1999 Remembrance Day Poster

About the Poster

“A Century of Valour”. The 1999 Remembrance Day poster commemorates Canada’s wartime and peacekeeping efforts throughout the 20th century.

This year, the Royal Canadian Legion invites you to participate in a special tribute to Canada’s war dead. The 2 Minute-Wave of Silence is a millennium project designed by the Legion to allow Canadians to stand in silent tribute to the men and women who served our country in time of war. Starting in Newfoundland as the clock strikes 11 a.m. local time on November 11, a wave of silence will begin to roll across the nation’s six time zones, as people stop to remember. Join the Wave and make this Remembrance Day a living memory for all. For more information on this initiative, see the Royal Canadian Legion’s Web site.

Photographs (from top right in descending order):

For the first time in Canada’s history, Axis submarines sank two freighters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the night of May 11&12. The Nicoya, a British banana boat, was carrying war supplies at the time. The fire and glare from its explosion were clearly visible from land. Six seamen were lost. Within hours a second freighter was hit, the Leto, and a dozen seamen were lost. (Photo: Front page of the Halifax Herald, Wednesday, May 13, 1942. National Library of Canada NL12600)

Canada entered the First World War in 1914 and more than 2,800 Canadian Nursing Sisters would volunteer their services. Nursing Sisters also served in the Second World War and in Korea and Japan during the Korean War. Recently, Nursing Officers, as they are now called, served in the Gulf War and in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda and Somalia. (Photo: Canadian Nursing Sisters, May 1917. NAC/Margaret [Ross] MacKinnon Collection)

More than one million men and women enlisted in the army, the navy and the airforce during the Second World War (1939—1945). When the war was over more than 45,000 had given their lives. During the Sicilian campaign, which was fought from July 10 to August 6, 1943, mules were used to pack supplies over mountains and to transport the wounded. (Photo: A support company of the Royal Canadian Regiment near Regalbuto, Sicily. NAC PA-116854)

The wars brought about many changes in the roles that women were able to assume within society. Many women worked shoulder-to-shoulder with men in factories, on airfields and on farms. Others served the women’s forces as mechanics, parachute riggers, wireless operators, clerks and photographers. (Photo: HMCS Coverdale Wrens. A member of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service is seen operating Direction Finding equipment, Moncton, New Brunswick, August 1945. Leblanc/DND/PAC PA-142540)

During the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War, Indian reserves in Canada witnessed the departure of many of their young adult members. Here an Indian chief blesses a new recruit who is about to leave her reserve after enlisting in 1942, during the Second World War. A native veterans’ group estimates that 12,000 Natives served in the three wars. (Photo: DND/NAC PA-129070)

A Coyote armoured reconnaissance squadron vehicle of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), grinds up a hill to resupply one of the Canadian observation posts near central Kosovo. Troops implementing peace in Kosovo have been reuniting refugees with their homes, neighbours and loved ones. (Photo: Sergeant France Dupuis, July 3, 1999)

The South Africa War of 1899—1902, more commonly know as the Boer War, brought about Canada’s first major military expedition abroad. Of the 7,369 soldiers who served in South Africa, 89 were killed in action, 135 died of disease and 252 were wounded. Sergeant Arthur Richardson of Lord Strathcona’s Horse earned a Victoria Cross at Wolve Spruit for rescuing a wounded comrade under intense enemy fire. (Photo: CWM/MCG-19740387-056)

Billy Bishop was one of the top aces of the First World War, a conflict that saw the birth of aerial combat. Bishop brought down 75 confirmed and five unconfirmed aircraft and won the Victoria Cross and a number of other decorations. In 1938, with the threat of Nazi Germany looming, the government appointed him head of the advisory committee charged with expanding the Royal Canadian Air Force. (Photo: NAC PA-22515)

Survivors of torpedoed merchant ships aboard the rescue trawler HMS Northern Gift, St. John’s, Newfoundland, April 1943. The Merchant Navy contributed significantly to the war effort during the First and Second World Wars. It transported millions of tonnes of food, munitions, petroleum, and troops across the oceans of the world. (Photo: NAC PA-153052)

Major J.M. Anderson, Padre, with a group of children at the Young Nak Barinwon Orphanage in Seoul, Korea, on April 21, 1954. Canada’s contribution to the Korean War (1950 - 1953) demonstrated our country’s willingness to uphold the United Nations ideals and to take up arms in support of peace and freedom. All told 26,791 Canadians served in the Korean War and another 7,000 served in the theatre between the cease-fire and the end of 1955. It was the beginning of a new era — Canadian troops deployed in truce teams, peace commissions and emergency forces. (Photo: NAC PA-112644)

A First World War promotion campaign prompted Canadians to contribute money to war bonds. In 1915, $100 million was raised by borrowing from the public. By 1918, this total had grown to $660 million.

Walter Leigh Rayfield, winner of the Victoria Cross, 7th Battalion — Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), earned his decoration for most conspicuous bravery, devotion to duty and initiative during the operations east of Arras from September 2 to 4, 1918. Of the more than 619,000 men and women who fought in the First World War, more than 66,000 gave their lives. In no other war would Canada lose so many. (Photo: NAC PA-6701)

Medals (from left to right):

The British War Medal was awarded by King George V in 1919 to record the bringing of the war to a successful conclusion, and the arduous services rendered by His Majesty’s Force. The award was later extended to 1919—1920 to cover the postwar mine clearance at sea, as well as service in North and South Russia, the Eastern Baltic, Siberia, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal was granted to persons of any rank in the Naval, Military or Air Forces of Canada who had voluntarily served on Active Service and had honourably completed 18 months (540 days) total voluntary service from September 3, 1939, to March 1, 1947. A bar for overseas service with a silver maple leaf was awarded for a minimum of 60 days continuous service outside of Canada.

The War Medal 1939—1945 was awarded for 28 days of service from September 3, 1939, to September 2, 1945, to full-time personnel of the Armed Forces wherever the service had been rendered.

Produced by Veterans Affairs Canada to promote Veterans’ Week, November 5—11, 1999.