women and aboriginal military personnel, as well as war-related and peacekeeping missions.

The official unveiling of the display was July 16 2011 at 11 a.m. at the Jubliee Square.

Founded in 1999, The Alberni Project Society (TAPS) maintains The Alberni Project (a mobile memorial exhibit of the HMCS Alberni - 1941-1944) as well as other travelling exhibits, which have appeared across Vancouver Island and the lower BC Mainland.  

The HMCS Alberni Museum and Memorial (HAMM) in Courtenay (BC) houses The Wall. Re-Dedicated on the 80th Anniversary of the sinking of HMCS Alberni, The Wall has the list of all sailors who served on HMCS Alberni. With the gracious assistance of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, The Wall also honours the lives of Kriegsmarine submariners who served in U-480. The museum is filled with artefacts, stories and documents pertaining to HMCS Alberni, Merchant Navy, War Brides, The Great War, Children’s war experience, and more contemporary military history, such as the Cold War, Peacekeeping missions, and the Afghanistan Mission.

HMCS Alberni Memorial on the Isle of Wight

A second Alberni Memorial was dedicated on the 80th Anniversary of the sinking of HMCS Alberni, on the Isle of Wight (English Channel). That day, in the “St. Lawrence Peace Garden”, a Maple tree was planted and a bench was installed, looking out to where the Alberni rests on the floor of the English Channel. Both HMCS Alberni memorials are recognized War Memorials by Canada and Germany. 

This monument was designed and constructed by 101 Squadron RCAFA to commemorate RCAF Station Port Hardy’s war and peacetime history and the personnel that served there. The plaque itself is a 30”X30” SS Plaque mounted on a steel stand. The obelisk commemorating the crash of Dak 966 is beside the plaque. The dedication took place in the Port Hardy Airport Terminal building on 27 September 2015 at 11:15, following the 75th Anniversary Parade honoring the Battle of Britain. LCol Clint Mowbray A/WComd 19 Wing and CO 442 Sqn, the guest speaker, talked about the RCAF’s role on the west coast during WW II and its present role of defending Canada and the importance of its search and rescue capability and what it meant to the North Island. He was followed by Linda Turner/Olinger who attended the dedication with her husband Keith and son Curtis. Linda was the daughter of F/O Curtis, the Copilot of Dak 966, who died in its crash on departing RCAF Stn Port Hardy on 18 July 1944. She was one year old at the time. Linda explained how attending this ceremony brought closure to her. She was presented with the dedication flag at the close of the ceremony.

The high-performance Laminate on Dibond plaque is attached to a wooden background. An RCAF flag flies beside it. Telegraph Cove Resort owner Gordie Graham built the wooden support frame and installed the flag on a viewing platform beside the boat launch in late summer of 2015.

On 26 September 2015, the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, 101 Squadron RCAFA and 19 Wing RCAF dedicated this plaque commemorating the period, 1941-45, that Telegraph Cove was an RCAF Station. It was a picture-perfect fall day. LCol Gilles Couture, 19 Wing OpsO, was the RCAF representative. There were numerous other guests from 19 Wing, 888 Wing, and 101 Squadron. 101 fielded a full colour party, an MC and a bugler.

A special guest was Jennifer Butler who is the granddaughter of Fred Wastell who told us of a few recollections of visiting the Cove during this time. 

The Lieutenant Ian Philip MacDonald Picnic Area is named in honour of Lt. Ian MacDonald, Canadian-Scottish Regiment. It is on the grounds of Rosewall Creek Provincial Park, and was named on September 9, 1995 by British Columbia Parks.

Ian Philip MacDonald was born in March 1920 in Vernon, British Columbia, but moved to Fanny Bay on Vancouver Island at the age of 9. He enlisted in Courtenay on September 14, 1939 and was assigned to the Canadian Scottish Regiment. He sailed for England with the 1^st Battalion, Canadian-Scottish Regiment in August 1941. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, this Regiment landed in Normandy, France as part of the 7^th Infantry Brigade, 3^rd Canadian Infantry Division. By then, Ian MacDonald had been commissioned a Lieutenant. On June 10, 1944, Lieutenant Ian Philip MacDonald was killed in action while leading his platoon during a battle near the Putot-En-Bessin Bridge between Bayeux and Caen. He is buried at the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery.

This memorial is a stainless steel obelisk on the floor of the Terminal Building in Port Hardy, near the entrance. It is dedicated to the crew of Dakota 966, and was unveiled September 22, 2012 by 101 Squadron RCAFA.

This memorial is a stainless steel obelisk mounted on the same concrete slab as Stranraer 951 on Coal Harbour Road. It is dedicated to the crew of Canso 11043, unveiled on September 25, 2010 by the 101 Squadron RCAFA.

This stainless steel plaque is mounted in the cockpit of the wreckage of the Mitchell HD319. The Plaque is dedicated to the crew of the Mitchell HD 319, and was unveiled on June 23, 2012 by the 101st Squadron of the RCAF

This memorial is a stainless steel obelisk mounted on a concrete slab. It was placed beside the launch at the former RCAF Base Coal Harbour. Also on this slab is a monument to the personnel who served on the Base, which was used as a whaling station after the War and a whale harpoon gun is mounted on the slab to depict this. A 20 foot flag pole flies the RCAF Ensign. It is dedicated to the crew of Stranraer 951, and was unveiled on September 14, 2007 by 101 Squadron RCAFA.