Comox Valley Veteran and Unmarked Grave Program researcher Maj. (Ret鈥檇) Ted Usher CD, will represent the Last Post Fund, BC Branch at the BC Reconciliation Awards formal dinner and ceremony at Government House in Victoria on Jan. 18, hosted by the Lieutenant Governor, Mrs. Janet Austin. The BC Reconciliation Award (REC) program recognizes individuals, groups and organizations who demonstrate exceptional leadership, integrity, respect, and commitment to furthering the Calls to Action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada鈥檚 report, and/or inspired others to do so.
Usher, along with fellow Abbotsford researcher, Mr. Glenn Smith and Maj. (Ret鈥檇) Gino Simeoni, president of the BC Branch, will represent the Last Post Fund at this special event.
鈥淭he Last Post Fund (LPF) is dedicated to ensuring that no veteran is denied a dignified funeral, burial, or military gravestone due to insufficient funds at the time of their death,鈥� reads a post on the BC Reconciliation Awards website. 鈥淥ver 18,000 Indigenous veterans served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in the First World War, Second World War, the Korean War, Afghanistan and other peacekeeping missions 鈥� often receiving minimal benefits while facing discrimination when they returned home. In March 2019, LPF established the Indigenous Veteran Initiative (IVI) as part of its mission and in alignment with the efforts of the federal and provincial governments towards reconciliation and building a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples. This initiative aims to commemorate and honour Indigenous veterans by addressing two key components: the unmarked grave component and the traditional name marking component.
鈥淭he Unmarked Grave Component focuses on providing grave markers to Indigenous veterans who have been buried without an existing tombstone. These efforts make certain that their resting places are properly recognized and marked while preserving their memory and contribution. The traditional name marking component acknowledges that some veterans鈥� names were changed in residential schools or omitted on their military papers. LPF/IVI takes on the responsibility to add the veteran鈥檚 traditional name to any existing tombstone placed by Last Post Fund, ensuring the acknowledgement of their identity and heritage.
鈥淟PF/IVI collaborates with researchers who are either Indigenous Elders or former CAF members working alongside Elders. These researchers follow specific protocols when engaging with Elders, respecting the cultural and community requirements. The involvement of Elders is crucial as they possess valuable knowledge and information about deceased Indigenous Veterans and their histories. The initiative is significant where resources are limited for grave markers. Often, grave sites may only have a wooden marker as a tombstone which has deteriorated over time, leaving the grave unmarked. The LPF/IVI strives to ensure that all Indigenous Veterans receive a proper military marked tombstone, symbolizing their service, sacrifice and commitment to their community.鈥�
The Last Post Fund, BC Branch is part of a larger organization of Provincial LPF branches across Canada supported by the national office of the LPF in Montreal that was created in 1909.
LPF volunteer researchers are spread throughout B.C. and spend their time looking for unmarked graves of our veterans who served as far back as the Boer War. If it is found that there is no marker or headstone on the gravesite, an application is submitted to the LPF and in time, with funding from Veteran鈥檚 Affairs Canada, a headstone will be installed to commemorate the service of the veteran. Usher has been working diligently in searching out the Comox Valley cemeteries and other B.C. cemeteries looking for the unmarked graves of our veterans. As of today, Usher has located multiple veterans in the Cumberland, Courtenay and Sandwick cemeteries and has ordered headstones for them all and soon they will start to be installed.
A previous article in the Record documented Usher raising funds through the local Royal Canadian Legion to place a headstone on a First World War veteran Edwin Harbottle in Cumberland Cemetery. Usher arranged to have a headstone produced to replace the deteriorating marker that Harbottle had on his gravesite. Most recently, Usher has created a list of all veterans buried in both Sandwick and Cumberland Cemeteries and hopes to work with the local RC Legions to further identify the graves with some sort of marker or flag in November of each year to ensure the graves are cleaned and recognized.
In the last century, the Last Post Fund has provided dignified burials, funerals and headstones to almost 150,000 servicemen and women across Canada. For more information on the Last Post Fund visit lastpostfund.ca, or contact Ted Usher at tedusher@gmail.com.
To view the other recipients of the BC Reconciliation Awards, check out the Lieutenant Governors website at www.ltgov.bc.ca.
